Hiring Manager’s Guide

It is important to know the university’s hiring guidelines are informed by the following regulatory entities and specific laws, regulations, policies and procedures. In addition to the guidelines, every hiring manager must familiarize themselves with System regulations and University SAPs before making hiring decisions. Read more about Regulatory Resources.

It is imperative that all department and/or committee members involved with the hiring process keep necessary information focused and self-contained. Specifics of the hiring process should not be discussed with anyone outside the search committee or those department members involved in supporting the hiring processes. This is to respect and protect the privacy of candidates and to protect the committee or those involved in hiring. It is important that members understand that all documents they are viewing are secure documents and should not be shared with anyone outside of the selection process.

Those making the selection must be free to discuss the candidates in committee meetings without fearing that their comments will be shared outside the deliberations. This information should be held confidential in perpetuity, not just until the search is over. Once finalists are announced, those involved in the hiring process should only speak about the candidates’ information that has been made public.

If a hiring manager, department head or committee chair has a need for sharing specifics of the hiring process with other individuals outside the process, they should first consult with Human Resources to evaluate the appropriateness. There are circumstances where other individuals will have a need to know regarding aspects of the hiring process in order to perform their job functions.

Confidentiality extends to any files kept by the department after completion of the hiring process. Hiring documentation may be subject to the Public Information Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 552 and is further guided by Texas A&M System Regulation 61.01.02 Public Information.

All recruitment efforts begin with the development and/or review of a job description and an approval to post a vacancy. Whether creating a new position or refilling an existing position, every position has current duties and every position posting communicates those duties to potential candidates. These duties should always reflect the current needs from the position.

At the beginning of the search and hiring process, the hiring manager should review the current job description, revise as necessary, and gain approval for changes before making it available to the chair and all committee members. Current descriptions for faculty and staff positions are maintained through Workday, the University’s human resource information system (HRIS).

It is important to review the detailed job description carefully since it will be used throughout the hiring process. It serves as the basis for preparing the posting, conducting job interviews, explaining the job to candidates, and communicating exact job expectations to the new employee. When a position becomes vacant, it is an opportunity to re-evaluate the associated job functions: ask if the job may have changed since last updated, research why there was turnover, and identify possible new initiatives assigned to the position.

Make sure the job description wording reflects the University’s and/or the department’s strategic initiatives, as appropriate, and thoroughly describes job expectations. The resulting online posting will include the position’s summary and duties, minimum educational and experience requirements, and preferred qualifications. Significant changes to the job description may impact the appropriateness of the position’s title, salary or minimum qualifications. A change to the position’s title will require a job evaluation and approval by the Compensation and Recruitment Office.

Read more about Best Practices for Successful Job Descriptions.

All postings must include minimum required education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities utilized to measure the qualifications of each candidate. Standard qualification requirements are documented for all job profiles in the Texas A&M System’s central pay plan and are additionally included with every documented job description. However, standards can sometimes be generic in nature and require some customization before a vacancy is posted. Some position types such as technology related positions can utilize the same classification but have qualification requirements defined specifically for the department’s needs.

Customized qualification requirements can be utilized if the underlying degree requirement and experience requirement are not compromised.

Example:
Standard job profile requirement for a Senior Technology Support Specialist:
Bachelor’s degree in a technology related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience; A minimum of 10 years of experience in computer support with an expertise in technologies related to the departmental area.

Customized classification requirement for a Senior Technology Support Specialist:
Bachelor’s degree in a technology related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience; A minimum of 10 years of experience in computer or A/V support with an expertise in instructional technologies; Strong demonstrated ability to define and lead projects within budget.

The key to good customized qualification requirements is including skill sets the department needs for a candidate to perform the job successfully. If the department first thinks about the questions asked of a candidate for the position to seek out optimum skills and knowledge it might help devise a better requirement.

All postings must include minimum required education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities utilized to measure the qualifications of each candidate Standard qualification requirements are documented for all job profiles in the Texas A&M System’s central pay plan and are additionally included with every documented job description. However, standards can sometimes be generic in nature and require some customization before a vacancy is posted. This will always be the case for faculty classifications.

The University maintains the required Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) standard qualifications for its faculty job profiles. The department will need to address the specific degree and discipline requirements necessary without redefining the more generic SACS requirement:

Example:
SACS minimum standard for an Assistant Professor:

Tenure-track faculty members in the rank of assistant professor shall hold the earned doctorate or other terminal degree approved by the University and recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as appropriate to the academic area they serve. In addition, they shall have demonstrated ability in the discipline and show clear promise of teaching excellence as evidenced in evaluation by peers, department head, and college dean; demonstrate continuing scholarly contribution beyond that required for completion of the terminal degree; and document yearly progress of professional achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service. Teachers of record must possess minimum Southern Association of Colleges and Schools credential standards which normally include a Master’s degree with 18 graduate semester credit hours in the subject area or suitable approved justification.

