Career Employment

• Statistics - A Year in Review
• Testimonials

Statistics – A Year in Review    
We are excited to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of our Hiring Enhancement Program! This past year we have continued to work with a growing number of hiring mangers across the University to share best practices and develop additional hiring and selection tools.  The success of our program is defined by the number of hiring departments and managers that utilize our resources and services. With that being said, I am happy to report that we have had another successful year! We appreciate you partnering with us to continue to improve the hiring and selection process for everyone involved. Below are some statistics of exactly how our collaboration this past year has impacted our University and how many of you have taken advantage of our services. 

165 Department Visits and/or Consultations:

• Topics included Hiring Timeline Customizations, Job Summary and Posting Specific Question Consultations, Data Integration Sessions, Panel Orientations, Hiring Enhancement Program Overview Presentations, and much more.

655 Interview Guides Customized:

• Phone Interview Guides
• In-person Interview Guides
• Reference Guides

610 Training Participants:

• 114 People Certified in Behavior Based Interviewing

49 Trainings Conducted:

• 25 Standard
• 23 Customized

8 Hiring & Selection Tools Created and/or Updated:

• Disposition Definitions for the Online Employment System (OES)
• Conversations for Extending a Job Offer
• UK HealthCare Culture Driven Interview Questions
• Integrating a Panel Interview into your Selection Process
• Behavior Based Interviewing Quick Guide
• The Dos, Don’ts and Whys of Interview Questions (Updated)
• Applicant Disposition Tracker
• Sample Script for the “Thanks, but No Thanks” Conversation

We also upgraded the UK Jobs website (http://www.uky.edu/HR/working/). By adding valuable information regarding benefits and employee testimonials to the web site, we are encouraging our applicants to consider the University an employer of choice. In addition, we enhanced the dedicated Hiring Enhancement Program website (http://www.uky.edu/HR/employ/HiringEnhancementProgram.html).  We have continued to distribute a monthly newsletter to communicate upcoming trainings, new resources and services, as well as a monthly hiring and selection tip. Archived copies of the monthly newsletters over the past two years are available on the Hiring Enhancement Program website.

We have enjoyed working with each of you this past year and appreciate the time and effort that you have invested in the hiring and selection process. We are confident that this investment will continue to pay off as your new hires are successful and grow in their roles. Our ultimate success will be measured by the strong employees hired into our organization and the contributions they make to improve our workplace accomplishments. We look forward to continuing to provide our services to you in the upcoming year. Thank you again for allowing us to work with you to hire the most qualified, best fit candidates.

Testimonials
“We recently advertised an Administrative Support position in our area and used a customized behavior based interview guide designed by Human Resources to select the final candidate for the position.  HR provided our department with a phone interview guide, one-on-one interview guide, panel interview guide, and a reference guide.  All the questions in each guide were specifically designed to fit the job description for our open position, and to target specific, desired positive behaviors.  The system made the interview process much easier and targeted.  I would definitely use the service from Human Resources again.” – Marla Powers, Administrative Staff Officer III (Information Technology, Office of the CIO)

“Recently, I completed the hiring process for a highly competitive position within my department. After the process, I received an email from one of the candidates that was interviewed but not selected for the position that highlights the goal of behavior based interviewing. The email was as follows: ‘I enjoyed going through the interview process with you. I would also like to mention just how impressed I was with all the professionalism that was displayed throughout the process. I am sure coupled with all the questions asked, no doubt Physiology found the most qualified candidate.  Good Job!’ Behavioral based interviewing has allowed us to find the best fit, most qualified candidate for our position using a fair and transparent approach not only for the managers involved but also the candidates.” – Christy L. Anderson, Acting Assistant Dean for Organizational Management (College of Medicine, Department Administrator, Physiology)

