Hiring Enhancement 2010 Newsletter Archive

Reminder
What’s New
Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

Reminder

For new employees hired on or after January 1, 2010, UK’s retirement savings plan benefit will change from immediate vesting to cliff vesting. This means that employees hired on or after that date must be employed at the university for five years before they are eligible to withdraw any of the employer match to their retirement plan. The change does not, however, affect the outstanding 200% match the university offers. For questions or additional information, please contact HR Benefits at 257-9555, option 1.

An updated version of our Exceptional Benefits document is attached for your use and distribution.

What’s New

A timeline is a useful tool that not only helps you stay time conscious during the hiring and selection process, but also ensures you take the necessary steps to hire the most qualified, best-fit candidate. Attached is a template timeline designed to walk you through the process from start to finish. If you would like a more detailed, customized guide for your vacant position, please contact your Employment Consultant.

Did You Know?

All regular positions are required to be posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and can be posted any day of the week. This allows all potential applicants an equal opportunity to review the job posting and provides adequate time to apply to the position if they are interested. In order to maximize exposure for your job opportunity HR recommends posting the position over two weekends. This also gives potential applicants time to prepare their application materials.

Selecting for Success TIP: Utilize a Hiring and Selection Timeline to stay on track!Investing time in the hiring and selection process is critical to help you hire the right person. Developing a detailed timeline ensures that your selection process is effective and efficient. Here are some TIPS to consider when creating a timeline:

Set a goal of when you would like to have your new employee start. This will guide you as you set timeframes for each step of the process.
Use the attached template timeline to confirm that all steps of the selection process are included.
Block off time slots for all members involved in the selection process. Include time for: application review, phone interviews, in-person interviews, data integration, reference checks/personnel review, committee meetings, etc.
Be realistic when scheduling timeframes. Keep in mind holidays, vacations and other department projects, events, and commitments. Remember that your top choice candidate may need to give their current employer notice before they can officially start your position. This sometimes can be up to 4 weeks.
Stick to your timeline! In a recent survey, 42% of UK applicants reported being frustrated with extensive time and lack of communication throughout the selection process regardless of if they were hired or not.

Planning ahead and creating a timeline will provide you with a guideline to follow. This will eliminate stress, ensure you don’t miss any important steps, and keep the experience professional for both you and the candidates.

What’s New
Selecting for Success TIP
Employment in the News

What’s New

Coordinating all of the logistics for an in-person interview requires careful planning. We have created a new hiring and selection tool designed to guide you through the process. This easy-to-use checklist will outline the steps you will need to take in order to provide a professional and enjoyable experience for all involved in the interview.

Selecting for Success TIP: Building Rapport
Building rapport with a candidate is one of the most important aspects of making an interview successful! This allows the candidate to feel at ease and creates an environment that encourages the candidate to answer interview questions honestly and openly. Listed below are several TIPS to consider when building rapport with the candidate:

Make sure that your first impression is positive.

Be on time and be prepared.
Greet the candidate and open the interview with simple rapport building questions such as, “Did you have any trouble finding us?” or “Would you like some water?”. (Remember these questions should be appropriate for an interview – stay away from questions about martial or family status, religion, etc. See our Dos & Don’ts of Interview Questions document for clarification on what questions to avoid http://www.uky.edu/HR/employ/documents/DosandDonts.pdf
Introduce all of the interviewers, including their job title, their department and how they will be interacting with the candidate.
Share or confirm details such as estimated interview duration, interview format, etc…
Acknowledge that the interview is a chance for both of you to get acquainted, for you to learn more about the candidate’s skills and experience and for the candidate to learn more about the position and the university.

Create an environment that encourages the candidate to respond openly.

Make sure the interview area is free from distractions and interruptions. For example, turn cell phones off and place a “Do not disturb” sign on the door. This will not only help the interview flow smoothly, but it also leave the candidate feeling as though they were treated with dignity and respect and that you value the time you have with them.
Give sincere and specific compliments to enhance the candidate’s self-esteem when they provide you with answers that meet or exceed your expectations. For example, “Wow, two major wins in one day, that’s great. You must have been excited”.
Listen and respond to sensitive information provided by the candidate with empathy. For example, “I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been”.
End on a positive note. Thank the candidate for their interest in the position and for their time to interview.
Commit to a timeframe when you will get back to the candidate to communicate the next steps of the selection process.