Customized for an Assistant Professor–Educational Leadership and Policy Studies:

Earned doctorate in leadership, policy, research, higher education, or related field and will have successfully completed at least 18 graduate coursework hours in quantitative and/or mixed methodologies. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with colleagues; Evidence of scholarly activity; Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills

Generally, tenure-track faculty members in the rank of assistant professor shall hold the earned doctorate or other terminal degree approved by the University and recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as appropriate to the academic area they serve. In addition, they shall have demonstrated ability in the discipline and show clear promise of teaching excellence as evidenced in evaluation by peers, department head, and college dean; demonstrate continuing scholarly contribution beyond that required for completion of the terminal degree; and document yearly progress of professional achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service. Teachers of record must possess minimum Southern Association of Colleges and Schools credential standards which normally include a Master’s degree with 18 graduate semester credit hours in the subject area or suitable approved justification.

Qualification Standards

Beyond the basics involved in developing qualification requirements for faculty is the issue regarding exceptions to standard degrees required to fill positions at the Assistant Professor rank. Departments have sought, and the Provost’s office has clarified this issue with the following explanation and interpretation:

Assistant Professor tenure track positions will list doctorate as required qualification with ABD as “option” unless there is specific approval from Academic Affairs for some other qualification to be listed. Departments might choose either initially or after making good faith effort at the posting/hiring process to choose to advertise and hire with label other than Assistant Professor-tenure track (i.e. Instructor). Specifically, in situations where legitimate search and effort to attract qualified candidates does not lead to a candidate that receives a recommendation then the department may decide to make a continued effort in that regard or can consider closing that search and opening an entirely different search, perhaps for Instructor – non-tenure track or other approved designation.

An Assistant Professor can be hired with a Master’s level education if it is considered a terminal degree for the discipline. Otherwise, the candidate will have to first be hired as an Instructor and then obtain the Assistant Professor rank through normal promotion avenues (with the position advertised as “Instructor” accordingly).

Though not commonly used, professional track titles provide other appointment options. System policy 12.07 Fixed Term Academic Professional Track Faculty provides further guidance on faculty titling, rank and qualifications and establishes an option to provide long-term stable academic positions for non-tenure track faculty whose focus is heavily weighted toward either teaching or research.

ABDs (all but dissertation) accepted

When accommodating the ABD status as part of the qualification requirement, departments should utilize the following language options to ensure the degree completion expectation is clearly defined:

ABD status may be considered as long as all degree requirements, including dissertation, defense of dissertation, and comprehensive examinations, have been successfully completed by _____.

OR

ABD status may be considered as long as all degree requirements, including dissertation, defense of dissertation, and comprehensive examinations, have been successfully completed by time of appointment.

There are times when an academic department may want to seek faculty candidates with more than entry level qualifications—utilizing the option to post at a lower rank but indicate a higher rank could be assigned based on qualifications.

In these instances, the department will be instructed to post at the lowest rank and indicate the specific requirements to be met for appointment at the higher rank (i.e. Instructor to Assistant Professor; or Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, etc.)

The following statement will be utilized in the posting to communicate to candidates:

Example:
Assistant Professor
Eligible for the rank of assistant professor with demonstrated ability in the discipline and show clear promise of teaching excellence as evidenced in evaluation by peers, department head, and college dean; demonstrated continuing scholarly contribution beyond that required for completion of the terminal degree; and documented yearly progress of professional achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service. Teachers of record must possess minimum Southern Association of Colleges and Schools credential standards which normally include a Master’s degree with 18 graduate semester credit hours in the subject area or suitable approved justification.

Example:
Associate Professor
Eligible for the rank of associate professor with demonstrated teaching excellence, scholarly/creative attainment, and professional achievement. The successful candidate shall hold the earned doctorate or terminal degree approved by the University and recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as appropriate to the academic area they serve. Must show evidence of administrative potential. Teachers of record must possess minimum Southern Association of Colleges and Schools credential standards which normally includes 18 graduate semester credit hours in the subject area.

Example:
Full Professor
Eligible for the rank of full professor with demonstrated superior academic and professional achievement. This rank can be earned only by faculty members who demonstrated continued growth in, and have a cumulative record of, teaching effectiveness, scholarly and creative activities, and professional service both within and outside the University. In addition, they shall hold the earned doctorate or other terminal degree approved by the University and recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as appropriate to the academic area they serve and normally have completed ten to twelve years of successful college teaching and service.