“We used behavior-based interviewing for the first time in the Circulation Department at W.T. Young Library during a candidate search in spring 2010. The position required excellent public service skills, good judgment, and an ability to react to difficult situations quickly. Although in previous searches we had used questions that asked candidates how they would react to certain situations, behavior-based questions allowed us to dig deeper into actual experiences that demonstrated the traits this position needed. Human Resources guided us through the whole process, from preliminary planning to question formulation to a final evaluation session. The process was professional and thorough, and I feel it was absolutely invaluable in helping us hire the right person!” – Jennifer A. Bartlett, Head of Reference Services (University of Kentucky Libraries)

• What’s New?
• Did you know?
• Selecting for Success TIP

  What’s New?
  Because conducting an effective behavior based interview involves several steps - including creating or selecting interview questions, gathering information from the candidates, and evaluating the information once you’ve received it - we’ve created a new tool, Behavior Based Interviewing Quick Guide.  This guide clearly identifies what you’re trying to learn, what information you need, recommended interviewing techniques and “watch-outs”, as well as how to evaluate the information to help you select the most-qualified, best fit candidate for your position.  Whether you have attended our Behavior Based Interview trainings and use this as a refresher or want to learn new techniques before your next interview, the Behavior Based Interviewing Quick Guide will provide you with a snapshot overview of the most significant factors to consider when conducting a behavior based interview. 

  Did You Know?
  Did you know that you can obtain your new employee’s social security number from OES to register him or her for New Employee Orientation? This option is only available once the salary recommendation is approved in OES. Below are the step-by-step instructions on how to access this information for your new employee.

  • Log into OES and click “View Open” under the Job Postings header on the left hand side. This will display all of the open requisitions that you have access to.
  • Locate the requisition that your new employee was hired on. The posting status should say “Offer Pending” for this requisition.
  • Click on the “Get Reports List” under the Posting Date column.
  • This will take you to the “Posting Reports” screen. Choose the “Hire Report” option under the Report Choices header and click “Generate Report”.
  • This will open a separate window which will display your new employee’s name and social security number. Remember to close out of this window when you have obtained the necessary information.

   

  Please note that this option is only available to hiring officials who have OES accounts to submit positions. Guest users cannot access this information.

  Selecting for Success TIP: Conduct a Successful Behavior Based Interview!
  Behavior based interviewing is a successful interviewing technique that provides an organized, legally creditable method to effectively evaluate candidates.  This interviewing best practice enables you to gather information on the candidate’s past behaviors and work experience, to evaluate whether or not the candidate has the necessary skills and knowledge needed for the job, as well as the opportunity to learn what motivates him or her.  Here are some TIPS on how to conduct a successful behavior based interview:       

  • Follow up on any needed information from the candidate’s application material.  Include a background review of his/her education and work experience.  This gives the candidate an opportunity to get comfortable talking about himself or herself and his or her past experiences.
  • Ask planned behavior based questions based on the most important competencies of the job.  These questions should be open ended and focus on their past experiences utilizing the desired skills.
  • Collect responses in a STAR (Situation/Task, Action, Result) format to ensure you have a complete understanding of the candidate’s experience.
  • Be cautious of general responses such as:  “I always…”, “We…”, “I plan to...” etc.  If you receive this type of response, ask follow-up questions to get a specific example.
  • Ask open-ended follow-up questions to get the information you need to effectively evaluate the candidate.
  • Avoid theoretical questions (i.e. “How would you do that?”) and leading questions (i.e. “Did you follow up?”).
  • Ask motivational fit questions that allow you to evaluate if the tasks and activities of the job will satisfy the candidate.
  • Some examples of fit questions are:  “How satisfied or dissatisfied were you with ______?”; “What did you like and dislike most about your current or last job?” “What was so satisfying or dissatisfying?”

  Note:  It is an HR best practice to inform each candidate prior to the interview and during the opening of the interview that you will be asking behavior based interview questions.  Let each candidate know that you will be looking for specific examples from his or her past experience, what his or her role was or what actions he or she took, and the results of those actions.  This will give your candidate the opportunity to be more prepared during the interview, which will help you develop a complete picture of your candidate. 
  Including these steps will help ensure you get the information you need to make a great hiring and selection decision the first time!

