Recruitment and Selection

• Position Description
• Recruitment
  • Guiding Principles
  • Recruitment Strategies and Resources
  • Position Announcements
• Selection
  • Guiding Principles
  • Prohibited Pre-Employment Inquiries
  • Common Interview Contaminants
  • Reference Checks
• Documentation Requirements
• Corresponding with Applicants
• Search Committees
  • Guidelines
  • Practical Considerations
• Recipe for A Successful Recruitment and Selection Process

Hiring managers and search committees are responsible for complying with the University's Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedures administered by the Human Resources Department (HR) and the University's policies governing Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination. The following information is intended to assist hiring managers and search committees in conducting an effective and legally defensible recruitment and selection process. For Classified and Unclassified staff positions KUMC uses an on-online employment system. Please contact your HR Generalist for training and assistance in using the system.

Position Descriptions

A complete, accurate and current position description is the foundation for planning and conducting the recruitment effort (contact your HR Generalist for instruction on completing a position description). Qualifications articulated in the position description must be:

• Nondiscriminatory: Never express a preference for a certain age, race, or national origin. In very rare cases, sex can constitute a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ), but such a decision must be made in consultation with the Equal Opportunity Office (EOO) or legal counsel.
• Valid: This means they are inherently job-related and predict successful performance of the job.
• Defensible: This means they are recognized as legitimate in the field attached to the position.
• As objective and measurable as possible: The more subjective the qualification, the greater the need to predetermine how it will be qualitatively assessed.

Recruitment

This is the process by which hiring departments develop a viable applicant pool from which hiring and promotion decisions are made.

Guiding Principles

1. Appropriate and effective recruitment strategies vary with each position. The length and scope of the recruitment should be relevant to the position.
2. In setting the timeline for your recruitment, consider the wording carefully--there are consequences to your choice.
   • If you specify a recruitment deadline, you may not consider any applications received after that date.
   • If you indicate the position will remain open until filled, you must consider any applications received until an offer has been extended and accepted.
   • If you indicate "applications received by a certain date will be assured full consideration," you can decide whether or not to review applications received after the specified date. When using this wording, it is critical to establish a meaningful date. (See "Recruitment Strategies and Resources" below for guidelines on establishing meaningful timelines.)
3. Recruitment activities should include good faith efforts to solicit a diverse applicant pool and affirm that race, sex, age, disability or veteran status will not be used to discriminate.
4. If the position is in a job group that is underutilized, by women or ethnic minorities, additional targeted recruitment efforts should be undertaken.
5. All advertisements and position announcements should be consistent with each other, reflect the qualifications identified in the position description, and contain the University's AA/EEO notification statement.
6. Prior to recruiting for a position, ensure that you know what institutional policies and procedures apply. Contact your HR Generalist before beginning recruitment.
7. If you wish to waive recruitment for faculty and unclassified positions, consult with the appropriate Dean or Vice Chancellor, the HR Director or designee, and the EOO Director or designee.

Recruitment Strategies and Resources

HR Generalists will assist search committees and hiring departments in developing recruitment strategies for each vacancy. General guidelines for specific types of positions are listed below.

1. Tenure-track Faculty
   • Scope of Search: National or regional
   • Recruitment Resources:
     • Discipline-specific journals, list-serves, professional associations
     • Personal contacts with colleagues, alma maters, and alumni associations
     • Position announcement mailings to doctoral-degree granting universities
     • Chronicle of Higher Education
     • Kansas University Medical Center Online Employment System
   • Recommended Recruitment Period: At least 3 weeks after appearance of first advertisement; at least 1 full week after publication of last advertisement
2. Unclassified staff, Director level and above
   • Scope of Search: National or regional
   • Recruitment Resources:
• Discipline-specific journals, list-serves, professional associations
• Personal contacts with colleagues, alma maters, and alumni associations
• Position announcement mailings to selected four-year universities
• Chronicle of Higher Education
• CUPA
• Kansas City Star
• Kansas University Medical Center Online Employment System and State of Kansas on-line job listings
• Recommended Recruitment Period: At least 3 weeks after appearance of first advertisement; at least 1 full week after publication of last advertisement
3. Unclassified (below Director level) and Classified Staff
   • Scope of Search: Regional (for technical or paraprofessional positions) or local
   • Recruitment Resources:
• Position announcement mailings to state employment offices, local vocational and community colleges
• Kansas City Star
• Kansas University Medical Center Online Employment System and State of Kansas on-line job listings
• Recommended Recruitment Period
• Unclassified: At least 2 weeks after appearance of first advertisement; at least 1 full week after publication of last advertisement
• Classified: Contact your HR Generalist for state requirements