Interviews can be a nerve racking experience for even the most prepared candidate and it’s important to acknowledge the candidate’s viewpoint. When solid rapport has been built, you receive the information you need to effectively evaluate the candidate for your position.

Employment in the News

The hiring and selection process should be a positive experience for both the candidate and interviewer. As a hiring official, there are steps that you can take to help ensure a good candidate experience while promoting the position, your department and the University. The article linked below from HRRecruitingAlert.com lists the top 10 behaviors displayed byhiring officials that lessen the chance of a successful hire. By avoiding these pitfalls, you can enhance the interview experience for all involved while highlighting the UK as One Great Place to Work!

To read the article, please click on the following link: http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/10-dumb-ways-managers-drive-job-applicants-away/.

Thank You!
Statistics - A Year in Review
Testimonials
Upcoming Trainings

Thank You!

In January 2009, just over a year ago, we held our first kick-off session introducing the Hiring Enhancement Program! We’d like to take the time to thank you for making this program a huge success in its first year. Not only have you invested your time in learning more about the program but you’ve also utilized the resources, services and trainings that are available to you - and even submitted suggestions to make the program better! Thank you for allowing us to work with you to hire the most qualified, best fit candidate for your positions.

Statistics – A Year in Review

In the past year, we were able to reach out to hiring officials across the University, providing a variety of hiring and selection resources as well as sharing and implementing best hiring practices. On our first anniversary, we would like to share some statistics with you that demonstrate how our services positively impacted the hiring practices of our great organization and how many of you have taken us up on our offer of assistance.

198 department visits/consultations

hiring timeline customizations
job summary and posting specific question consultations
data integration sessions
panel orientations
program overview presentations

259 interview guides customized

phone interview guides
in-person interview guides
reference guides

329 people trained

51 people certified in Behavior Based Interviewing

36 trainings conducted

standard/scheduled trainings
customized trainings

4 trainings created

9 hiring & selection tools created

We have also created a dedicated website: http://www.uky.edu/HR/employ/HiringEnhancementProgram.html and a monthly Hiring Enhancement Program newsletter (started in March 2009) to better communicate trainings and resources available.

We have enjoyed working with each of our Hiring Enhancement Program customers this past year and appreciate the time and effort invested in the hiring process. We look forward to continuing to provide you with our services and new resources to help ensure a positive hiring experience while promoting One Great Place to Work!

Testimonials

“Over the past twelve months I have become a big fan of the services of the Hiring Enhancement Program. I have used their consultation services and they have prepared numerous interview guides for me as well. Not only have the services they provided saved me time and helped me create a better candidate evaluation process, but their customer service has been excellent. They always work to understand and meet my needs.” – Courtney Higdon, Patient Access Services Director/UKHC (UK HealthCare Patient Services)

“I’ve had the opportunity to use the behavioral based interviewing process when hiring many employees. The process absolutely works! The ability to work directly with a competent Employment Consultant who can lead you in the development of creating great questions that “get results” is invaluable. Reviewing each qualifying dimension in the interview process and developing the “right questions” is hard work, but it’s well worth doing to get qualified “right fit” employees. I highly recommend the process to anyone looking to hire any level employee.” – Sarah Nikirk, Auxiliary Services Director Associate (Auxiliary Services)

“I was in the first graduating class of the Behavior Based Interviewing series. The series was so helpful that I suggested it be presented (and it was) to all of our clinic managers. Our office has also used other facets of the Hiring Enhancement Program – we worked with our Employment Consultant in developing customized interview guides (telephone and face-to-face) for a particular vacancy that we had and for on-site training for the evaluation process (a very crucial part of the hiring process that is often overlooked). I feel that the HR Career Employment Consultants are there any time we need help in making our next hiring experience the most successful it can be – they provide valuable resources in helping us find the best candidate for the position.” – Karen Robinson, Assistant Director of Dental Clinic Operations (College of Dentistry)

Reminder
Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

Reminder

With a new fiscal year just around the corner, it’s a good idea to start thinking about your budget and preparing for your FY 2011 staffing needs. There are several staffing situations that can affect your budget - perhaps your department has been considering budgeting a new position or you are anticipating new grants that will require additional staffing or maybe someone in your area will be retiring or taking advantage of phased retirement. Planning is the key to all of these staffing opportunities. Don’t hesitate to collaborate with your dedicated employment team to find the right solution for your department’s needs in any of these situations. Also remember STEPS Temporary Employment can be a cost-effective solution for any interim staffing need.

