Career Employment

• Selecting for Success TIP – Personnel File Review/Reference Checks!
• Employment in the News

Selecting for Success TIP: Personnel File Review/Reference Checks!

Did you know...as a UK Hiring Official, there are some important steps you can take to ensure a great hire in addition to using Behavior Based Interviewing. We recommend completing the following steps for all top candidates before an offer of employment is extended:

• Personnel File Review: Contact your Employment Specialist/Consultant to review the HR personnel file for any current or previous UK employee. HR personnel files contain performance evaluations, letters of recognition and/or any formal corrective action, which may help you get a fuller picture of the candidate.
• Reference Checks: Contact the references listed on your candidates’ application to verify dates of employment/title, follow up on any “red flags” that you may have and ask behavioral based questions to confirm that the candidate has the skills required for your position. Be sure to let candidates know that you’ll be contacting references so they can give a “heads up” to their references. (Note: Your Employment Consultant can customize Reference Check Guides for any position)
• Supervisor Reference Check: Check the listed references to make sure the current supervisor is included. If your candidate selected “No, you may not contact my supervisor” on his/her application, you do need to obtain his/her permission in order to contact the supervisor. HR recommends that you contact the candidate and inform them that your practice is to always speak with any final candidates’ supervisors and ask for that information and/or their permission.

Remember reference checks and personnel file reviews are just another way to gain additional information on a candidate. When making a selection decision, it’s important to consider all the information available, including: application materials, phone interview data, in-person interview data, personnel file review (if applicable) and reference information collected.

• Updates & Improvements
• Selecting for Success TIP
• Employment in the News

Updates & Improvements

Since the Hiring Enhancement Program kicked-off in January, we have had time to hear your suggestions and work to get them implemented.  This month we are excited to share an updated UK Exceptional Benefits handout that can be used to help sell UK as One Great Place to Work to prospective faculty and staff!  The updated document can be found as an attachment to this email and on our website at www.uky.edu/HR/employ/HiringEnhancementProgram.html.

We also want to continue to understand what you need to be successful or would find beneficial.  Your comments, suggestions, and feedback are what drive this program.  As a result we have decided to create a new suggestion email address, HiringEnhancement@uky.edu, which will provide another avenue for you to share your thoughts with us.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Selecting for Success TIP: Spring Cleaning!

It’s that time of year…time to start your department “spring cleaning”!  This is a great time for you to set a goal to clean-up your department’s personnel files, requisitions and ensure your staff’s JAQs are up-to-date.  Here are three TIPS to help you get started…

• Be Aware of Document Retention: All hiring and selection documentation must be retained for 3 years on any candidates that were interviewed in the hiring process. This includes any document that has notes on it or shows communication including; application materials, phone interviews, in-person interviews, reference checks, etc.  If application materials do not contain notes they do not need to be retained since the information can be pulled from OES.  Remember, the burden of proof as to why the candidate was hired or not hired is on the employer.  You want to be sure that your documentation is accurate and detailed and that it is retained for 3 years in your department’s personnel files.  
• Resolve Outstanding Requisitions: Once your top candidate has accepted the position and you have contacted all interviewed applicants, complete dispositions in OES for all referred candidates not selected for the position.  When dispositions are completed in OES, communication to the applicants, letting them know that the position has been filled is initiated.  Completing the dispositions also ensures accurate data for required EEO reporting. Now is also a great time to review any pending or on-hold positions you have and work with your assigned employment consultant/specialist to make any needed adjustments. (i.e. Do you have a position that needs to be cancelled? etc.).   
• Keep JAQs Updated: Whether you are hiring for a new position or notice a change in job requirements/functions, it is important to keep each position’s JAQ updated! Ensuring the document is up to date provides a solid foundation for the job summary, high-impact interview questions, candidate evaluations and employee performance reviews.  We recommend updating each position’s JAQ as changes occur in the position’s responsibilities or department goals.