Position Announcements

1. Purpose of the Position Announcements:
   • Provides applicants, hiring departments and search committees with a general idea of the nature of the position, the terms and conditions of appointment, salary range, reportage, and required application materials and application deadline.
   • Serves as a convenient mailer or flyer to advertise the position by direct mail.
2. General Guidelines for Developing Position Announcements:
   • Use the recommended format, which is either printed on your own letterhead, or uses one of the official KUMC logos. Limit the announcement to one page, using the reverse side of the page, if necessary.
   • Provide enough information to give applicants adequate understanding about the nature of the position. Identify required and preferred qualifications so that you solicit qualified applicants and stimulate interest in the position.
   • Provide notification of the University's EO/AA policy, and identify contacts for requesting reasonable accommodation. (For more information regarding notification statements, go to the "Notification Statements" section of our web site.)
   • Provide a contact name, address and phone number.
   • Explain application requirements.

Selection

This is the process of choosing individuals who have relevant qualifications to fill vacant positions. The process begins when a hiring department identifies the need to fill a position, and ends when a person is hired to meet that need. What happens in the middle of the process includes job analysis, position description development, recruitment, testing, screening, corresponding with applicants, credentials verification, background investigations, interviewing, reference checking, physical examinations, and the offer.

Discriminatory hiring practices could result in significant costs for the University. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 permits jury trials and punitive or compensatory damage awards for victims of intentional discrimination. Individuals acting on behalf of the organization who fail to follow nondiscrimination policies may face personal liability. Poorly designed or executed selection processes will generally fail to identify the right person for the job, result in missed opportunities or delays in accomplishing the mission of the organization, and lead to discrimination claims. Impolite or incompetent interviewers, unnecessarily long waits, and lack of follow-up may cause unfavorable impressions of the University.

Guiding Principles

1. The selection process exposes the university to liability. Seek training from HR or the EOO for yourself and anyone else who participates in the process before you begin.
2. Provide reasonable accommodation in the application process to persons with disabilities. (Contact the University's EO/Disability Specialist for advice and assistance.).
3. Use a nondiscriminatory, valid, and consistently applied selection criteria/process. Use of a rating guide is recommended. This is a form used to rate applications for a position based on the required and preferred qualification as defined in the position description. Rating guides simplify the paper screening process, ensure that applications are being evaluated against the same criteria, and provide documentation which will be used to defend any challenged outcome.
4. Once you determine that an individual does not meet the established minimum qualifications, s/he must be eliminated from further consideration. If you are unclear whether or not an applicant possesses the minimum qualifications, it is appropriate to conduct a verification phone interview. You may also ask applicants to include a cover letter detailing how they meet the established qualifications as part of the application process.
5. Be able to justify every selection/nonselection decision with appropriate documentation (e.g., the position description, applications/resumes, rating guides, selection criteria, interview questions, and reference checks). This documentation should be forwarded to your HR Generalist after the search is completed and it will be stored in the EOO for 3 years.
6. Avoid prohibited pre-employment inquiries and interview contaminants.
7. Conduct reference checks as part of the selection process.
8. Remember that every applicant is a potential complainant.

Prohibited Pre-Employment Inquiries

Laws governing interviewing and selection are not intended to restrict an employer's ability to choose the most qualified person. They are intended to ensure that employers use criteria that are job-related and nondiscriminatory. Hiring departments and search committees should use the following guidelines to identify appropriate pre-employment inquiries. Any questions regarding the appropriateness of specific inquiries should be directed to the EOO Director or the EO/Compliance Specialist.

See the Prohibited Pre-Employment Inquiries document for additional information.

Common Interview Contaminants

• FEELINGS -- frequently carry more clout than fact. If you like a candidate, you may attach attributes to her that don't actually exist.
• MISSING DATA -- especially if the candidate isn't encouraged to fill in the gaps.
• NEGATIVE BENT -- the tendency to focus on information which will automatically disqualify a candidate, causing you to overlook his/hers strengths in the process
• SNAP JUDGMENTS can devastate the interview process -- remember that you gather information during the interview and evaluate it afterwards.
• IMPROPER QUESTIONS -- loaded, confusing, irrelevant or antagonistic
• INCOMPLETE/INAPPROPRIATE RECORD-KEEPING -- unless you carefully document the interview, valuable material will slip through the cracks; avoid recording inappropriate information (i.e., anything not related to the job) or statements based on your own inferences.
• STEREOTYPING -- a major problem. Focusing on the job rather than personal traits can offset a tendency to categorize candidates.
• THE HALO EFFECT -- a tendency to generalize one outstanding feature of a candidate as representative of success in any endeavor, no matter how unrelated
• MIND SET -- your background, attitudes, motives, values, aspirations and biases
• CHEMISTRY or rapport between two people can contaminate the interview -- the basis of your personal reaction to a candidate must always be evaluated in terms of the position requirements.