Developing a recruitment plan is critical for a successful search. Developing a large, qualified and comprehensive pool of candidates from the best practice efforts that a department or hiring manager makes will define the recruitment plan as a success. There are three basic components in implementing an effective recruitment plan:

• Making good advertising choices
• Putting solid efforts toward diversifying the candidate pool. 

Learn more about Developing a Recruitment Plan.

Every hiring manager should review the documented standard administrative procedure for development of search committees. In addition to this straightforward language are some best practices applied to the search committee functions. Search Committees play a large role in ensuring that the recruitment and hiring process will be compliant while bringing a wide spectrum of backgrounds to better identify the most qualified person for the position.

Learn more about Best Practices in Developing and Utilizing Search Committees.

When requiring a search to fill a position—whether internal, external or both—hiring managers will use the online position management and candidate tracking system, Workday, to create new positions, reclassify positions, or update positions before creating and routing a job requisition to post electronically to the University’s employment site. This routing documents proper authorization to fill a position as required by policy and procedure. Details regarding the Job Requisition and routing process in Workday can be found within the Workday Help Site (login through SSO).

• University Employment Site
• Workday Help Site

Best practice when refilling an existing position is to review the position details and ensure the job duties are up-to-date and reflect the department’s current needs from the position. Follow the additional guidance found at Developing the Job Description and Best Practices for Successful Job Descriptions to discover what makes a good job description even better.

To comply with all applicable state laws, System and University policies, regulations and rules, departments and hiring managers need to be aware of the following specifically regarding the posting of position:

• All searches need to be authorized by a divisional Vice President or Provost.
• All tenure track, non-tenure track, visiting and adjunct faculty positions require a search.
• All staff positions require a search unless being filled by an existing budgeted Tarleton employee (further defined as an employee who has previously gone through the competitive application/hiring process for their original or current position–this does not include the Adjunct or Visiting Instructor selection process). These posting waivers are only possible if certain criteria are met (See Posting Waivers)
• Campus-wide, college-wide, or department-wide postings are an option when approved by a divisional Vice President or Provost
• All postings are required to be available to candidates for purposes of the application process for a minimum of 5 working days

Every state job in Texas must be posted with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) as required by Texas Statute; Government Code; Title 6 Public Officers and Employees; Chapter 656 Job Notices and Training ; Section 656.024 Public Notice of Job Vacancies. System regulation indicates all staff and faculty positions must be posted with the TWC for a minimum of 5 working days before an offer of employment to an external candidate can be made. As soon as the department has created the job requirements for the position, the authorization to recruit must be sent through Workday as a request to fill or refill a position. All approved job posting information will be submitted by Workday to TWC to fulfill the state requirement.

To allow for flexibility when non-tenure track faculty members are needed urgently and under temporary circumstances, a process will be put into place for hiring candidates through a bulk search. This will ensure compliance with the Texas Workforce Commission, as a singular posting to solicit applications for temporary non-tenure track faculty positions will be made available on both the TWC site as well as Tarleton’s employment site.

This process should be used only for those titles or positions that would not require or allow opportunity for an extensive, prolonged search–Temporary Instructor or Visiting Assistant Professor. Human Resources will assist each department in reviewing candidates, accessing necessary applications and submitting offers on an ongoing basis.

Each department will follow the same hiring guidelines for recruiting and selecting faculty for the temporary non-tenure track positions described above. A departmental website link to the job search announcement can be utilized. Although solicitations can be targeted, as when a department head or faculty member invites a given individual or specific group of individuals to submit an application for consideration for a job, the department in conjunction with Human Resources efforts must also solicit applications openly. That is, any qualified individuals should have a way of knowing that jobs are available and be given the opportunity to be considered for those jobs.

The department will follow all stated approval processes for justifying a hire through this bulk search of a temporary non-tenure track position. This includes seeking approval through documented justification of a candidate’s qualifications over other candidates in the pool. Clearly, firsthand knowledge of teaching effectiveness, familiarity with Tarleton, and good understanding of departmental goals can be used as an important criterion for the selection process. How much weight is given to the different criteria is up to the department—but consistency must be applied across similar hires. As temporary needs become available, department heads (or designees) would have the option of reviewing the existing pool of candidates or engage in targeted or broader solicitations to increase the size of the pool before narrowing the pool and selecting the finalist(s).

To allow for flexibility when part-time adjunct faculty members are needed urgently and under temporary circumstances, a process is in place for hiring candidates through a bulk search. This will ensure compliance with the Texas Workforce Commission, as a singular posting to solicit applications for temporary adjunct faculty positions will be made available on the TWC site. Departments seeking adjunct faculty will additionally post adjunct faculty vacancies by department or discipline with the University’s employment site. 