In this Issue:

• Did you know?
• Employment in the News
• Selecting for Success TIP

Did You Know?
In the U.S., the average amount awarded in an employment discrimination verdict in 2010 was $317,032. As a hiring official, it’s critical to ensure that the hiring and selection process is legally appropriate and interview questions are job related. Knowledge of federal and state legislation as well as University policies and procedures will help ensure you ask job-related questions to obtain the information you need to make a hiring decision. Below are some recent statistics regarding employment discrimination in 2010:

• Employers only have 42% odds of winning an employment discrimination case at trial.
• An employer is least likely to win a pregnancy employment discrimination case.
• The largest monetary verdicts are awarded to disability discrimination claims and age discrimination is a close second in the amount awarded.
• Finally, the most common claim filed is sex discrimination.

Source:  Toth, Mark. (October 21, 2010). All New Employment Law Quiz [Manpowers Webinar Series
2010].  Retrieved December 14, 2010, from http://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/23151.

Employment in the News
Due largely to the current national job economy, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has seen an increase in discrimination charges and claims over the last fiscal year (2010).  According to the following Wall Street Journal article, Charges of Bias at Work Hit Record Level, “When times are good, people are happy and when they’re not, they aren’t.”   http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703791904576075802209115360.html?mod=WSJ_Careers_CareerJournal_4.

Selecting for Success TIP:  Manage the Candidate’s Perception During the Hiring and Selection Process!

As an interviewer, you not only represent your department but also the University to the candidate.  It’s important to keep in mind how candidates perceive they are treated during the hiring and selection process.  Candidates need to be treated fairly and leave with a positive impression of the department and University whether they are selected for the position or not.  Here are a few tips to ensure a positive candidate impression: 

• Be organized and professional when initially contacting your candidates to schedule interviews.  See our Conversations for Scheduling Interviews document for assistance.  
• Do not research your candidates on the internet.  When Googling a candidate on the internet you may learn details that you don’t need to know to make a hiring decision (i.e. if the candidate has kids, their hobbies, and/or religious information, etc.). These are all personal topics that don’t provide information on their skills, knowledge and ability to do the job.  
• Hire for the job – ensure that your interview questions are job related.  
• Be consistent and ensure that each candidate is given the same opportunity during the interview process (i.e. interviewed by the same people and asked the same interview questions). 
• Make a positive impression during the interview and be enthusiastic about the position.  Leave negativity behind and convey a positive attitude and actively listen to the candidate’s responses - this will encourage and prompt the candidate to be open and forthcoming regarding their experience.  
• Actively communicate with your candidates during the hiring and selection process.  Provide timely feedback to candidates after phone or in-person interviews, even if they don’t move forward in the hiring process. 
• Make your employment decision based on merit and whether the candidate has the skills, knowledge and abilities to successfully do the job and how will they fit in the position, department and University.

 

The hiring and selection process is a two-way street and the candidate is making an important decision just as you are.  Each candidate should walk away with a positive impression and strong desire to work at the University of Kentucky!

In this Issue:

• What’s New?
• Did you know?
• Upcoming Trainings
• Selecting for Success TIP

What’s New?
HR best practice is to first extend a verbal job offer to your top candidate; however, a written offer letter is a great way to effectively communicate and confirm the verbal agreement. Creating an Offer Letter, provides a checklist of details to include and what not to include in an offer letter as well as a sample offer letter. 


Did You Know?
Last fiscal year (July 2009-June 2010) the University received over 70,000 qualified applications for the 2,241 jobs posted. The individuals submitting these applications reasonably expect to be kept up to date on the status of their application. The Online Employment System (OES) helps manage this communication by generating two e-mail updates to applicants. The first e-mail update is sent to any referred applicant on the day that their application is referred from HR Employment to the hiring department. This email lets the applicant know that his or her application and supporting documents have been sent to the hiring official for review. The second e-mail is generated once the applicant dispositions have been entered by the department and the Payroll Authorization Record (PAR) has been approved by the responsible Employment Specialist or Consultant. This e-mail states that “another candidate was offered and accepted the position.” It is important to complete the dispositions in order for applicants to be informed of the status of the job in a timely manner.