Reference Checks

Nearly 80% of what you need to know about candidates can be learned through good investigative techniques. Although privacy legislation has had an impact on the reliability of reference checks, they remain a viable means of verifying applicant information. Appropriate checks are also necessary to defend against charges of negligent hiring. Keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. Obtain permission from candidates. Inform candidates that reference checks and validation of credentials will be part of the selection process. A candidate may have valid reasons for setting some limits, and these limitations should be respected. The bottom line is that the candidate must allow you some access to people familiar with their work, or withdraw their candidacy. If access is significantly candidate-controlled, s/he must understand that you will have to make less restricted checks before any offer is extended.
2. Intentionally choose whom to contact. Consider the following guidelines:
   • Call the references identified by the candidate.
   • Seek permission to call persons who should know the candidate (e.g., current department chair, departmental head, supervisor, vice president, colleagues, etc.).
   • Complete enough calls for a full picture of the candidate to emerge.
3. Apply the following guidelines for determining what inquiries to make:
   • All information considered in the selection process must be related to job performance.
   • Request the same information regarding all applicants.
   • Avoid asking references prohibited pre-employment inquiries.
   • Focus on gaining information about the knowledge, abilities, skills and work behaviors identified as being important to the position.
   • Address significant gaps or missing elements in the candidate's application materials.
   • Avoid being put off by scattered "negative" comments from references.
   • Look for patterns of strength and limitations, and for indications of fit between the person and the position.
   • Not every comment should be given equal weight. Attempt to evaluate the reference's perspective, how credible they may be, and how recently or how well they know the candidate.
   • Probe. Get beyond strings of adjectives to specific incidents and how they were handled.

Documentation Requirements for Classified and Unclassified Staff

Classified and Unclassified positions are recruiting for using the Kansas University Medical Center Online Employment System, effective December 7, 2003. All required documentation for these positions is completed by using the online application system.

Documentation Requirements for Faculty Recruitment

The University of Kansas Medical Center is required to maintain specific documentation of its recruitment and selection activities, including the following:

• The recruitment summary simply describes what recruitment activities were conducted and identifies names of search committee members if applicable.
• Copies of recruitment materials (e.g., ads, position announcements).
• As a federal contractor, KUMC is required to invite every applicant to self-identify their race/ethnicity and sex. To meet the requirement, the University requires the hiring department to ensure all applicants for faculty vacancies are provided the opportunity to complete a Faculty Applicant Information Form. The information collected on these forms is used to complete applicant flow analyses and examine the relative success of recruitment efforts. Hard copies are available from the EOO or applicants who submit on-line resumes may complete an on-line version of the form.)
• Faculty Applicant Record: As a federal contractor, KUMC is required to account for the disposition of every applicant. The Applicant Record is used to meet this requirement. Hiring departments use this on-line form to list every applicant for a faculty vacancy and his/her disposition.
• Application materials considered in the selection process (e.g., CV's, applications/resumes, cover letters, and letters of reference)
• Correspondence with applicants
• Rating guides, interview questions/forms, and notes from reference checks.

Faculty Applicant Information Forms (on-line and hard copy versions) are forwarded directly to the EOO. After the search is completed, the hiring department should forward all other documentation to their HR Generalist and it will be stored in the EOO for 3 years.

Corresponding with Applicants

All contact with applicants is important. A professionally conducted search process predisposes qualified candidates to consider KUMC as a potential employer. The nature and timeliness of correspondence contributes to the applicant's perception that KUMC is a quality organization.

Typically, a recruitment and selection process will present the following opportunities to correspond with applicants:

• Acknowledgement of application materials. An acknowledgement letter confirms that the hiring department has received all or part of the required application materials, identifies any missing materials which must be provided to ensure consideration, and indicates the expected timeline for the selection process.
• Notification that application materials were received too late for consideration. Informing persons that they will not be considered for the position is not only a courtesy. It also serves as evidence that the applicant was not part of the applicant pool from which selection decisions were made should the ultimate hiring decision be challenged.
• Notification of a change in the timeline for selection. In order to keep good candidates interested in the position, it is advisable to keep applicants informed should a change in the selection timeline be necessary.
• Notification that an applicant is no longer being considered. As a courtesy to applicants, particularly those for high level or particularly competitive positions, hiring departments are advised to notify applicants when the screening process has eliminated them from consideration. This may occur after any round of screening or interviewing.
• Confirmation of campus interview arrangements. This correspondence should be preceded by telephone conversations with the candidate, and should include information about the University, the community, individuals with whom the candidate will meet, itinerary, travel and lodging arrangements, and other information which helps the candidate prepare for the campus visit.
• Appreciation for interview and rejection. Individuals who have been invited to campus for an interview but are not offered the position should receive such a letter as a professional courtesy.
• Letter of offer. Once a hiring decision has been made and discussed either in person or by telephone with the finalist, it should be confirmed in writing. The individual should confirm his or her acceptance in writing.

