Human Resource Services
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Policy Manual for Staff Employees
SECTION 2 - Recruitment and Selection
GUIDELINES FOR RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION FOR STAFF EMPLOYEES SUBJECT TO THE PERSONNEL ACT
Author: UNCG HRS
Scope: SPA
Effective: July, 2006
Revised: August, 2008
- General
- Commitment to Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employment
- Review of Job Description
- Posting
- Screening and Referral of Applicants
- Priority Consideration for Current State Employees
- Priority Re-employment Consideration
- Veterans' Priority Rights in Hiring
- Affirmative Action Consideration
- Structured Interview Questions
- Reference Checks
- Final Applicant Decision
- Completing the online Hiring Proposal
General
Human Resource Services administers recruitment, selection, and salary administration for staff (Subject to the State Personnel Act-SPA) vacancies. Exceptions to normal hiring practices in relation to qualifications and salary are subject to the approval of the Office of State Personnel. Any person making inquiry about permanent employment should be referred to Human Resource Services.
Human Resource Services is committed to providing timely service to supervisors in identifying and recruiting the best-qualified applicants for each position. Human Resource Services facilitates this program in its entirety. Any inquiries that may arise during the process should be addressed directly with Employee Services or the respective Program Manager in Human Resource Services.
Human Resource Services posts positions, via UNCG Jobsearch that screens for qualified applicants and routes those applications to the hiring manager.
Commitment to Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employment
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is committed to equality of employment opportunities and does not discriminate against applicants or employees based on race, creed, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, creed, veteran status, political affiliation or sexual orientation. Moreover, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is committed to recruiting and advancing women and minorities at all levels in its staff complement.
The minimum employment age is 18 years, excepting law enforcement officers who must be at least 21 years of age at the time of hiring. There is no maximum age for employment.
Review of Job Description
The hiring manager designs the new position and writes the job description or updates the current job description for a vacant position if it has been eighteen months or longer since the last review. The description should be written and adopted using established procedures from Human Resource Services. The hiring manager may call the Departmental Program Manager for assistance with position design or in writing the job description. Upon completion the supervisor forwards the job description to the Departmental Program Manager for approval. After completion of the job description, the hiring manager should submit a Job Requisition through UNCG Jobsearch for the purpose of posting the position. (Please refer to the Hiring Manager's User Guide for instructions on how to create a Job Requisition.) Any new positions cannot be posted until approved and established by the Departmental Program Manager.
Posting
To begin the advertisement process, the hiring manager goes to UNCG Jobsearch, creates a Job Requisition online at http://jobsearch.uncg.edu/hr and submits it to Human Resource Services. Included on the Job Requisition should be a brief job description. The minimum qualifications are supplied by Human Resource Services utilizing position specifications established by the Office of State Personnel. Departmental preferences may be proposed by the hiring manager for approval by Human Resource Services, and may be included in the Job Requisition. Departmental preferences must have a logical relationship to the minimum qualifications and/or job description. Competencies are supplied by the hiring manager and should be limited to 2-4 as they will be requirements for the position.
The hiring manager should indicate on the Job Requisition the posting option desired - internal only or internal and external. (Internal postings are for the recruitment of current, permanent/time-limited UNCG employees only.) State law requires that, at a minimum, postings must be posted internally for at least five working days. Internal consists of posting the announcement on UNCG Jobsearch operated by Human Resource Services. To run ads in newspapers or trade publications you will need to complete the online Graystone form contained in UNCG Jobsearch. Your department will be charged for the expense of these ads. A generic newspaper as with application information is published every Sunday in the Greensboro News & Record.
The hiring manager may post internally first and then externally if the internal posting does not achieve the desired results. Positions posted externally must remain open for a minimum of seven working days. The hiring manager may elect to post internally and externally simultaneously. Failure to meet the minimum requirements of state law or University policy will result in the requirement to re-post positions.
Any changes in posting or job requirements will require that the position be re-posted for the minimum period of time and that current applicants be notified of the change. A position posted as a 'time-limited' appointment must be posted again as a permanent appointment should the hiring manager decide to fill it on a permanent basis.
The Job Requisition must be submitted no later than Noon Wednesday prior to Sunday's posting. Human Resource Services may change the deadline of the posting schedule due to extenuating circumstances. Every effort will be made to accommodate the needs of the supervisor(s) affected.
Screening and Referral of Applicants
Applications are prepared and submitted to Human Resource Services via the On-line Recruitment System. Applicants must specifically apply for positions in order to be considered. Upon the close date for a position posting, UNCG Jobsearch will forward applications directly to the hiring manager.
The hiring manager can go to UNCG Jobsearch after the position has closed and view applicants that have met the minimum qualifications for the position.