Selecting for Success TIP:  Effectively Communicate with Candidates during the Hiring Process!

When conducting a search, it’s important to remember that as a hiring official, you have a responsibility to maintain solid communication throughout the hiring process with all candidates you have contacted. That may be easier said than done as revealed in a 2007 survey of new hires conducted at UK by HR Employment. The feedback from the 380 new hires that completed the survey revealed that 41% of new hires were dissatisfied with communication during the hiring process.  That’s almost half!   It’s crucial to keep the lines of communication with candidates open, and as transparent as possible.  Here are a few tips to assist you in communicating successfully with your candidates:

• Create a timeline and stick to it.  Once referrals have been made in the Online Employment System (OES), referred applicants receive an automated e-mail message explaining that the application screening process usually takes 2 – 4 weeks. Applicants are anticipating having an interview date scheduled by the end of the 4 weeks. Block off time on your calendar dedicated to reviewing the applications to meet this expectation.
• Contact your top applicants. First impressions are critical, so make sure you’re prepared and professional when making the call or e-mailing those applicants you’d like to interview. Confirm the interview date, time, and place, and provide important details on parking and the name(s) of the interviewer(s) in a follow-up e-mail to the candidate.
• Keep candidates in the loop. Be open about your timeline to complete all phone and in-person interviews, and how many applicants you have scheduled to interview. It’s also important to stay in contact and provide candidates updates if they are or are not moving forward in the interviewing and selection process. While this may seem like a hard phone call to make, candidates are usually just glad to know where they stand and rarely press for additional information.   
• Be timely when entering turn-down reasons in OES. After the candidate you’ve chosen as the best fit accepts your official job offer, enter the disposition reasons in OES for those applicants who were not selected. This generates an automated e-mail, and lets those applicants who were not referred know that the position has been filled.

The Hiring Enhancement Program website offers many tools and checklists to keep you organized.  As always, feel free to contact your dedicated Employment Consultant for help in any step of the hiring and selection process.

In this Issue:

• Update
• What’s New?
• Upcoming Trainings
• Selecting for Success TIP

Update
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services recently released revised guidelines on completing the I-9 Employment Eligibility Form. Based on the recommendations in this manual, HR has begun making paper photocopies of documents accepted during the employment eligibility verification process. These copies will be stapled to the employee’s completed I-9 form; please do not remove these copies as the copies will need to remain with the I-9 form as it is processed in HR Compensation. If you would like to learn more about the University’s I-9 procedures, please review our website at: http://www.uky.edu/HR/tempjobs/i-9.html.

What’s New?
When hiring a supervisor, you must evaluate if a candidate has the necessary skills, experiences, and motivations to be an effective leader. Interview Questions for a Front Line Supervisor, provides competencies and questions you can include to assess the candidates’ leadership abilities throughout the selection process (phone interview, in-person interview, and reference check). This tool is the first in a 3-part series to be offered that focuses on the competencies and skill sets required to be successful in a leadership role. Keep your eyes open this summer for additional leadership tools focusing on mid-level manager and executive director positions.

Upcoming Trainings
We have several upcoming trainings scheduled. Please join us and expand your hiring and selection knowledge! To learn more about these trainings, click on the training title or visit http://www.uky.edu/HR/employ/HEPTraining.html.

Behavior Based Interviewing 101
Thursday, May 5th
1:30 – 3:30 pm
220 Scovell Hall, Suite 1

Behavior Based Interviewing 201
Thursday, May 12th
1:30 – 3:30 pm
220 Scovell Hall, Suite 1

Behavior Based Interviewing 301
Thursday, May 19th
1:30 – 3:30 pm
220 Scovell Hall, Suite 1

Legal Considerations
Thursday, May 26th
1:30 – 3:30 pm
220 Scovell Hall, Suite 1

Behavior Based Interviewing 1-Day Training
Wednesday, June 15th
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
220 Scovell Hall, Suite 2

To register for the trainings, please use the “myUK” Training Center available under Employee Self-Service at http://myuk.uky.edu. For a quick tutorial on how to register, click here.