Hiring departments should contact their HR Generalist for assistance in writing these letters.

 

Guidelines

Depending on the type of position, a hiring department may decide to use a search committee to manage the recruitment and selection process. The committee's role will vary with the department, school, or administrative unit and type of position. The following guidelines should be considered when using a search committee:

1. The decision to establish a search committee rests with the individual who has authority to make a final offer for a position. Generally, this includes Deans, Vice Chancellors, departmental directors and chairs, and in some cases, supervisors.
2. The search committee should be comprised of individuals who have some knowledge of the position to be filled, are committed to equal employment opportunity, and have the capacity for balanced judgment and discretion. Whenever possible, committees should represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
3. Generally, the ideal size of a committee is relative to the position. For some positions, a committee of 3 is adequate. For positions at or above the director level, committees of 5-7 are more appropriate. Committees for positions at the dean or vice-chancellor level may be significantly larger.
4. A search committee chair should be appointed. Chairs should be selected for their ability to provide leadership to the committee, a demonstrated understanding of the recruitment and selection process, and their commitment to ensure a legally defensible process.
5. The committee should receive a formal charge, which establishes the scope of its responsibilities. At a minimum, the charge should indicate whether or not the committee is responsible for conducting interviews, and whether its recommendations to the hiring official shall be in ranked or unranked order. Typically, KUMC search committee responsibilities include all or some of the following:
   • helping develop the position announcement, including the identification of minimum and preferred qualifications, timeline and recruitment plan
   • completing recruitment and selection activities in the Kansas University Medical Center Online Employment System for classified and unclassified staff positions
   • placing advertisements or conducting personal outreach
   • developing the selection procedure, including rating guides
   • receiving applications, corresponding with applicants, sending applicant information forms, and maintaining the applicant record
   • screening applications, conducting reference checks, determining a long or short list of finalists
   • maintaining required search documentation
   • coordinating campus visits for interviews and/or conducting interviews
   • making recommendations to the hiring official
   • appointing one of the members, or using departmental staff, to act as search committee secretary

Practical Considerations

Disagreements about the outcome of a selection procedure often arise because the process for reviewing applicant materials was not agreed upon prior to the beginning of the process. Committee members, including the committee secretary, should discuss and agree upon the following practical considerations:

1. When will review begin? Unless an inordinate number of applications are expected, it is recommended that the review process begin after the date, which was advertised.
2. Will initial review of applications for minimum qualifications be done by the committee chair, secretary, or all committee members?
3. Will committee members review every application, or will applications be divided into groups that are initially reviewed by only part of the committee?
4. Will the committee use a rating form? A rating guide is highly recommended, because it can be used to defend against EEO challenges to the selection decision. In designing the rating guide, the committee must decide whether they will use numerical scoring (and whether it will be weighted or unweighted), qualitative scoring (for example, poor, average, strong), or a combination of the two.
5. Has the committee developed a plan for corresponding with applicants, including the language for standard letters? Sample letters are available from your HR Generalist or the EOO.
6. Has an effective system been planned for filing and retrieving application materials?
7. Where will committee members review the files? Will they need to come to the search committee secretary or chair office? If so, is there adequate space and privacy for the review? Will members be allowed to take copies of the application materials for review elsewhere? If so, has there been adequate precaution taken to ensure confidentiality and security of the materials? Who will need access to online applications/resumes for classified and unclassified positions?
8. Has the committee established reasonable timelines for completing its review?

Search committees who have questions about these, or other practical considerations, can contact their HR Generalist or the EOO for assistance and advice.

Recipe For A Successful Recruitment And Selection Process

• Develop a written job description, which clearly articulates the essential elements of the job.
• Establish valid, job-related criteria which are as objective and measurable as possible.
• Find qualified and diverse applicants by casting your recruitment net far and wide.
• Evaluate all applicants by the same criteria.
• Never make prohibited pre-employment inquiries.
• Safe questions are those which are clearly job-related.
• Establish and retain documentation supporting all selection or rejection decisions.