If fewer than three persons who meet the minimum qualifications apply, the hiring manager and Employee Services will discuss additional recruitment efforts. In positions determined to be difficult to fill, exceptions may be made to this guideline.
Consideration of Special Factors Under Federal and State Law
The hiring manager is responsible for ensuring that applicants receive the necessary consideration for promotional priority of current state employees, priority re-employment, veteran's preference and affirmative action as directed by Human Resource Services.
The following is a brief explanation of special considerations that may arise during the recruitment process. Failure to consider these factors appropriately may lead to a legal challenge. Additional information is available from Employee Services or your HR Program Manager.
Priority Consideration for Current State Employees
Promotional priority consideration must be provided to all current state employees who have achieved career status, as that term is defined by statute. Employee Services or your Departmental Program Manager will make a determination of eligible applicants. The nature of the priority is as follows: If a current state employee applies and is qualified for another state position of a higher level, and has substantially equal qualifications of those of the highest ranking applicant who is not a state employee, the state employee will receive the job offer. Departmental representatives may contact Human Resource Services for assistance.
'Qualifications' as used in this definition include education and training, years of related work experience, and other knowledge, skills, and abilities demonstrated in the selection process that have a reasonable, functional relationship to the requirements of the position. 'Substantially equal qualifications' are present when the supervisor cannot make a reasonable determination that the job-related qualifications held by one applicant are significantly better-suited for the position than the job-related qualifications held by another applicant.
Priority Re-employment Consideration
Former state employees who have been involuntarily separated for reasons other than cause (e.g., reduction-in-force) are afforded priority re-employment consideration under state law and policy. If there are any such employees eligible for this preference, Employee Services will include such information with an email to the hiring manager. State regulations require that if the applicant was separated from a position at UNCG, the applicant shall be offered any available vacant position with a salary grade equivalency level equal to or below that held before the separation, provided the employee meets the minimum qualifications for the position and can perform the job in a reasonable length of time, including normal orientation and training given to any new employee. If the applicant was separated from a position at another state agency, the applicant will be interviewed and, where qualified for the vacant position, will be offered the position prior to employment of anyone who is not a permanent UNCG employee; Human Resource Services will work closely with the hiring manager in affording priority re-employment consideration.
Veterans' Priority Rights in Hiring
In appreciation for service to the state and country in a time of war, and in recognition of the time and advantage lost toward the pursuit of a civilian career, veterans have been granted a preference in state employment by the General Assembly. (Note: This preference applies only in hiring and reduction-in-force situations, not in promotions and other personnel decisions.) Persons eligible for veteran's preference have served in the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, for reasons other than training, during periods of war, with discharge under other than dishonorable conditions. This preference particularly includes disabled veterans. Also eligible are spouses of disabled veterans and the surviving spouse or dependent of a veterans who died through service-related reasons during peacetime.
Veterans who have met the minimum qualifications requirements for a vacancy and who have less than four years of related military experience beyond that necessary to qualify minimally shall also receive direct experience credit for up to four years of unrelated military experience.
After applying this preference, the qualified veteran shall be hired when his/her overall qualifications are substantially equal to one or more non-veterans in the applicant pool.
Human Resource Services will review the information about veteran's status on UNCG Application and will note an applicant's eligibility for this preference with an email to the hiring manager.
In the event that the applicant group includes both a qualified non-state employee veteran and a qualified current state employee who is seeking a promotional opportunity, Human Resource Services will advise the hiring manager on the relationship between those priorities.
Affirmative Action Consideration
The University's Affirmative Action Plan requires supervisors to act affirmatively in minimizing and eliminating any demonstrated underutilization of women and minorities in the University's work force. Each year, the Affirmative Action Coordinator in Human Resource Services distributes copies of the University's Plan to dean, directors and department heads. Human Resource Services will assist supervisors in providing advice and consultation about affirmative action considerations in the course of the recruitment process. The unit Affirmative Action Network Representative may also provide assistance and advice in the search process.
Structured Interview Questions
The hiring manager must use a structured interview in the selection process. The same questions, as approved by Human Resource Services, should be asked to each applicant interviewed. The purpose of the structured interview is to obtain information relevant in determining that an applicant is suitable for the job and to insure that no applicant interviewed has an unfair advantage or disadvantage over another. The questions should focus on the work experience, education and training of the applicant, and the applicant's job objectives. Each question should be based on one or more of the essential knowledge, skills and abilities as given.
Upon request, Employee Services or your Departmental Program Manager will provide hiring managers with assistance in developing the structured interview questions. Guides are available for questions to avoid in conducting an interview. For example, questions about individual's race color, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran's status, or any other matter not directly related to the requirements for the positions are prohibited.
The structured interview questions must be submitted to Human Resource Services along with the Job Requisition. Employee Services will review interview questions for relevancy. Sample questions are available here (.pdf).