Did You Know?

A position doesn’t have to be vacant in order to be posted on the Online Employment System (OES). In fact, if an employee is retiring or has given ample notice, the incumbent and the new hire can be employed in the same position number for up to six weeks. This allows the incumbent time to potentially train the new hire before leaving the position, making for a smoother transition. You will want to work with your budget officer to ensure your department can financially support paying both individuals simultaneously.

Selecting for Success TIP: Create a success profile.
A HR best-practice for selecting an ideal candidate for your position is to develop a success profile for your job. A success profile captures the requirements of a job including the knowledge, experience, competencies and personal attributes that are critical for an individual to succeed in a position. Creating this profile before your search begins will set a solid foundation for you and your search committee to better understanding what you are looking for in your applicant pool. Listed below are several TIPS to consider when creating a success profile for your position:

Identify how the position aligns with the strategic success of your team/department/unit and the broader organization.
Determine what skills, knowledge, abilities and experiences are necessary for someone to successfully achieve desired outcomes.
Establish 2-4 responsibilities for the position that will make the biggest difference to your team/department/unit’s success.
Consider how the position’s responsibilities blend with the work of your current staff to create value.
Identify three solid performers in the same position (if possible) and assess what common characteristics have allowed these performers to succeed. Consider what these individuals “can do” and “will do”.
Determine what has prevented individuals from succeeding in this position in the past – what skills/knowledge/abilities were missing?
Evaluate what skills and knowledge your team might be missing to meet team/department/unit and organizational goals on a much broader scale.

Spending time planning, creating and implementing your success profile will provide the framework for selecting the best-fit, most qualified candidate to help you and your department succeed! If you’d like to see a sample success profile or would like help developing one for an upcoming search, please contact your dedicated Employment Consultant.

What’s New – Recruitment Web Site Sneak Peek
Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

What’s New
When interviewing an external candidate it’s important to sell the position and its opportunities, as well as the experience of working at the University of Kentucky. To help with these efforts, we have created a recruitment website which contains testimonials from current UK employees, information about our exceptional employee benefits, statistics on the University and information about living in Lexington, Kentucky. In the next few months this website will replace our current UKJobs website. The goal will be to proactively promote working at the University to all potential employees as they review and apply for job openings. To get a sneak peak of the new website, click on the following link www.uky.edu/hr/working. If you have any feedback regarding this site, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us at hiringenhancement@uky.edu.

Did You Know?
The Online Employment System (OES) has a feature called “guest user,” which allows individuals without an OES hiring official account to access information in the OES. This feature offers a great way to provide search committee or panel members with access to application materials without having to make and distribute paper copies.

You can create a guest user account when submitting a posting through OES by navigating to the “Guest User” tab in the job requisition and clicking on the link that says “Activate Guest User.” The system will generate a user name and prompt you to create a password. Once applicant referrals have been made, anyone using the guest user name and password will be able to view the application materials submitted by the referred applicants.

If you would like to activate the guest user feature after the job requisition has opened, please contact your dedicated Employment Specialist or Consultant and we’ll be happy to assist in turning on this functionality.

Selecting for Success TIP: Understanding the Qualifying Equivalency Question.
The majority of regular staff positions have minimum requirements, that define how much education and “related” work experience an individual must have in order to qualify as an applicant for that position. All job requisitions have a series of Qualifying Equivalency (QE) questions which are designed to assess if the applicant meets these minimum requirements.
Creating a very targeted and specific definition for “related” work experience can have a huge impact on the size and quality of your applicant pool. One tip is to ensure the “related” experience question is written as clearly and unambiguously as possible to try to eliminate any potential confusion on the applicant’s part.
Another tip is to spend some time identifying the kind of work experience a potential applicant would need to be successful on the job. The goal is to define the “related” work experience broadly enough that you will have a sufficient number of applicants to consider but narrowly enough that individuals who truly lack enough relevant experience to be successful in the position would hopefully be screened out based on their answers.
However, it is important to note that the University does use an “equivalency” system to determine whether or not an applicant has the sufficient combination of education and related work experience. This means that applicants who have completed advanced education can substitute that education for the related work experience. It also means that applicants can also substitute additional related work experience for the educational requirement.