Spring cleaning is a great way to have a fresh start any time of year.  Beginning with these three areas will help ensure your department is on its way to a tidy 2009!

Employment in the News

The current economy has forced several employees to push back retirement and remain in the workforce. This poses a challenge for other employees who were looking to move up within their department or organization. Attached is an article that discusses this issue, as well as how you can utilize this unique challenge to your advantage and engage and retain all good employees. To read the article, please open the below PDF document.

Holding Pattern - from HR Magazine, Volume 54 Number 3

• Selecting for Success TIP
• Employment in the News

Selecting for Success TIP: Run for the Roses……and the winner is…..the best-fit, most qualified candidate!

The hiring and selection process has many similarities to a horse race.  In a horse race, you start out with many entries and in the end you are left with one winner.  However, while the actual race may last only a few minutes, think about all the training and preparation that is required to get the horse ready for the race.  That same concept relates to the hiring and selection process; it is imperative that an adequate amount of time is spent up front to help ensure you identify the best-fit, most qualified candidate.

Here are some recommendations to help get you started off on the right track:

 *   Invest time in creating your job requisition/posting: include a detailed job summary, skills/knowledge/abilities, preferred experience, and use posting specific questions as a first screening tool.

 *   Partner with your Employment Consultant to create a hiring and selection timeline and customized interview guide to ensure you complete the process in a timely manner and ask the best questions.

 *   Use a systematic approach when performing your application review to determine candidates that have the “must have” required skills and abilities for your position as well as the necessary education and experience to be successful if hired.

 *   Conduct phone interviews using behavior-based questions to screen applicants and identify who should move on to the next phase.

 *   Conduct in-person interviews using behavior-based questions focused on the positions major job responsibilities.

 *   Complete reference checks and review personnel files to verify the information you received from applicants during the interview process and complete the candidate profile before making your final decision.

 *   For a detailed hiring and selection process guide, please see the attached “Hiring Fundamentals” document.

From the call to the post to the finish line, these recommendations are a sure bet in helping ensure you hire the best-fit, most qualified candidate the first time around.

Employment in the News

With the downturn in the economy, we are seeing an increase in the number and quality of the candidates that are applying to positions at UK. For your department, that may make hiring from a highly qualified, talented pool that much more challenging. The attached Staffing Management magazine article, “Pick the Best of the Bunch,” explains steps hiring managers may take to more effectively screen larger applicant pools as well as improve communications with candidates throughout the process. We would welcome the opportunity to help your department make the most of these current employment trends and promote the University as one great place to work!

• Selecting for Success TIP
• Employment in the News

Selecting for Success TIP: Involve more people in the interview process!!

Add panel interviews to your hiring and selection process. Since most departments depend on teamwork to be successful, it is important that you solicit input and feedback from a variety of different people that will interact with the new employee.

• Choose a panel:
•         Your panel should include between 3-5 members. Panel members will need to be available for all panel interviews to provide consistency and fairness. If a panel member can not attend all of the interviews, then you will need to find another representative from that area.   
•         Have representation from a variety of different interaction levels - a supervisor, a peer, a direct report (if appropriate) and an internal customer (within your department or from a department you work closely with).   
•         Think about diversity when selecting a panel – gender, age, ethnic background, and UK experience. This presents a well balanced view of the department and the university.
• Be organized:   
•         First impressions are everything.  Remember you are “selling” the position and UK as much as you are evaluating if a candidate is the right fit for the job.   
•         As soon as you post your position, block out potential interview times for all panel members.
• Be prepared:   
•         Make sure that each panel member has time to review all application materials, as well as the major job responsibilities for the position, prior to interviewing any candidates.   
•         Assign a panel member to be in charge of greeting the candidate, taking them to the interview room, introducing all panel members, and escorting them out once the interview has concluded. This allows a smooth transition for both the candidate and the panel.   
•         Make sure that all of your panel members are fully trained in appropriate interviewing techniques. The Hiring Enhancement Program offers several group trainings as well as customized training for a specific panel or department.

