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OM 3.1.17 Recruitment and Selection Process

About This Policy

Effective Date: May 2014
Last Updated: December 2016
Responsible University Office: Human Resources
Responsible University Administrator: Chief Inclusion and Human Resources Officer

Policy Contact:

Human Resources
clarksonhr@clarkson.edu

Policy Purpose

To define the recruitment and selection process for Clarkson University regarding all potential vacancies or positions needed to be filled, including positions needed on a temporary basis. This policy will outline the process for posting positions, recruiting, selecting, hiring, promoting and transferring employees. This policy will also explain required training in the recruitment and selection process.

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Definition of Terms

  • Affirmative Action: An active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women. 
  • Human Resources (HR): Department responsible for the administration and management of the recruitment and selection processes. 
  • Department: The area that will be responsible for the recruitment and selection of the position. 
  • Position Description: Describes the essential duties, purpose of the position and required education, experience, knowledge, skill and abilities to fulfill the requirements of the position. 
  • Hiring Manager: Member of the Clarkson community that is responsible for the management of the position.
  • Recruitment: 
    • Internal: Only current active employee. 
    • External: Open to current employee and the general public. 
  • Selection: 
    • Internal: Only current Clarkson employees. 
    • External: Open to current Clarkson employee and the general public. 
  • Unsolicited Resumes: resumes that do not come in through the online recruitment system. 
  • Search Chair: Member of the Clarkson community that is responsible for the management of the selection process. 
  • Job Posting: Description of an open position that informs potential applicants of the job duties, required education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities to fulfill the requirements the job successfully. 
  • Compliance: Ensuring that the University is following all state and federal regulations around recruitment, selection and employment. 
  • PeopleAdmin: Clarkson University’s online recruitment and application tool. 
  • Search Committee: Members of the Clarkson community who are selected by the Hiring Manager to review applications for a posted position. 
  • Education: Minimum educational requirements needed to successfully fulfill the requirements the job.
  • Experience: Minimum experience required to successfully complete the job. 
  • Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully fulfill the requirements the job.

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Procedures

General Procedures

The following procedures are to be adhered to:

  1. All recruitment and selection efforts must be coordinated through HR. HR provides guidance and assistance throughout the process. 
  2. HR and the Hiring Manager will collaborate to ensure the development of a comprehensive position description and that a job posting has been completed through Clarkson University’s online recruitment tool, PeopleAdmin. The Hiring Manager has primary responsibility for ensuring employment decisions are in compliance with University and department policies and procedures. HR will review the selection process and employment decisions for compliance with University policy and applicable laws including but not limited Affirmative Action. 
  3. HR will provide the Search Committee members training regarding selection and recruitment, nondiscrimination, affirmative action/equal employment opportunity. This will need to be done once every 3 years.

Recruitment

  1. HR and the Hiring Manager collaborate in developing and documenting objective nondiscriminatory criteria for a job posting. The criteria used to screen applicants include education, experience, essential skills, abilities, and competencies. Final posting approval will be HR. 
  2. To post and fill a position, the Hiring Manager must draft the position posting online that identifies the job classification, duties, specific qualifications, working conditions, and physical and mental requirements through the online employment site PeopleAdmin. Final approval on the above is within HR. 
  3. Each position must be posted for at least seven (7) calendar days before review of applicants can begin. Any position posted for six (6) months must be reevaluated. 
  4. If at any time the Hiring Manager would like to change the minimum qualifications of the job, the position will have to be reposted and re advertised for 7 days. HR notifies departments whether additional Affirmative Action (AA) efforts may be needed to recruit for posted jobs or job groups. Prior to commencing recruitment efforts, the Hiring Manager must submit specific plans for expanded outreach efforts to the Staffing and Onboarding Specialist hrrecruit@clarkson.edu. The Staffing and Onboarding Specialist will assist Hiring Managers, in expanding outreach efforts and recruiting applicants in meeting the additional efforts. 
  5. A job opening must first be posted on the PeopleAdmin site before advertising through other avenues, including print ads or other Web sites. To ensure compliance with regulations, all recruitment advertising must be approved by HR. See below regarding the use of search firms. 
    1. Word of mouth referrals are allowable in the recruitment process however, this should not be done until the position is posted on PeopleAdmin. 
  6. Advertising and other notifications of a vacancy or new position must be nondiscriminatory and must include reference to the University’s commitment to affirmative action through equal opportunity using the following tagline: “Clarkson University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.” Published advertisements must be drafted and approved on PeopleAdmin prior to being used. 
  7. Any inquires by applicants to submit a resume or CV should direct the applicant to complete the online application process. To be considered, an applicant (including any University staff employee) must complete the online application process. Computers are available in Human Resources for applicants who may not have access to a computer. 
  8. Unsolicited resumes should not be considered. Unsolicited resumes should be directed to the Staffing and Onboarding Specialist, which will direct individuals to the online application process in PeopleAdmin. 
  9. HR will provide reasonable accommodations to complete the application process upon request by any applicant with a disability. 
  10. To comply with Affirmative Action requirements, certain data is requested as part of the online application and new hire process. Providing this information is voluntary and provided at the individual’s discretion.