Each department will follow the same hiring guidelines for recruiting and selecting faculty for the adjunct positions described above. A departmental website link to the job search announcement can be utilized. Although solicitations can be targeted, as when a department head or faculty member invites a given individual or specific group of individuals to submit an application for consideration for a job, the department in conjunction with Human Resources efforts must also solicit applications openly. That is, any qualified individuals should have a way of knowing that adjunct faculty jobs are available and be given the opportunity to be considered for those adjunct faculty jobs.

The department will follow all stated evaluation processes for justifying a hire through this bulk search effort. This includes documenting justification of a candidate’s qualifications over other candidates in the pool. Clearly, firsthand knowledge of teaching effectiveness, familiarity with Tarleton, and good understanding of departmental goals can be used as an important criterion for the selection process. How much weight is given to the different criteria is up to the department—but consistency must be applied across similar hires. As adjunct faculty needs are identified, department heads (or designees) would have the option of reviewing the existing pool of candidates or engage in targeted or broader solicitations to increase the size of the pool before narrowing the pool and selecting the finalist(s).

Because the Texas statute requires that every job be posted (regular or temporary) with the Texas Workforce Commission, search waivers, whether for staff, tenure track or non-tenure track faculty, should be exceptions. Only under special compelling circumstances, such as special opportunity hires or unexpected/urgent situations will the waiver of posting be approved. By having ongoing bulk searches for certain types of positions, the need to waive a search is substantially reduced.

As such, the department will need to provide the critical business reasons for not performing a search and posting of the position. Documented justification of these business reasons is a must. Approval for posting waivers must be obtained from divisional Vice Presidents or Provost and further vetted for compliance through Employees Services.

Posting waivers are granted exceptionally and for compelling reasons only. Below are examples of appropriate reasons for a waiver of the search:
1. Unexpected illness, disability or departure of an existing faculty member with no time afforded for search because of their positive impact in attracting and/or retaining highly qualified faculty.)
2. Immediate need to teach new sections of courses
3. Promotion or transfer of existing budgeted Tarleton employees who meet specified qualifications
4. Target hires of scholars of renowned academic qualifications
5. Partner placement hires (Search waivers for partner placement hires are assumed to benefit the university

If the waiver request does not fall within one of the above reasons it must be denied.

Job notice posting waiver for promotion or transfer of existing budgeted Tarleton employees:
Texas statute does allow for waiver of posting “when the agency transfers or reassigns an employee as part of a reorganization or merger mandated by the legislature if the executive head of the agency certifies that the transfer or reassignment is necessary for the proper implementation of the reorganization or merger.” Further, the Texas A&M University System states “System members may promote or transfer qualified internal candidates (employees from within the system) to fill positions without posting a vacancy.”

In these circumstances System Regulation 33.99.04, Promotion, Transfer and Voluntary Moves and University SAP 31.01.01.T1.01 Compensation Administration (internal promotion or transfer) must be specifically followed.

The hiring manager should thoroughly review Developing a Recruitment Plan before becoming familiar with and performing the advertising process. The process for placing ads for recruitment purposes is informed by the University’s responsibilities towards compliant hiring practices. There are several things the hiring manager or department will need to do and document alongside placing ads for vacant positions.

When Human Resources posts a position, the posting automatically becomes part of Tarleton’s application portal. By state regulation, the posting is placed with the Texas Workforce Commission. And, additionally the posting will also be placed with the Texas A&M University System wide Job Search site and The National Labor Exchange.

All other advertising beyond the sites mentioned above will follow a department initiated specified process for development, approval, purchase and placement.

Read about External Advertising.

To help with the external advertising essentials, the following visually indicates, the key information that should or must be included.

Sample External Vacancy Advertisement

Use only a Tarleton represented and approved social media outlet for announcing vacancies.

Be consistent in how the posting details are communicated. Use the job posting’s unique URL quick link. Follow the same practice as external advertising to ensure the cited qualifications match those in the posting at Jobs at Tarleton.  

Ensure subsequent communications with interested individuals are centered solely on the position details and the job’s qualifications. Point interested individuals to the online application site and wait for their application to be submitted before directly addressing their credentials or qualifications.

Try to direct any message correspondence with interested individuals or candidates back to our email system and a Tarleton email account to keep a professional tone to the correspondence and to comply with required records management. This refers to correspondence where there are several exchanges back and forth and not incidental messages that can be resolved with a single response. 

Avoid using any personal information discovered about a candidate through any social media outlet as a factor in selection decision-making. If something is discovered that could change a hiring manager, search chair, or committee member’s interest in an individual who ends up becoming a candidate (defined as an individual who completes the online application), call Human Resources to discuss the nature of this discovery.