Finally, remember that you are striving to not only hiring someone that possesses the necessary skill set for the position, but also someone who will complement the skill set of the entire team.

Employment in the News

Trying to juggle multiple schedules to set up a panel interview may not seem worth the effort.  However, The Adler Group online article attached, “Using the Panel Interview to Save Time and Increase Accuracy,” explains the benefits of conducting panel interviews to produce better hires.  As always, your dedicated employment team is available for additional information on panel interview best practices or to sit in as a panel member for your interviews.

• Selecting for Success TIP
• Did You Know?

Selecting for Success TIP: Prepare for the Application Review Process!!

Take time to prepare for the application review process while you are waiting for the posting deadline to pass.  Depending on the number of applicants you have, the application review process can be time consuming and feel overwhelming.  Here are some tips to help you complete the process in an organized, efficient and timely manner:

• Determine who will be involved in the selection process.  Decide if everyone involved will review all applications or if you will divide them evenly amongst a team. Regardless of the approach, make sure that everyone involved has a clear understanding of the position, the department and the selection criteria before they start the application review process.
• Ensure that everyone involved in the application screening is able to provide you with the information you’ll need for the applicant “turn down” reasons. One good practice is to ask each reviewer to note their rationale on a post it on each application.
• Increase the likelihood that your reviewers will quickly get you the feedback you need by blocking out time on their calendars to review applications before the job posting closes. We’ve found that it typically takes 2-3 hours for the average reviewer to adequately screen 25 applications. Although you won’t know the exact number of applications in the pool until the deadline has passed, go ahead and block time off based on what past experience with the position has lead you to anticipate or feel free to contact your Employment Specialist/Consultant to get the current number of applications for the position.
• Finally, schedule a time to discuss the application material and finalize top applicants with everyone who has been involved in the application review process.

Being organized up-front will help ensure you allocate the appropriate amount of time to review each applicant’s application material and that the process runs smoothly.  

Did You Know?

Did you know that you can print multiple applications and attached documents (resume, cover letter, etc.) at one time in OES? This not only saves you time, but it is super easy!  Below are the step-by-step instructions on how to print multiple applications or documents.

1. Log into OES and click “View” to open your requisition/position. This will display all of the candidates that have been referred for this position.
2. Click in the box to the right, under the header “All/None”, for each applicant that you wish to print their application or attached documents. A green check mark will appear to confirm that applicant was selected.
   • If you would like to print all applications or attached documents, then click the header button “All” and check marks will appears for all applicants.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and to the right you should see a section with a header of “View Multiple.”
   • If you would like to print applications, click on “View Multiple Applications”.
   • If you would like to print attached documents, click on “View Multiple Documents”
4. This will open a separate box which will display the applications or attached documents of the applicants that you previously checked.
5. To print, click “File” and then click “Print.”
6. Please note that the multiple applications and documents will display as one, it will print with a page break in between each applicant.

• Selecting for Success TIP

Selecting for Success TIP: Include “Motivational Fit” in your interviews!

Have you ever had a candidate that had the skills, knowledge and abilities to do a job but lacked the enthusiasm or interest to be a satisfied top performer? Motivational fit interview questions are designed to determine how personally satisfied or dissatisfied a candidate would be with a specific position, department and organization. A candidate may be capable of doing the day-to-day tasks, but if they don’t enjoy it, chances are they won’t be satisfied or excel in that position. By including motivational fit questions, in addition to assessing if the candidate can perform the major job responsibilities, you are more likely to hire a candidate who not only can do the work, but is satisfied and more likely to remain with the organization over time.

TIPS for adding motivational fit questions to your interview:

• Use motivational fit questions based on the many or few opportunities of the position’s duties and responsibilities throughout the interview process.
• Listen for likes and/or dislikes when a candidate is providing information throughout the interview (i.e. educational background, work history, and answers to behavior based questions).
• Follow-up with specific questions on when, what and why a candidate was most or least satisfied in their work.