Selecting for Success TIP:  5 Interviewer Behaviors that Disenchant Job Seekers!
As the numbers of job seekers grow, so can their frustrations during the hiring process. It is important to provide a positive experience for all candidates during the hiring process in order to meet the goal of your top candidate to saying yes and other candidates leaving with a positive image of your department and the University. Listed below are behaviors that can dishearten job seekers and what you can do as an interviewer to eliminate these frustrations: 

• Being unprepared.
• All interviewers need to have ample time to review the position description, the candidate’s application materials and the interview questions.
• Respect the candidate’s time by being on time for the interview. 
• Interviewer taking over the interview.
• Don’t control the interview by not allowing the candidate to talk.  The candidate needs to be the main communicator during the interview; they should speak approximately 80% of the interview and the interviewer the remaining 20%.
• Actively listening throughout the interview (nodding head, taking notes, etc.) can send encouragement to a candidate and help them feel more comfortable, as well as showing them that you respect what they have to say.
• Give the candidate an opportunity to ask questions – remember they are making an important decision too!
• Inappropriate communication.
• The messages you convey through your observable demeanor can have a major impact on a candidate.  Maintain good eye contact, positive body language and facial expressions – your attitude will show your interest and focus. 
• Avoid yawning, stretching, checking your e-mail or phone, leaving the room; as these distractions can convey to the candidate that you are not interested.  
• Misrepresenting the job opportunity.
• Honesty is best; be clear and upfront with the position’s responsibilities, work environment and culture. 
• Be truthful about the salary. Provide the candidate with a realistic salary range and discuss what can be offered based on factors which include experience, education and departmental budget.
• Lack of communication after an interview.
• Follow-up with candidates after the interview to communicate whether they are moving forward or not in the interview process.  This brief conversation will mean a lot to a candidate even if they were not selected.

Avoiding these behaviors will help ensure candidates feel appreciated and respected and walk away with a good experience.

Happy Hiring!

June 2011 Newsletter

In this Issue:

• What’s New?
• Did You Know?
• Upcoming Trainings
• Selecting for Success TIP

 

What’s New?
The second tool in our three-part series focusing on hiring for leadership roles has been finalized. Interview Questions for a Mid-Level Manager, provides competencies and questions you can include to assess the candidates’ management abilities throughout the selection process (phone interview, in-person interview, and reference check). The final tool of this series, Interview Questions for an Executive Director will be available next month, stay tuned!

 

Did You Know?
Effective July 1, 2011, the pay scales for graded, regular Campus staff positions will increase by 1%.  Please keep this in mind when completing salary recommendation forms for any hire starting after July 1, as this may affect the proposed salary offered, as well as approvals required. Please feel free to contact your dedicated HR Employment team if you need additional information. 

Check out HR Compensation’s website on July 1, 2011 for the updated pay scales: http://www.uky.edu/HR/comp/

 

Upcoming Trainings
Behavior Based Interviewing 1-Day Training
Wednesday, June 15th
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
220 Scovell Hall, Suite 2

To register for the trainings, please use the “myUK” Training Center available under SAP Employee Self-Service at http://myuk.uky.edu. For a quick tutorial on how to register, click here.

To learn more about all of our trainings visit http://www.uky.edu/HR/employ/HEPTraining.html

 

Selecting for Success TIP: Involve your team in the hiring process!
As a manager, it’s important that your team is positive, diverse and bought-in to the objectives and goals of the department and the university.  It is crucial that each person you add to your team is not only a good fit for the position, but also a good fit for the team.  Here are a few TIPS on how to involve your team in the hiring process:       

• Solicit feedback from your team on what skills, knowledge and abilities are a must in filling the new/vacant position. Incorporate this feedback into the job posting and the interview questions.
• Communicate that you have posted the position, and inform your colleagues, direct reports, and department of your hiring timeline.
• Email a quick link to the position on the Online Employment System and encourage your team to share the opportunity with others that might be interested and qualified. Referrals are a great way to recruit!
• Invite 1-2 of your top performers to participate on the interview panel and allow them to be part of the selection decision.
• Take all candidates on a tour of your department. This provides an opportunity for your team to meet the candidates and also provides the candidates with a realistic view of the work environment.