For example, the minimum requirements for an Administrative Support Associate are an Associate’s degree and 3 years of “related” work experience. Using the equivalency system, applicants with the following combinations of education and related work experience could also qualify: Bachelor’s degree and 1 year of “related” work experience or a High School Diploma and 5 years of “related” work experience, etc.

Note: An applicant self-discloses the answers to the QE questions. Therefore it is an HR best practice to review the applicant’s responses to the QE questions during the application review process and confirm that he or she meets the established minimum requirements for the position.

If you have questions on developing a QE for your position contact your dedicated Employment Specialist or Consultant to determine what “related” work experience would be most appropriate for your position. Again, being very specific on the QE questions can help ensure that you get a more qualified applicant pool with the type of experience you are looking for.

Happy Hiring!

Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

Did You Know?
A new employee is eligible for benefits on the first day of the month following his/her start date. See below for examples of how this works:
New employee’s start date                     Benefits eligibility date
June 1st                                                 June 1st (or July 1st at the employee’s request)
June 8th                                                 July 1st
June 30th                                               July 1st
July 1st                                                  July 1st (or August 1st at the employee’s request)

However, if an employee is transferring from a temporary position (i.e. STEPS, on-call, etc.) to a regular position, then the employee would be eligible for benefits on the actual start date of his/her new position regardless of when it occurs during the month.

Benefits include health, dental, vision and flexible spending accounts. Basic life insurance for all regular full-time employees begins on the employee’s actual start date. All other benefits administered through HR’s Benefit office (i.e. retirement, optional life insurance, etc.) depend on the employee completing the necessary paperwork within the first 30 days of employment. If you have questions regarding benefits for your employees, please contact the HR’s Benefits Office at 257-9519, option 3.

Selecting for Success TIP: Don’t Avoid the “Thanks, but no thanks” Conversation.
Communication throughout the hiring and selection process is extremely important. It allows the candidate to know where he/she stands in the process as well as provides insight into how employees are treated at the University. Although it is hard to tell someone that they weren’t your top candidate, it is important to communicate this message so the candidate feels valued and respected. Listed below are several TIPS to consider when telling a candidate “thanks, but no thanks”:

Be timely. Set a timeframe of when you will be touching base with the candidate regarding your decision and stick to it. It is better to call the candidate and let him/her know that you need additional time to make your decision than to have no communication at all, leaving the candidate “in limbo.”
Make the “thanks, but no thanks” conversation sincere, brief and to the point. The candidate will appreciate that you took the time to inform them of your decision even if they weren’t selected.
Start the conversation by stating the purpose of your call.

“I am calling to follow-up on the interview we had last week for the Admin Support position”.

Let the candidate know your decision.

“After interviewing several candidates for this position, we have decided…to move forward with other candidates,…to offer the position to another candidate, or…to broaden our applicant pool and re-open the position."

Be prepared to provide a response to “May I ask why I was not selected?” Although it is rare, some candidates would like honest feedback on how they interviewed and why they were not chosen for a position. For those candidates, receiving constructive feedback may help them in the future. So, be prepared with a response (sincere and constructive) in case you are asked.
End the conversation on a kind note by thanking the candidate for his/her interest, wishing the candidate well on his/her job search, and encouraging the candidate to continue to look for positions at the University.

“Thank you again for taking the time to interview for this position. I wish you well in your job search and please continue to apply for positions here at the University.”

Maintaining communication with candidates is just as important at the end of the hiring and selection process as it is in the beginning. Good communication ensures that all candidates have a positive experience with your department and the University. Remember the candidates you turn down may not be the most qualified, best fit for your position but might be perfect for other positions at the university.

Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP
Employment in the News

Did You Know?
The start date of a new regular staff employee can happen any day within a pay period as long as it is after the candidate has successfully completed his/her pre-employment screenings. However, if an employee is transferring positions within the university there may be some limitations to when the employee can start his/her new position. See below for examples of how this works:

Current Payroll Cycle/Area	New Payroll Cycle/Area	Start Date
New Hire	Monthly or Bi-weekly (including HealthCare Payroll**)	Any day in pay period
Monthly	Monthly	Any day in pay period
Monthly	Bi-weekly - HealthCare Payroll**	1st calendar day of the month
Monthly	Bi-weekly - Campus Only	Transfer any day*
Bi-weekly	Bi-weekly - Campus Only	Any day in pay period
Bi-weekly	Bi-weekly - HealthCare Payroll**	1st calendar day of a bi-weekly pay period
Bi-weekly	Monthly	Transfer any day*
STEPS	Monthly or Bi-weekly	1st calendar day of a bi-weekly pay period

Transfer any day* = department needs to work with a Compensation representative prior to the employee transferring to confirm the start date and ensure that no payroll issues arise from the transfer.