Implementing these tips can make a huge impact on your department by hiring a candidate on the “know how”, “can do” and “like to do” aspects of the job.

• Training Testimonials
• Did You Know...?
• Selecting for Success TIP

Training Testimonials

We are proud to share the below reviews regarding our Behavioral Based Interviewing (BBI) 1-Day Training. This training is the combination of BBI 101, BBI 201, BBI 301 and Legal Considerations – 4 trainings in one day.

“I would highly recommend all supervisors involved in hiring decisions to attend the one day Behavioral Based Interviewing training class. The presenters and material discussed was thorough, informative and educational. Upon completion of this class, you will be better equipped to make the right hire not only for your work unit but the University of Kentucky!” – Joe Sharpe, Assistant Athletic Director (UKAA – Administrative Support)

“The Behavior Based Interviewing 1-day training course was a very informative session that will no doubt improve my employee selection process. The depth of response that Behavior Based Interviewing requires will exhibit a candidate’s true abilities in problem solving beyond the typical interview format. The material of the course and the knowledge and organization of the instructors made the course an interesting, relevant, and enjoyable experience. I would recommend it to any supervisor that wants to improve the employee selection process in their department.” – Aaron Epperson, Health Information Management Manager/UKHC (EVPHA Revenue Management)

“I really enjoyed the one-day training on Behavior Based Interviewing. Being off-campus makes it difficult to attend each session separately. The one day program really fit my needs. I found the STARs concepts very helpful in narrowing down the candidates. Thank you for a very enlightening day.” – Marsha Marsh, Administrative Support Associate I/UKHC (Anesthesiology – IPG)

Did You Know?

Automatic emails are sent to all applicants as soon as disposition reasons are completed in OES. This email communication informs the applicant that another candidate was offered and accepted the position. HR Employment recommends that you enter all disposition reasons into OES after your top candidate has accepted the position and successfully completed the pre-employment screening. This ensures that you communicate the right message at the right time to those who did not receive an offer or interview for the position. It also provides you with the opportunity to offer the position to your second choice candidate if your top candidate doesn’t work out or you decide to re-open the position all together. This recommendation also ensures that mixed messages aren’t communicated during the selection process.

Selecting for Success TIP: Extending the Offer!
After investing time in the hiring and selection process, you want to ensure you close the deal by hiring your top choice candidate. Extending the “official” offer can make a big impact on the final outcome. Here are some TIPS to consider when extending an offer:

• Thank the candidate again for his or her time and deliver the good news!
• Highlight howhis or her expertise/experiencematches the position and how you believe the candidate will impact the department and the organization.
• Discuss the compensation details of the offer including the salary and university’s exceptional benefits package.
• Let the candidate know that the offer is contingent on the necessary pre-employment screening.
• Keep in mind that you don’t want to force an on-the-spot decision. Give the candidate an opportunity to ask questions.
• It is okay for the candidate to take some time. The two of you can agree on a date that the candidate can get back to you with a decision.
• Once the candidate has officially accepted the position, don’t hesitate to share your enthusiasm with him/her.
• Also make sure to discuss the candidate’s start date, paperwork, and training plan after you have confirmation that the candidate’s pre-employment screening has been completed successfully.

Extending a job offer is a very important aspect of the hiring and selection process and is often overlooked and undervalued. Following these TIPS will help you be successful in getting your top candidate to accept!

• Did You Know...?
• Selecting for Success TIP

Did You Know?

It is common practice for hiring officials to request applicants to attach a resume and cover letter along with their application. However, you can also have applicants attach additional documents such as academic transcripts, writing samples, reference letters and/or answers to additional questions related to your position. These additional documents can provide the hiring department with more information to consider as they go through the selection process.