If posting vacancy announcements to other organizations sites, follow the same practices above.

There are times when a hiring manager, departmental representative or search committee chair may need to communicate with a candidate or group of candidates about the hiring process. It is always good practice to keep the candidates involved in the process and informed about the timeline for decision making. The hiring manager or departmental representative can use a number of ways to stay in touch with candidates. Every application includes the candidate’s email and address information. Be sure to document all correspondence with candidates whether by email, mail, or phone conversation.

Here are best practices for communicating with candidates. Further information is provided regarding automated messaging to candidates from Workday when their status has changed within Changing Candidate Statuses.

• The hiring manager or search committee chair may choose to send all candidates an acknowledgement letter. Candidates are aware immediately upon submission of their online application about whether their application has been referred to the hiring department. However, if there will be a delay in the process as the committee gets organized to proceed, it may be beneficial to send acknowledgement letters or emails to the candidates to assure them that the search is active and ongoing.
• For longer search efforts such as faculty positions, be sure to let the considered candidates know where the process stands at particular points in the timeline. For instance, after initial review, but before the interview phase, if there is a list of “further considered” candidates, reach out to them by email and let them know the timeline for interviews and decision making.
• Be mindful that candidate’s may not be waiting to hear from just one potential employer. Keep the candidates involved in the process.
• If the interview phase ends up being protracted due to scheduling with committee members and candidates, be sure to reach out to previously interviewed candidates and let them know the timeline for decision making. Any delays during the interview stages may risk a finalist’s interest in the position.
• If there is a major delay in the hiring process, due to hiring freezes, departmental changes, changes in hiring manager or other unforeseen budget, personnel or organizational issues, contact Human Resources to discuss how best to communicate with candidates.
• Be sure, if one finalist is asked for additional information or application material, that the same request is made to all finalists. Be sure to document inquiries of this nature. This may be in the form of sending questions via email for candidates to answer or asking for candidates to provide writing samples or other demonstrations of knowledge used as criteria for evaluation.
• Once a decision is made, approvals given, and offer accepted on a candidate from the pool. Be sure to personally notify those finalists not selected regarding their status. Keep in mind, even those candidates not hired should have a good experience with the department’s recruitment efforts.

When the department is ready to discontinue accepting applications for the vacancy and remove the posting from the Web (and at least 5 working days have passed due to Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) compliance), the hiring manager will need to send email instruction to Human Resources to unpost the position. Human Resources will remove the posting from the Jobs at Tarleton website. The hiring manager has the option of placing the vacancy back on the Web at any future time to resume collecting applications until such time it is unposted again and a candidate is hired.

The following best practices should be followed when determining the appropriate time to discontinue accepting applications.

• The hiring manager or search committee chair should ensure that the posting has met all internal standards and expectations for the position type regarding availability for application. The hiring manager or search committee chair should ensure all paid external advertising has reached a completion date.
• If the department included a statement in the posting or external advertising that “applications will be accepted until _____,” then the posting must remain open to meet that expectation
• The hiring manager or search committee chair should ensure that the candidate pool is sufficiently qualified and comprehensive before discontinuing accepting applications.
• The hiring manager or search committee chair should not begin interviewing candidates before discontinuing the application process. The selection of finalists should only be made after the hiring manager or search committee chair ensures that the candidate pool is sufficiently qualified and comprehensive and has received all applications they are willing to consider.
• All candidates to a posting, no matter at what point they come into the process for review, must be evaluated equally among other candidates and the process should allow for this by adequately evaluating when to unpost a posting.
• If the hiring manager has unposted a posting, vetted all qualified candidates and determines the application process should continue, all active candidates should be dispositioned appropriately first before continuing. Documentation must be retained on the vetting and scoring of candidates at that point in time. See Evaluating Candidates and the Scoring Matrix

There may be times when, after a sufficient recruitment effort has been made, a hiring manager determines that the candidate pool is not sufficiently qualified or comprehensive. Once this is determined, the hiring manager should consult with Human Resources regarding how to proceed. Best practice efforts above will be applied first. It may be determined that further recruitment efforts need to be exhausted, or it may be determined that the position and posting need to be reevaluated.

Under circumstances where the position and posting need to be reevaluated, the posting will be removed from the Web, and the hiring manager will change all candidate statuses accordingly before Human Resources closes (cancels) the posting effort.

The goal of every search, whether performed by committee or just one hiring manager is to select the individual that best meets the identified position criteria. Knowing what to look for within the application material as well as how to “score” each candidate is key to identifying the top candidates for consideration while ensuring a fair, non-discriminatory practice is followed during the evaluation phase. The candidate hired has the highest overall score.