HealthCare Payroll** = Chandler and Good Samaritan hospitals and the clinical departments within the College of Medicine.

If you need to contact HR Compensation regarding questions of when an employee can transfer, please contact the assigned Compensation representative. Contact information for the Compensation Specialists is listed below as well as the assignment area by the new/transfer employee’s last name.

Last Name        Compensation Representative    Contact Information
A – D                Lisa Sibley                                257-8955 or Lisa.Sibley@uky.edu
E – K                Carla Braun or                           257-8948 or Carla.Braun@uky.edu
                        Steven Osborne                        257-0584 or Steven.Osborne@uky.edu
L – R                Barb McHone                            257-8952 or Barbara.McHone@uky.edu
S – Z                Stephanie Francis                      257-8918 or Stephanie.Francis@uky.edu

Selecting for Success TIP: Internal Applicants - An Important Part of the Selection Process!
It’s important to carefully consider and manage communications with all applicants that are internal to your department. You don’t want to assume you know everything about an internal applicant’s skills, knowledge and abilities because they are currently working in your department. You want to give all potentially qualified internal applicants an opportunity to demonstrate his/her skills and abilities and how they met the needs of the vacant position. Here are some important TIPS to consider regarding internal applicants:

Take time to review all application materials for applicants internal to your department and seriously consider them for the position. HR best practice is to include all qualified internal applicants in your selection process.
Evaluate internal applicants with the same selection criteria as external applicants (i.e. internal applicants need to be asked the same interview questions and interviewed by the same interviewers just like an external applicant, etc.).
Communicate with your internal applicants whether or not you decide to move him/her to the next level of the selection process. It is important that you are timely, respectful and honest with your communication/feedback. This can serve as a professional development opportunity especially if the internal applicant is not selected for the position. If not selected, explain why they were not selected and what skills they need to focus on if a similar position becomes available in the future.

Note: If an internal applicant does not have the skills, knowledge and abilities for the position, avoid moving him/her forward in the hiring and selection process. A better next step is to communicate with the employee directly, learn what his/her goals and objectives are and provide feedback on how he/she can improve and gain the needed skills to advance in his/her career.

We want to promote and keep strong, dedicated employees at the University. It’s important that you handle internal applicants with respect as this lets them know you are concerned about their career path and growth. Not only will they value the feedback but it will help build department morale and create a positive working atmosphere!

Employment in the News
The attached article from the Lexington Herald Leader, “Tips to help you ace job interview questions” discusses behavior based interviewing as an effective way to assess candidates. While some of the article may be speaking to the candidate, it provides some great information to hiring officials about the purpose and benefits of this method of interviewing. To read the article, please click on the following link: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/19/1229844/tips-to-help-you-ace-behavioral.html.

Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

Did You Know? New hires may take vacation leave within the 90-day new regular staff employee orientation period if the requested vacation was discussed and agreed upon during the selection process. This pre-approved vacation leave is without pay even if the new hire has accrued vacation leave since vacation leave may not be used until the new hire has successfully completed his/her new hire orientation period. If pre-approved vacation leave is granted, you will want to extend the new hire’s orientation period to cover for the time that the employee was off work for vacation leave. Please note: current employees who have transferred to a new position are eligible to use accrued vacation leave during the transferred staff employee orientation period. If you have any questions or would like more information, please review HR Policy and Procedure Number 8.0: Staff Orientation or call HR Employee Relations.
Selecting for Success TIP: Set your new employee up for success!
The first several weeks in a new position can be overwhelming and can potentially make a new employee feel uncertain. However, there are steps that you can take to make the on-boarding process exciting, beneficial and useful for both you and your new employee. Start off on the right foot by making your new employee feel welcomed, valued and prepared. Here are some TIPS that will help ensure a successful first week for your new employee:

Schedule a time for your new employee to complete all new hire paperwork (i.e. signed application, I-9, direct deposit form, etc.) prior to his/her first day. During this meeting provide him/her with department specifics including organizational chart, department contact list, dress code policy, parking information, closest meal options, etc.
Enter the new employee into SAP and complete all appropriate paperwork to ensure access to necessary systems on the first day (i.e. e-mail, phone, etc.).
Prepare his/her work station. Make sure the area is clean and stocked with basic supplies. It is also a nice touch to have a “Welcome” sign or card from the entire team for the new employee on his/her first day.
Order business cards or other position specific supplies that the new employee will need.
Develop a training plan that includes New Employee Orientation, Supervision (if appropriate), SAP training, as well as department and position specific trainings.
Send an e-mail announcement to your department welcoming the new employee, sharing a little about his/her background and why he/she was selected for the position.
Plan to have lunch with your new employee on his/her first day and set aside time on your calendar to meet with your new employee during his/her first week as well as upcoming weeks.
Set-up 30 minute one-on-one meetings between your new employee and other team members to help orient the new employee to the team and its responsibilities. This will not only help him/her feel welcome, but will also allow the new employee to interact with his/her teammates and understand the overall team dynamics.

Note: If there is a long time period between the offer and the employee’s start date, it is a best practice to stay in regular communication with your new employee in order to begin building a positive professional rapport and continue their positive outlook on their new position at UK.
HR Training & Development is currently developing a new website specifically designed for supervisors. One of the main features of this website will be the Onboarding Toolkit for New Employees. This toolkit will provide additional tips and resources to help supervisors ensure they are creating a positive first impression and setting the stage to build a strong working relationship during the employee’s first year at the University. In addition, a checklist will be available for the new employee to provide them with guidelines and ideas of what to expect during their first year.

Making sure your new employee has the information and tools they need to be productive will guarantee a positive new hire experience and will set him/her up for success from the start!

What's New?
Update
Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

What's New?

In order to better serve our hiring officials and promote the University's preferred Behavior Based Interview method, we are excited to announce a new and easier way to request interview guides. You will now have the option to request a customized interview guide for your position when you submit your job requisition through UK's Online Employment System (OES). We recommend taking advantage of this valuable resource and join the hundreds of UK hiring officials experiencing success using this hiring technique. The new interview guide request feature now makes the process easier and more convenient than ever!

Update

We are excited to announce an update to an existing tool, The Dos, Don'ts and Whys of Interview Questions. The attached multiple page document, which can also be found on the Hiring Enhancement Program website, has been modified to include 1) a more user-friendly and easy to read format; 2) reference information that includes legislation and UK Human Resources policy and procedures; and 3) additional details and best practices to incorporate into the hiring and selection process. Please be sure to replace any previous versions of this document to ensure you are communicating the most up-to-date and accurate information. If you have questions regarding information contained in this tool, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail your dedicated employment team.

Did You Know?

According to studies conducted by Development Dimensions International, Inc. interviewers who don't take notes during interviews are only able to recall a little more than one-fourth of the facts a candidate shared during the interview. Note taking keeps you focused on collecting STARs* so you can see which components are missing and may need to follow-up on during the interview. You'll find that note taking also provides you with the information you need after the interview to make sure that you correctly recall which candidate gave which information. This also helps assure that your personal impressions of the candidates and their responses to the job related interview questions don't blur together in your mind. Note taking can also give you greater confidence in your hiring decision since your decision is based on specific facts, not on vague feelings or memories. *Not familiar with the STAR concept? Attend our Behavior Based Interviewing 101 & 201 training on September 9th to learn more about this helpful model.

Selecting for Success TIP: How to take successful notes during an interview!

Note taking is an extremely important part of the interview process. Taking notes lets the candidate know that you are interested in what he or she is saying and the information you obtain will assist you in recalling the details after meeting with the candidate. Here are some TIPS on note taking:

Take notes openly – Let the candidate know at the beginning of the interview that you will be taking notes. While you don't want to hide your notes from the candidate, you also don't need to allow the candidate to see everything you write down.
Note only the pertinent information - Don't try to write every word the candidate says. Focus on key words, phrases, and/or pertinent information that will help you recall what the candidate shared during the interview. Use whatever method that works best for you, such as shorthand, symbols, abbreviations, etc.
Note behavior observed - Note behavior and tone displayed during an interview, such as lack of eye contact, if the candidate rolls his/her eyes, the tone of the candidate's voice when he/she answers a specific question, etc. This information can be just as important as the answer itself.
Take notes on sensitive or negative information carefully – For example, if you take notes sparsely throughout the interview until the candidate gives an example of a past mistake and then begin writing feverishly, the candidate may notice this change and quickly redirect his/her answer.