Including your team in the hiring and selection process will give them a greater sense of pride and demonstrates how their input makes a difference! 

Happy Hiring,

June 2011 Newsletter

In this Issue:

What’s New?

Updates

Upcoming Trainings

Selecting for Success TIP

What’s New?
The third and final tool in our 3-part series focusing on hiring for leadership roles has been finalized. The attached document, Interview Questions for an Executive Director, provides competencies and questions you can include to assess the candidates’ leadership abilities throughout the selection process (phone interview, in-person interview, and reference check). Regardless if you are hiring a front-line supervisor, a mid-level manager, or an executive director it is critical that you invest the time in selecting a leader that has the necessary skills, experiences, and motivations to be successful.

Updates
The new fiscal year is here and we’ve updated the Exceptional Benefits handout to reflect minor changes.  The attached version of this document, which can also be found on the Hiring Enhancement Program website, has been modified to include the appropriate changes for fiscal year 2012 (7/1/2011 – 6/30/2012).  Please be sure to replace any previous versions of this document to ensure you are communicating the most up-to-date and accurate information to your candidates and employees.

Another important update to share is that HR Employment has once again invested in purchasing pre-paid advertising packages for your department to take advantage of.  At no cost to your department, you can advertise your job opportunity on HigherEdJobs.com. We have also purchased a limited number of postings on JobTarget.com, and LinkedIn.com.  Please feel free to review these websites and determine if any of these options would be appropriate to advertise your next position. If you would like to place an ad on one of the above mentioned websites or discuss other advertising opportunities, please contact your Employment Specialist or Consultant.

Upcoming Trainings
We have several upcoming trainings scheduled. Please join us and expand your hiring and selection knowledge! To learn more about these trainings, click on the training title or visit http://www.uky.edu/HR/employ/HEPTraining.html.

How to Develop an Effective Job Posting
Wednesday, July 20th
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
220 Scovell Hall, suite 2
Behavior Based Interviewing 1-Day Training
Tuesday, August 16th
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
220 Scovell Hall, suite 2
UK’s Hiring Process
Thursday, September 15th
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
220 Scovell Hall, suite 2
To register for the trainings, please use the “myUK” Training Center available under Employee Self-Service at http://myuk.uky.edu. For a quick tutorial on how to register, click here.

Selecting for Success TIP:  Determining Which Applicants to Invite for an In-person Interview
How do you select the right person for your department?  The answer to this question can vary depending on specific needs and requirements of the position and your department.  However, effectively utilizing the hiring process is the first step in making the right decision.  Here are a few TIPS to consider when determining which applicants to invite for an in-person interview: 

• Establish your selection criteria.  Review the position’s JAQ to determine the top three responsibilities for the position that will make the biggest difference to your department’s success. Consider which job responsibilities are most trainable and which responsibilities are least trainable. Also consider how this position’s responsibilities will blend with the work of your current staff.      
• Review applications.  Based on your established selection criteria carefully review the applications, giving equal consideration to all applicant materials including resumes, cover letters, as well as the applicants’ answers to the posting specific questions. 
• Review personnel files.  As a hiring official, you have access to current and previous UK employees’ personnel files.  You can review Performance Evaluations and other documentation regarding the employee’s performance. This is a very insightful step and helps to ensure you only push forward with applicants that meet your department’s performance standards.
• Conduct phone interviews. Phone interviews are an effective and efficient way to determine if your top applicants possess the “must have” skills and knowledge required to perform the job responsibilities. HR best practice is to select the top 10-15% of all qualified applicants.     
• Consider qualified internal applicants.  If an internal applicant (a current employee within your department or area) meets the minimum requirements, it is an HR best practice to consider him/her for the position. It is important to review all internal applicants with the same established selection criteria as external applicants and communicate in a timely manner regardless if he/she moves forward in the selection process.  

Keeping the above steps in mind will assist you in recognizing the applicants that should be further considered and interviewed for your position.