These steps will help you select the best fit candidate from your pool of applicants.
FIVE-STEP HIRING PROCESS Select a candidate
Review applicants and determine who you will interview
Once you receive applications for your job posting, there are several sections on the application you should review.
First, determine if your applicants have the education and experience required for the position as well as the skills and abilities to be successful in the role.
Leverage the selection criteria you established for the position during the planning phase to evaluate and classify each applicant into one of three categories - strong, acceptable or weak. This initial evaluation process will help you in determining which applicants should move forward to the next stage.
The Applicant Review Checklist is a great resource on how to review each section of the application as well as prepare for the interview stage.
Hiring process
Conduct phone or online interviews
This initial interview allows you to gain a better understanding of the candidate's experience through behavior-based questions. It also provides an opportunity to clarify any information from the application.
During this conversation, you can outline job responsibilities and expectations along with highlighting the benefits of working in your department and at the university.
To help with this we offer numerous resources below such as Logistics for Scheduling an Interview, Interview Confirmation Email, Exceptional Benefits, Video: How to conduct a Phone Interview, etc.
Conduct in-person or panel interviews
In-person interviews allow you to build on the information you have already obtained by asking questions to gain a deep understanding of a candidate's previous experience as it relates to the job responsibilities.
A hiring best practice is to use a customized interview guide with behavioral-based questions. Upon request, HR Employment can create these customized interview guides on your behalf.
Bringing a candidate on site can provide an opportunity to meet additional team members in your area as well as showcase your department.
If you use a panel to conduct interviews, you can gather feedback from everyone who participated to assist you in the hiring decision. HR Employment can help with integrating their feedback into your evaluation, if requested.
If you would like training on behavior-based interviewing, we offer trainings two to four times a year and can also accommodate department-specific requests. To get started, you can check out our Do's and Don'ts of Interviewing as well as our BBI Quick Guide.
Conduct reference checks or personnel file reviews
Reference checks and personnel file reviews are a great way to verify employment dates, technical skills, and strengths and weaknesses for your top candidates. They also allow an opportunity to gather information on how a candidate would fit into your work environment.
HR Employment can help with accessing personnel files if your candidate is a current or former UK staff or temporary employee.
To better understand the types of questions to ask during a reference call, check out this sample Reference Guide.
Make your final decision
Determining which candidate to extend an offer to is an exciting and highly important decision. It is critical to consider all the information about the position and the candidates. Take time to thoroughly review the position description and information gathered including application materials, interviews (phone and in-person), reference checks and personnel file review, if applicable. When making your decision, consider how the candidate will complement the team.
For staff positions, you will also need to work with HR Employment to obtain an approved hiring proposal before taking the next steps of extending an offer.
If you don't feel you have a preferred candidate, you can coordinate with HR Employment to repost the position and discuss potential advertising or recruitment strategies.