Taking notes successfully will allow you to gather the information you need to evaluate all of your candidates and help ensure you make the best hire for your position!

What's New?
Did You Know?
Selecting for Success TIP

What's New?

When you begin the hiring and selection process, there are several critical steps that you need to consider to help ensure you hire the most qualified, best fit candidate for your position. Attached is a new tool, Applicant Disposition Tracker, which was designed to help you manage your pool of applicants as they move through the hiring and selection process. We recommend taking advantage of this valuable tool to ensure the accuracy of disposition reasons for all applicants being considered and encourage you to distribute this to hiring officials within your area who are responsible for providing disposition reasons.

Did You Know?

Hire letters are sent to candidates who accept a regular staff position, regardless of whether they are a new or transfer employee. The hire letter is generated through the Online Employment System (OES) once the Payroll Authorization Record (PAR) is approved by the responsible Employment Specialist or Consultant. The hire letter contains information regarding the position, including: position title, department, grade level, effective date, pay rate (hourly or bi-weekly/monthly amount), and vacation accrual rate. Please note: the letters are mailed to the candidate's home address within one week after the PAR is approved. If a PAR is received thirty days or more past the employee's start date, a hire letter will not be generated through OES.

Selecting for Success TIP: Conduct an Effective Reference Check!

Without a doubt, conducting reference checks is an essential and valuable part of the hiring and selection process. Reference checks provide a great way to double check what you think you've learned about a candidate during the interview process with information from those who have actually worked with the candidate in the past. For example, perhaps your candidate professed to be a "people person" throughout the interviews but didn't have a lot of concrete examples to back that up. Asking a carefully crafted series of questions during the reference check with a past supervisor and/or colleagues may provide you with the information you need to determine if the candidate was just saying what he or she thought you wanted to hear or if he or she was just having a tough time during the interview. Here are several TIPS on how to conduct an effective reference check:

Plan to conduct 3-4 professional references checks per candidate (former and current supervisors and/or co-workers are the best sources of information).
Inform the candidate in the interview process that you will be contacting references and verify reference names, contact information, and relationship.
Talk with the candidate, if he/she has answered "No" to the question "Current Supervisor: Can we contact this reference?" on his/her application, and help them understand the need for you to speak with this person. It may be that the candidate wants to alert the current supervisor in advance, so s/he will not be taken by surprise. Only after you get agreement from the candidate should you contact his/her current supervisor.
If the candidate didn't list former and current supervisors and/or co-workers, ask him or her to provide these types of references during the interview process.
Prepare behavior based questions before contacting the references to get more specific information about the candidate's skills. It is an HR best practice to contact your dedicated Employment Consultant who can customize behavior based reference questions for you!
Plan to check references on your top candidate or candidates near the end of the selection process but before making a job offer (i.e. after the interview phase).
Discuss, at a minimum, how they have worked together, the candidate's reliability/dependability, communication skills/teamwork, strengths/opportunities for development and rehire status.
Document the responses. The information that you gather from the references will be critical when evaluating your candidates and making your final decision.

Note: It's a HR best practice to review personnel files for current and/or previous UK employees in addition to conducting references checks. Contact your Employment Specialist/Consultant to schedule a time to review files anytime after referrals have been made for a position!

Reference checks provide very useful information and are a great final step to help support a good hiring decision!

What's New?

Did You Know?

Selecting for Success TIP

What's New?

To effectively select the right candidate, hiring officials should also consider how a candidate will fit in the position, the department, and the organization. The attached tool, UK HealthCare Culture Driven Interview Questions, provides a list of questions you can include in a phone interview, in-person interview, or reference check. Although the tool was designed around the UK HealthCare Behavioral Expectations, the questions were developed to be valuable to any department at the university.

Did You Know?