The Texas state regulatory agency residing over compliant hiring practices and employment discrimination, Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), periodically audits hiring practices and specific recruitment efforts. The TWC oversees all state agencies for purposes of ensuring that federal and state employment discrimination laws are not violated, and that the agency is not placing the state at risk. When the TWC receives an employment discrimination complaint, its Civil Rights Division conducts an investigation to determine if discrimination has occurred under the Texas Labor Code. TWC additionally works in cooperation with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to resolve employment discrimination allegations.

It is during the candidate evaluation and selection process that the University must carefully document its decision making and justification for hire. A structured candidate matrix, which includes a quantitative/scoring mechanism, is an excellent way to identify the most qualified candidates to interview by evaluating each applicant’s knowledge, skills, and abilities, and judging them only in the context of the position requirements. Hiring Managers, Interview Panels, or Hiring Committees will review and score all applications on a hiring matrix. Once an applicant receives a NO on any of the required qualifications, the applicant is excluded from consideration in the hiring process and no longer needs to be scored.

It is important to note that this process should not be bypassed nor truncated if the hiring manager feels there is a clearly identified top candidate. The hiring manager should also not take shortcuts if a recruitment effort is unsuccessful–i.e. top candidate withdraws or initial effort fails–all qualified candidates must be included and scored in final matrix.

Concentrate on the most important points in the candidate’s resume and application. Diverting attention to too many insignificant details draws focus away from key areas.

Identify possible falsifications/exaggerations on applications, resumes and supporting documentation. Look for conflicting details or overlapping dates. Look for gaps in dates. Make notes to ask candidates about the discrepancies if they are granted an interview.

Carefully note the order of the material given on the resume. What is given up-front is generally what the candidate wishes to emphasize. But what’s hidden below may be more revealing.

Note spelling and grammatical mistakes and determine if the position requires this level of attention to detail. It may or may not be a critical skill set for the position’s duties.

A standard matrix, Scoring Matrix, is a tool used to assist in the identification and objective scoring of applicants to determine the most qualified candidates to interview and hire. It is available to all departments, hiring managers, and search committee chair and members. Whereas any matrix can be used (it must include a scoring attribute with scoring explanation), it is highly preferable to utilize the one developed by Human Resources. This will ensure the completed matrix meets the following compliance points:

Utilizes uniform criteria based on position related requirements and skill sets

Itemize the criteria for which applicants will be scored based on requirements and skills listed in the position’s posting. Use the education requirements, the experience requirements, preferred requirements and any specific attributes or skills communicated within the position duties. Only use criteria listed in “Required” qualifications, the “Preferred” qualifications or indicated within the duties themselves. This provides a fair understanding by the applicant of the criteria from which they will be evaluated when they submit their application materials.

Assigns weights to criteria with explanation

Ask “How important is each criteria for the success of this position.” Not all criteria will be given the same importance. It may be that the degree is less important that the years of experience in the related field. It may be that a particular skill set or knowledge is even more important that years of experience for certain positions. The important thing is to document the reason for the weights assigned to each criteria.

Utilizes a numerical scoring scheme and explains scoring method

A numerical scoring scheme is the most effective way to ensure applicants are reviewed objectively and consistently. A compliant candidate matrix must include a scoring feature and the scoring feature must be explained. The candidate hired has the highest overall score. What follows is a good example.

Example of a standard scoring scheme

10=Exceptional – Exceptionally strong exhibition or evidence of criteria

9=Outstanding – Extremely strong exhibition or evidence of criteria

8=Excellent – Very strong exhibition or evidence of criteria

7=Very Good – Strong exhibition or evidence of criteria

6=Good – Moderate exhibition or evidence of criteria

5=Satisfactory – Some exhibition or evidence of criteria

4=Fair – Minimal exhibition or evidence of criteria

3=Marginal – Marginal exhibition or evidence of criteria

2=Poor – Almost no exhibition or evidence of criteria

1=Very Poor – No exhibition or evidence of criteria

0=Does not meet criteria

Lists all applicants in the pool

All applicants in the pool will be listed and scored on the matrix. The hiring manager or search committee chair should not be selective in this first level of scoring. Hiring managers have the ability to export the Candidate List out of the candidate tracking system into an Excel spreadsheet.

Identifies which applicants were determined candidates and/or interviewed

Candidates will receive extra scores for interview and reference checks and should be indicated on the matrix. Finalists can also be compared to each other for further differentiation if scores are close or tied.

Utilizes the interview and reference checks as criteria for scoring finalists

Additional scores given to interviewed candidates to determine top finalist. Each candidate that is interviewed should receive a score that reflects how well the candidate answered each interview question or a total is given for the overall interview. Each candidate that is interviewed should also have a reference check and receive an overall score that reflects the nature of the reference’s responses. The matrix will not only reflect which candidates were interviewed, but also will ensure references were contacted uniformly. The reference score should be entered into the matrix when more than one candidate’s references are checked as the score can make a difference as to which candidate is selected.