Search Firms

  1. A department considering the use of a search firm or employment agency must consult with HR before making any arrangements with an outside firm or agency. Any search conducted by an outside agency or search firm must meet the same federal, state, local, and University guidelines as searches conducted directly through HR. The use of the search firm must be approved by the President, Provost or HR prior to starting the search. 
  2. The search firm works on behalf of the University and is responsible for the same applicant tracking HR would otherwise do, including keeping records of Affirmative Action outreach efforts, and the recruitment and selection process. The department that contracts with a firm or agency is responsible for ensuring that any firm or agency is fully informed regard. 
  3. The search firm must submit a copy of all search records to the hiring department before the University processes payment of the final invoice or expense reimbursement.

Internal Applicants

  1. The University encourages the consideration of current employees of the University for open positions through promotions and transfers. 
  2. A University employee in good standing who has successfully completed his/her probationary period may apply for a posted position by completing the online process. The probationary period lasts three (3) months for hourly staff employees. The job performance of staff employees who apply and are hired into new positions will be closely reviewed (similar to a probationary period) three (3) months for staff employees paid hourly. 
  3. A University staff employee who has progressed beyond the verbal counseling or verbal warning corrective action step within the previous six months may not apply for a posted position, unless permission is obtained from HR in consultation with the current department. 
  4. Pursuing a job opportunity within the University should not in any way jeopardize a staff employee’s present position. The Hiring Manager should regard an application as confidential until the employee is a finalist and references are to be checked. 
  5. The University also encourages the consideration of individuals associated with the University (e.g.: alumni, spouses/partners of faculty, staff, and students) when appropriate and consistent with University policy and applicable law. 
  6. After accepting a position, a University staff employee is responsible for giving sufficient notice to his/her former department; notification is as follows: 
    1. At least two (2) weeks advance notice for hourly employees and four (4) weeks for exempt employees. Upon beginning a new position in another department, a current employee will maintain accrued but unused sick, vacation, and special personal time, which will be transferred to the new department.

Selection

  1. Once the position has been posted for 7 days, HR or the Hiring Manager may consider applications upon recipient of all requested materials, including reviewing resumes for basic qualifications. A job applicant who does not meet all the required qualifications as provided in the job posting is not a qualified applicant and should not be considered. 
  2. Selection must be based on job-related qualifications including, but not limited to: required and preferred education; experience; knowledge, skills, and abilities as identified in the job description; and references. Qualifications including mental and physical demands must be bona fide occupational qualifications. 
  3. The applicant pool should be sufficient to enable selection of qualified applicants for interviews. If not, the Hiring Manager should contact HR to discuss further recruitment efforts. If there are no well qualified candidates for a position and qualifications are modified to increase the applicant pool, the position must be re-posted for at least seven (7) calendar days, and all applicants for the re-posted position must be considered if they meet minimum qualifications. 
  4. HR, Search Chair and the Hiring Manager must ensure consistent administration of the interview process. Consistent administration includes equal treatment of applicants, avoidance of discriminatory questions, and uniform interview content. 
  5. Upon request by an applicant with a disability, HR and the Hiring Manager must provide reasonable accommodations, as determined by HR and the department during the interview processes. 
  6. An applicant may be tested for job‐related competencies using a properly validated test or other selection procedure. Prior to administering a test or other selection procedure, it must be disclosed to HR by the hiring department. 
  7. When used, approved tests and selection procedures must be given to applicants under equivalent conditions, must be scored, evaluated, and used as a selection factor equally for applicants, and must be maintained with application and selection materials. Such information must be retained with the search files for three (3) years following the date of the last action on the position (e.g., start date, date candidates were notified of the position being filled). 
  8. Search Chair and Hiring Manger are responsible for moving applicants within the PeopleAdmin database during each phase of the interview process. 
  9. Search Chair and Hiring Manager are responsible for sharing all written communication with the HR department that pertains to applicants.
  10. Reference and background checks must be administered to all applicants that are offered a position at Clarkson University. For guidance regarding reference and background checks, please contact HR. 

