Employment Process Manual, Screening and Interviewing

Preparation for the employment interview includes gathering as much information as possible about:

• Job responsibilities and required skills
• A realistic job profile (what work is normally performed during a typical day)
• The overall goals of the College and department
• The applicant applying for the job (review of the application and resume)

Screening

• The entire screening committee, including the equity representative, will screen applications using a Screening Checklist (HR-125) to ensure that applicants meet the minimum criteria specified in the "qualifications" section of the position description.
• The advertised qualifications cannot be changed.
• Applicants will be evaluated and subsequently selected for interview based on the qualifications on the position description and other job-related criteria.
• Equal opportunity needs of the College are among the other criteria considered by the committee.
• The committee must also give veterans a preference for administrative, professional, staff/office support and career service positions. In the event that a veteran has not been selected for interview during the initial screening, the group will review the deselected applicants once again and select for interview the veteran applicant whose qualifications most closely match those specified for the position.
• If a telephone interview model is used, all applicants selected as candidates should be selected for the telephone interview.
• If the telephone interview model is not used, five to eight applicants should be selected for the first on-site interview.
• After the screening is completed, the chair must notify the Human Resources Office in writing of applicants selected for interview by submitting either HR-130A (Selection of Career Service Candidates for Interview) or HR-130 (Selection of Candidates for Interview). This document requires approval of the equity representative.
• The Human Resources Office will respond to those who are not interviewed and the chair will contact those who have been selected for interviews to confirm their interview appointments.

Application and Resume Review

• Application and resume review is a critical task that requires consistent and fair treatment of all applicants.
• It may be helpful to record observations of each applicant's qualifications on a screening form that lists position requirements.
• Examine the application and resume for completeness and accuracy.
• The following criteria should be used when reviewing the application and resume:
  • Compare the job requirements to the application to determine if the key qualifying factors are mentioned.
    • Does the applicant have the required degree and the required number of graduate hours in the field for which he/she is applying?
  • What interests were shown by the applicant academically and through extracurricular activities?
    • Are the academic interests related to the job?
  • Does the applicant have enough experience to meet job requirements?
    • Is it possible that suitable experience has been acquired through previous positions but is not included on the application or resume?
    • Is there more emphasis on earlier jobs that on recent ones?
  • How many jobs has the applicant had?
    • Are the different jobs in the same field?
    • Are there gaps in the employment dates listed?
    • Do the reasons for leaving previous jobs appear legitimate?
  • Has the applicant completely answered all questions and provided adequate explanations regarding previous work responsibilities, skills, convictions, etc.?
    • Does the application appear to be complete?
    • Are required supplemental materials, such as transcripts and written statement, included in the application file?
• As you review the applications, sort them into three piles:
  • qualified applicants
  • unqualified applicants
  • those who may be qualified and warrant further attention
• You will need to review the "may be qualified" pile again and make a decision as to whether or not the applicant merits further consideration.
• Then, you will need to sort the qualified applicants once again and determine which applicants you will invite to an interview.
• As applicants are disqualified, you should make a note explaining your decision on your screening form.
• When selecting applicants for a professional or career service position, review all applicants who have claimed veterans' preference one more time before reaching a decision.
• Whenever possible, extend an invitation to interview to at least one qualified veteran who normally may not have been interviewed.