Please refer to Hiring Preferences for specific instruction regarding state regulation and the hiring process for candidates with veteran’s employment preference.

Texas state regulation–Texas Statutes; Government Code; Title 6 Public Officers and Employees; Chapter 657 Veteran’s Employment Preferences, will inform the hiring manager of preferences required to be given during the interview process under circumstances as outlined in the following document.

What does military employment preference mean in the Tarleton State University recruitment and hiring process?

In accordance with state law, Tarleton State University promotes the hiring of veterans and applies military employment preference to eligible veterans, spouses of veterans and active-duty military members, and orphaned children. The preference is applied to identify the top candidate when two or more candidates are equally qualified for the posted vacancy. When two candidates are equally qualifies, and one candidate qualifies for military preference, then the individual with military preference is given an employment preference.

In addition to being compliant with Texas regulation on veteran’s employment preferences there are many ways to ensure the University’s commitment to hiring veterans becomes a significant part of the recruitment process. Included here is a compilation of resources to assist in understanding federal and state regulation and best practices in considering and hiring a protected veteran or veteran who qualifies for Texas state employment preference.

Learn more about understanding the Affirmative Action program as it relates to protected veterans

Interviewing and selecting the right person is an important responsibility of a hiring manager, search committee chair and members in ensuring the University reaches its goals. When interviewers rely on intuition as a basis for making employment recommendations, the results may generate unreliable information, lead to poor selection decisions, and establish grounds for a legal challenge for discrimination. In contrast, a well-planned interview process provides evidence about the candidate’s ability to perform a job.

To conduct interviews that can predict job performance, a search committee should prepare for the interview by conducting a thorough review of job requirements, create a series of job-related interview questions, and seek job-related work examples in the interview.

An interview sheet, preparation checklist, subjects and topics to avoid, and a list of general interview questions are provided in the Interview Questions Workbook. 

The set of questions and anticipated answers should be written and reviewed by the search committee in preparation for the interviews. Although all candidates must be asked the same set of questions, the search committee members may ask more specific questions based on responses to initial questions or to clarify relevant work experience and education identified on the candidate’s employment application or resume.

If the search committee plans to use team or panel interviews, the same team or panel should be present during each interview to ensure consistent treatment of all candidates and consistent interpretation of the information obtained during the interview. This team or panel should be composed of a comprehensive group of individuals.

A successful interview should contain the following:

• Preparation of uniform interview questions and expected answers based on job duties and requirement. The hiring manager or search committee chair should develop and route to the entire committee for review a set of questions prior to the first interview. Include open-ended questions to encourage thorough job-related answers.
• An appropriate interviewing environment that is free from interruptions and is comfortable
• Explanation of the purpose to the candidate with a communicated agenda
• Gathering of measurable, predictive information based on the essential duties of the job. The key to controlling the interview is careful listening combined with good questions. Search committee members need to both encourage and guide the candidate’s sharing of facts. A common error of ineffective interviewers is to concentrate exclusively on the questions they intended to ask and not hear what the candidate is saying. Interviewers ideally should not talk more than 20 percent of the time. Ask open-ended questions to encourage thorough job-related answers, then listen and evaluate.
• Interview notes regarding the candidate’s responses. Taking notes helps ensure accuracy and often reassures candidates that the interviewer is interested in them as individuals. Prior to beginning the interview, the interviewer should explain to the candidates that notes will be taken and why. Notes should be job-related and should not contain discriminatory information. It is acceptable for the search committee to designate one person as the note taker. All notes retained in the hiring file should indicate the candidate reviewed and the author of the notes
• Verbal description of the position and departmental organization explained to the interviewee. A detailed description of the position should only be given at the close of the interview. Describing the job duties earlier in the process may inadvertently coach candidates on how they should answer questions. When describing the position and its duties, the interviewer should provide sufficient positive and negative facts about the position, department, promotional opportunities, etc., to enable the candidate to make an intelligent decision about the job. However, the interviewer should avoid comments that might mislead the interviewee into misinterpreting the information as a promise of employment or future benefits.
• Provision for candidates to ask questions about the job and performance expectations
• A definitive closing of the interview. Let candidates know what to anticipate as the next step. For example, “We still have several more interviews to conduct, which we anticipate completing next week. We will probably make a recommendation by the end of the following week.” This step will help relax candidates by letting them know what to expect. It also enables the search committee to control the interview by providing a “road map.”
• Each interview must be scored. The score can be derived from each committee member providing separate scores or the committee scoring each interview together. Interview scores are placed in the hiring matrix. The average or totaled interview scores will be added to the application score in the hiring matrix to provide a total score for each candidate. The search committee members can then review and discuss the total scores of the candidates to identify the top candidates and determine next steps for the process.
• Identification of a second interview. If there is a large number of candidates reviewed, and the committee desires to pare down the group to a select number of finalists, this must be documented and scored on the hiring matrix. Feedback from second interviews should be documented if it is to be used in the hiring decision.