The hiring and selection process is an opportunity for you to learn about the candidate's experience and how he/she might fit into your department. However, it is also a time for the candidate to learn more about the position, department, organization, and the individuals with whom they will be working, if hired. Below is a link to an article that discusses five things that candidates can learn about your company throughout the hiring and selection process. By keeping these in mind, you can positively impact your candidates' experiences and ensure you are sending the desired messages regarding your work environment. To read the article, please click on the following link: http://www.hrmorning.com/recruiting-5-things-interviewees-learn-about-your-company/

Selecting for Success TIP: Hire for the work culture you want!

When interviewing, it is important to hire not only for the skills and knowledge that the position requires but also to consider the impact that the new employee will have on your department's culture. Whether you're seeking to keep your team's culture intact or hoping to hire for the culture you want in the future, consider these TIPS:

First, assess your team's current culture and work environment. Determine the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. What do your team members say they do or don't like about working on the team? What do you like about how you see your team treating customers and colleagues and what don't you like? What feedback have you gotten from your leadership?
Next, make sure each interaction you or your team members have with the potential new hire effectively models the behaviors and values you're seeking to reinforce or grow. For example, if you are seeking a new hire who is an excellent communicator and is great at follow up, be prepared to commit to sharing the hiring timeline with the candidate and following up with him or her at each milestone. We can't miss a deadline ourselves and then expect our new hires to get the impression that we're deadline driven.
After the interviews and reference checks are completed, analyze that information to determine what the candidate values in a workplace, what motives him or her and what work cultures he or she would prefer to avoid. Determine if those values and motivations align with the overall organizational values and the ideal culture you have or are attempting to create. For example, if your top priority is to improve customer service you want to consider someone who is results oriented and possesses excellent interpersonal skills.
Finally, communicate frequently with your current team to set and/or confirm your cultural expectations. Be sure to very clearly communicate the expectations for the position to any team members who are participating in the selection process so they are positioned to help you select the right candidate for your environment.

A better understanding of your team culture will allow you to be honest with candidates by providing a realistic preview of the current work environment and the expectations that would be placed upon the individual hired. This will set everyone up for success from the start!

What’s New?

Selecting for Success TIP

What’s New?
Panel interviews provide an opportunity to solicit input and feedback from individuals with a variety of different perspectives during the hiring and selection process. This interviewing best practice creates buy-in from your team because they are part of the process and ensures that your team will be invested in the success of the new hire. Attached is a new tool, Integrating a Panel Interview into your Hiring & Selection Process, which will assist you when coordinating panel interviews.

Selecting for Success TIP: Evaluate your Hiring & Selection Process!
The hiring and selection process should be effective, efficient and accurate to ensure that you hire the most qualified, best fit candidate for your position. Now is a great time to evaluate your process and determine if it successfully identifies what you are seeking in an ideal candidate. Here are several TIPS to help you evaluate your existing hiring and selection process:

Review the job posting to ensure you are attracting the right applicants.

Did the job summary effectively communicate the expectations of your ideal candidate? Did the posting accurately describe all of the major job responsibilities of the position? Did the posting include the culture of the department or any special working conditions and/or shift requirements?
Were the posting specific questions effective in screening applicants based on the required and/or preferred education and related experience?

Evaluate the interviewing process to enhance your chances of selecting the most qualified, best fit candidate.

Did the interview questions target the experience, knowledge and abilities that an employee “must have” in order to be successful in the position? Did the interview include “motivational fit” questions to evaluate if a candidate would not only be able to do the job requirements, but would be satisfied with that type of work?
Were all of the appropriate individuals involved in the interviewing process?
Was the entire interviewing process timely and did it communicate the right messages about your department to all candidates considered for the position?

Assess the reference check process to confirm the information collected during the interview is accurate.

Did you include personnel file reviews on all individuals currently or previously employed at UK? This practice allows you to obtain insights on the candidates’ past performance and can be completed at any time during the hiring and selection process.
Did you use behavior based interview questions to ensure you were gathering information regarding the candidate’s experience and performance and how it relates to your position?
Was the candidate’s most recent supervisor contacted to verify and validate the candidate’s experience, knowledge and abilities?

Your hiring and selection process should be regularly evaluated and evolved. Hiring the right team members now will increase your department’s productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall team morale. If you would like support in evaluating your hiring and selection process, please contact your Employment Consultant.

Career Employment

2010 Hiring Enhancement Program Newsletters Archive

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