Post Selection

  1. Prior to making a verbal or written offer of employment, the Hiring Manager must consult with Staffing and Onboarding Specialist regarding the starting compensation of a new hire, to ensure nondiscrimination and equity. HR will collaborate with the Hiring Manager to identify whether there are similar employees in the department, to evaluate pay equity, and to determine the starting salary based on a benchmark review and compliance with State and Federal guidelines. 
  2. An employee may not be offered or start in a position until the required seven-day posting period is complete ensuring a proper search has been conducted. In addition, HR verifies that a proposed hire is eligible for University employment (e.g., meets the basic qualifications, completion of the job profile in the PeopleAdmin system, completion of the testing, if applicable, completion and passage of background check, if applicable, completion of the probationary period if a Clarkson employee, is not on corrective action if a Clarkson employee and not been terminated for cause if previously employed by the University.) 
  3. The Hiring Manager should use the standard offer letter template approved by HR. 
  4. Once the offer is made the Hiring Manager or Search Chair must notify unsuccessful applicants who were interviewed by indicating the applicant’s status in PeopleAdmin and to call unsuccessful applicants that were phone interviewed and campus interviewed. The Hiring Manager and /or Search Chair must update the status of applicants in PeopleAdmin, review the list of not hired reasons and identify the reasons why each applicant was not selected. Items such as “did not have preferred qualifications” or “less effective phone screen or interview than applicant hired” may be reasons. 
  5. The new hire must complete documents listed on the new hire checklist in order to be entered into the payroll system

Document Retention

  1. Recruitment and selection records must be maintained with the search files for three (3) years following the date of last action on the position (e.g., employee’s start date, or the date candidates were notified of the position being filled). These include all materials sent to and received from individuals who qualify as applicants as well as all job seekers who request to be considered for the position. These records are listed below, along with the assumed location where they are stored. 
    1. Search firm contracts (Risk Management) 
    2. Search firm records (HR) 
    3. Affirmative Action outreach efforts ( HR) 
    4. Selection tests or other skills assessment activities (HR) 
    5. Reference checks and notes (Department) 
    6. Verification of degrees, licensure, other credentials (Department and HR) 
    7. Background checks (HR) 
    8. Resume (PeopleAdmin and HR) 
    9. Cover letter (PeopleAdmin and HR) 
    10. Profile (PeopleAdmin and HR) 
    11. Reasons why one candidate was selected over another candidate (Department and PeopleAdmin) 
  2. The following recruitment and selection information and documentation must also be maintained by the department/unit that handled the recruitment process for a minimum of 3 years: 
    1. any search plan for the position; 
    2. copies of any external ads or position announcements (both print and electronic); 
    3. a copy of the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) report used to review the applicant pool; 
    4. a list of any affirmative action and outreach efforts such as job fairs and postings; 
    5. documentation of any screening or other criteria used to narrow the applicant pool; 
    6. a list of applicants phone screened for the position; 
    7. a list of questions, notes, and results of the phone screens; 
    8. a list of applicants interviewed in person; 
    9. a list of interview questions, notes, and results of the interviews; 
    10. a list of any tests administered to applicants and what these tests evaluated; 
    11. reference check questions; 
    12. the names of references contacted and their responses; 
    13. copy of the offer letter sent to the new hire. 

Audit

  1. Any Recruitment and Selection process is subject to audit by the Human Resources Department.

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