If you are interested in having applicants attach additional documents, make sure to check the appropriate box(es) in OES when selecting what documents you would like the applicant to attach when posting a position. It is also important to provide details of exactly what you would like the applicant to attach in the job summary. If you have any questions, feel free to contact a member of your dedicated employment team who can walk you through this process.

Selecting for Success TIP: Creating Effective Posting Specific Questions!
Posting specific questions (PSQ) are great way to gather additional information from your applicants. This information can be used as built-in screening tool to determine if an applicant has the required skill set and experience necessary to be successful in the position. Here are some quick tips on creating effective PSQs:

• First identify the “must-have” skills and experience for the position.
• Design open-ended (long text response) and close-ended (multiple choice response) questions to solicit detailed information enabling you to evaluate the targeted “must-have” skills and experience.
• A good general rule is to use no more than 5 total questions with 1-2 of these questions being open-ended.
• Open-ended questions can also be used to evaluate an applicant’s written communication. It is appropriate and important to consider typos, grammar, as well as the overall content of the long text response.
• When designing your PSQs be specific! It is important to not leave anything up for interpretation.
• If you want to evaluate applicants’ supervisory skills and experience, create a PSQ that directs the applicants to provide the details you are looking for. Example: “Describe your supervisory experience. Please include the number of employees whom you have supervised and the level of supervision including your experience in hiring, staff development, training and performance management.”
• It is also a good practice to ask for an applicant’s “paid work experience”. This allows you to get a better understanding of an applicant’s true work responsibilities and experience instead of their general viewpoints or personal experiences. Example: “Indicate the number of years of paid work experience you have in financial and budget reconciliation.” Asking for paid work experience will clarify that the applicant should not include unpaid work, such as balancing their checkbook.

Spending time in creating specific PSQs for your position can assist in determining who your top applicants are and help save you time during the application review process.

For more assistance in creating effective PSQs feel free to contact your dedicated Employment Specialist or Consultant. In addition, we offer a two-hour training, How to Develop an Effective Job Posting,that discusses in more detail creating PSQs.

• Testimonial
• Did You Know...?
• Selecting for Success TIP

Testimonial

We are happy to share the below statement from a hiring official who has recently enhanced their hiring and selection process by adding behavior based phone interviews:

“Phone interviews have helped to increase the efficiency and success of our selection process. We are able to start with a larger group of candidates and truly focus on the skills required for the position. The phone interview questions target the absolute “must have” areas. It is an effective method to narrow the selection without creating personal attachments. In addition, the phone interview allows an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the candidate’s verbal communication skills in a different way than the in-person interview, which adds another dimension for us to assess when selecting the best fit for our needs. We have used this method consistently since it was introduced to us through the Hiring Enhancement Program and will continue to do so in the future.” – Paige Brown, Assistant Manager (Sponsored Projects Accounting)

Did You Know?

In order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all interviewed candidates should be asked an “essential functions” question during the hiring and selection process. The purpose of an “essential functions” question is to identify if a candidate can or cannot perform the job requirements (essential functions) with or without reasonable accommodations. The question should be close ended to allow a “yes” or “no” response from the candidate, such as “Can you perform these responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations?” We recommend asking this question during the phone interviews so candidates don’t feel that you are asking this question because of a perceived disability. Contact your dedicated Employment Consultant to determine the essential functions of the position. In addition, the Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity is another resource if you have questions regarding reasonable accommodations for new or current employees. This office can be reached at 257-8927.