Reference Checks
Log into UNCG Jobsearch and complete the required fields in the REFERENCE CHECK tab.
The hiring manager is responsible for conducting reference checks and recording this information on the REFERENCE CHECK tab in system. At least one check, preferably of the current or last employment, is required. Human Resource Services may advise on the necessity of further checks. When feasible, a reference check should be done directly with the applicant's immediate supervisor. However, the supervisor should coordinate closely with the applicant prior to making a reference check with a current employer.
These checks should be conducted with careful regard to confidentiality. The applicant's permission to release this information should be obtained before conducting the reference check. Only job-related questions should be asked. Questions about any individual's race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, health or any other matter not directly related to the requirements for the position are prohibited. The same questions should be asked for each reference. The name of the telephone reference, the date of the contact and notes about the conversation should be recorded on the form provided and retained. (In certain cases, Human Resource Services may waive the requirement of reference checks.) The reference check may be conducted by telephone or in writing.
Some employers are reluctant to release oral and written information about former employees. In this event, the supervisor should obtain written authorization from the applicant.
Final Applicant Decision
After completing the interview process and making a decision on the final candidate, the hiring manager completes the online Hiring Proposal in the system.
Determining how much you should pay the candidate
- Your Departmental Program Manager can provide information on what salary the candidate qualifies to earn in the state system.
- If the final candidate is a state employee the following guidelines apply:
- Promotions - Employee movement from one position to another with the same banded classification with a higher competency level or employee movement from one position to another with a different banded classification with a higher journey market rate.
- Horizontal Transfers - Employee movement from one position to another within the same banded classification with the same competency level or movement from one position to another with a different classification with the same journey market rate.
- Demotions - Disciplinary action, resulting in
- Employee movement from one banded position to another with the same banded classification with a lower competency level, or
- Employee movement from one banded position to another with a different banded classification with a lower journey market rate, or
- Reduction in salary within same banded class
- Reassignment - Employee movement from one position to another with the same banded classification with a lower competency level or employee movement from one position to another with a different banded classification with a lower journey market rate.
Completing the online Hiring Proposal
- Change the status of all candidates to:
- Interviewed - Not Hired
- Not Interviewed - Not Hired
- First Choice
- For candidates who were not hired, indicate the 'reason' (i.e. Second Choice, Unable to Contact...). This will move your candidate to the 'Inactive Applicants.' All of your candidates should be 'inactive' before moving forward. To view your 'inactive' applicants, you can select 'inactive applicants' at the bottom of the APPLICANTS tab and click on 'refresh.'
- NOTE: Applicants will not be able to view their status until an offer has been accepted and the vacancy is moved to 'filled' in the system. At this point, they will see the 'status' but not the 'reason.'
- Complete the required fields in the HIRING PROPOSAL tab
- Complete the required fields in the REFERENCE CHECK tab
- Attach the appropriate EAF form and then select 'Send Final Candidate to the Department Head' or their designee
- Once Department Head or delegate reviews package they will then select 'Send Final Candidate it to the Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean' or their designee
- Once Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean or their delegate reviews package they will then select 'Send Final Candidate to the Vice Chancellor/Provost' or their designee
- Once Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean or their delegate reviews package they will then select 'Send to Human Resource Services'
- NOTE: The Hiring Proposal and Reference Check form must be approved by someone as the Department Head role, Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean role, and the Vice Chancellor/Provost role before submitting to Human Resource Services
- Once the HR Program Manager receives an email stating that the Hiring Proposal and Reference Check, form has been approved by the Department Head, Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean, and the Vice Chancellor/Provost they will complete the Salary Administration form and contact the candidate to make an offer on the position.
- Once the HR Program Manager has made the offer to the final candidate and the person accepts the position, at this point, the HR Program Manager will change the final candidate's status to 'Hired.' No offers of employment, formal or informal, may be made except by Human Resource Services. After oral acceptance, a letter of commitment is forwarded to the new employee with a copy to the supervisor.
- The applicant must meet certain conditions of employment.
- Examples of these are participation in mandatory benefits program of the University, compliance with federal and state employment laws, and successful completion of the probationary period. These terms will be communicated to the selected candidate at the time of the offer. No person will be required to agree, in writing or otherwise, to any conditions of employment other than those stated to the applicant by the Departmental Program Manager.
- Within the first three working days, the supervisor should advise the new employee to go to Human Resource Services to complete the Federal Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). A benefits preview package and letter of confirmation for New Employee Orientation will be forwarded to the new employee. Completion of the I-9 and attendance at New Employee Orientation are required before the employee can be added to the University payroll system.
- Once the position has been filled the other applicants will be sent an email stating that the position has been filled.
*Please note: some items require the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, which can be downloaded from the Adobe web site.