Selecting for Success TIP: Implement phone interviews in your hiring and selecting process!
Phone interviews are a time efficient way to screen a large pool of candidates. By adding phone interviews to your selection process you can save time and money by eliminating candidates who are no longer interested in the position (i.e. for salary reasons) or don’t have the necessary skill set/experience required to move to the next phase of the process. In addition, phone interviews can create a solid candidate experience by promoting the opportunities the University, the department and the position have to offer. Here are some TIPS to remember when conducting phone interviews:

• Conduct phone interviews with the top 10-20% of referred applicants (of course this depends on how large and qualified the applicant pool is).
• Schedule phone interviews verses contacting the candidate and expecting to have an on-the-spot interview. This gives the candidates time to prepare and provides a more professional experience.
• Send a confirmation e-mail with the details once the phone interviews have been scheduled.
• Phone interviews should last no longer than 30-45 minutes.
• Be consistent and ask all candidates the same questions.(Questions should include: the “essential functions” question, application clarification questions, behavior based interview questions targeted on the “must have” skills, and the salary question.)
• Provide detailed information on the position, the department, and the University.
• Thank the candidatefor their time and interest.
• Close the phone interview by setting expectations of when the candidate should expect to hear back from you regarding the next steps in the process.
• If you do not make contact with the candidate on your first try, make at least 2 attempts to reach them before assuming they are not interested.

If you are interested in a customized phone interview guide for a position, please contact your dedicated Employment Consultant or send your request to HiringEnhancement@uky.edu.

• Did You Know?
• Selecting for Success TIP

Did You Know?

HR Employment has invested in pre-paid advertising packages on three recruitment websites. At no cost, your department can advertise unlimited jobs on Insidehighered.com, Higheredjobs.com, and Medhunters.com through June 30, 2010. Please feel free to review these websites and determine if one, two or all three options would be appropriate to advertise your next position. If you would like to place an ad with one of the above mentioned websites or discuss other advertising opportunities, please contact your Employment Specialist or Consultant.

Selecting for Success TIP: Small, strategic time investments can yield great applicants!
Often, when we think about advertising a job opening, we feel boxed in by budget restrictions or only think of traditional advertising methods such as expensive newspaper ads. The following advertising tips can help generate a great applicant pool with little to no cost while helping you measure the return on the dollars and/or time you have invested.

• Network with colleagues. Word of mouth is priceless – equip your colleagues with the information they need to know to help recruit applicants.
• First, brainstorm who might know someone who could be a great potential applicant. Don’t underestimate the power of the following groups: your own employees, other managers or peers in your division/department, and professional associates.
• Create and distribute a detailed email providing information about the new job opportunity. Include the minimum qualifications and the skills, knowledge and abilities you are seeking. Add the position’s “Quick Link” to your email, to make applying as easy as possible for potential applicants. (The “Quick Link” can be found on the job requisition at the bottom of the Posting Details tab.) Write text to both encourage the reader to consider the opportunity as well as forward the information to anyone else they think might be a good fit. If you need any help crafting your email or finding the “Quick Link”, please contact your Employment Specialist or Consultant.
• Take advantage of using professional listservs. Since professional listservs are typically focused on sharing industry specific information/knowledge this can be a great avenue for distributing job opportunities.

• Reach out to local programs/schools. Most training programs and schools have a career counselor on staff. That person will likely be delighted to hear about the opportunity and can quickly forward your email to both current students and past graduates. Consider making a five minute phone call to the career counselor for any school you are aware of that offers the specific degree, certificate, and/or license your position requires. You’ll not only get their help in advertising your current position but you’ll also have a good start in building a relationship for future collaborations.

• Let us do the research for you. We can partner with Bayard Advertising, who can research local and national advertising opportunities targeted for your position. This free research includes a cost breakdown so your department can make an informed decision. Investing money in the right advertising strategy can generate the applicant pool you want.

• Take advantage of our pre-paid advertising opportunities. Your Employment Specialist or Consultant can recommend which of the available pre-paid recruitment websites, mentioned above might be right for your position.

• Measure the results. Smart investments should yield good return on both dollars and time spent. Your Employment Specialist or Consultant can add a simple return on investment (ROI) question to your posting and run a ROI report to analyze where your applicant pool first heard of the opportunity. This information will assist you in continuously tailoring your advertising efforts in the future.

Getting the right person in the right position has one of the biggest impacts on your department’s long term success. These tips will start you off in the right direction by making sure you have quality applicants to choose from.