A successful and compliant hiring process will include a successful and compliant reference check. Reference checking is one of the most valuable hiring process tools for gathering information on a candidate’s past performance and past performance is one of the strongest indicators of future performance. An investment in checking references can reduce costs and increase productivity by helping to ensure successful hires and screening. Reference checking should be conducted in compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and Fair Credit Reporting Act. Avoid questions regarding marital status, religion, age, race, health-related issues, child care, transportation, and any other non-job related questions.

Guidelines for references checks

• The candidate’s electronic acknowledgement at the end of the Tarleton State University Application for Employment gives consent for reference checks with all current and prior employers. Prior to placing any calls, be sure to contact the candidate(s) being considered for the position to let them know that the intention to contact their references (if not already forewarned them of this in the interview). Do not put anyone’s current job in jeopardy. It is recommended that committee delay contacting a candidate’s current employer until it is determined that the candidate is a finalist for the position.
• The reference checker can be the hiring manager, the search committee chair, or a designated search committee member. However, whoever is selected as the reference checker should be the one reference checker for all checks to ensure uniformity.
• The best-practice method for conducting reference checks is by telephone. This method allows for follow up questions when necessary and note-taking.
• It is generally recommended that the hiring manager or search committee chair complete a minimum of 2-3 telephone reference checks prior to a job offer being made (a third check is highly recommended if either of the first two are less than satisfactory). Even if the candidate(s) that are considered have already been employed at Tarleton in some capacity, at least one reference is required prior to the job offer.
• The reference checker should use the most immediate employers or their representatives as references. He or she may also use the employer(s) for whom the candidate has worked the longest in a related position. If an unsatisfactory reference is received, he or she should contact another reference.
• Should phone numbers or contact persons not be specified on the application or resume, the hiring manager should ask the candidate to provide the references.
• The reference checker should not accept references from friends, relatives, or persons who have not had the opportunity to observe job-related performance.
• When contacting a current or previous supervisor, it is encouraged to call the company’s main phone number and request the individual listed as the reference rather than calling the phone number given as contact information by the candidate. This will help ensure contact is made to a valid business reference rather than a relative or friend of the candidate. The company’s main phone number can be found in the phone book or on the internet.
• When contacting references, begin with an identification and the purpose for the call. Detailed responses are more likely if a brief overview of the position that the candidate is being considered for is given.
• The reference checker, hiring manager, search committee chair or search members should compose questions ahead of time. Ask the same questions for each reference check. Ask follow up questions if needed. Always ask if the candidate would be rehired by the organization/company. The University’s Telephone Reference Worksheet for various position types is an available resource for this process.
• The reference checker should not raise any questions that fall under the EEO discriminatory practice areas, such as questions regarding sex, race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion or any other legally protected area. The same questions should be asked for all references. Questions and answers should be recorded. All notes retained in the hiring file should indicate the reference reviewed and the author of the note.
• The reference checker should not tell the candidate or the reference source(s) that he or she is conducting reference checks because the candidate has “been selected” for the position. He or she should only indicate that the candidate is “being considered”.
• The hiring manager, search committee chair or members should be careful when seeking or using information from social media websites or general internet searches of candidates. Such sources may disclose information that is not true, inappropriate or illegal for consideration (information personal in nature or regarding legally protected areas). Information gathered from social media and internet sources should not solely be used in decision making regarding a candidate, but rather be used as supplement to the reference checks.
• Written letters of reference may be attached to the paperwork but should not substitute for telephone contacts.
• A previous employer may, on occasion, have rules regarding supplying references and may provide only the position title, dates of employment, salary, and eligibility for rehire. If this is found to be true, the reference checker should document this on the reference worksheet.
• The reference checker should document identified problem areas or responses and determine a reference check score when references are gathered on more than one candidate. This quantifiable score should be entered into the hiring matrix when more than one candidate’s references are checked as the score can make a difference as to which candidate is selected.

• Faculty Reference Checks
• Manager Reference Checks
• Staff Reference Check

When making the final hiring decision, the hiring manager (supervisor to the position), search committee chair and/or committee members should use the weighted job-related criteria. Gathering, integrating and evaluating interview information includes identifying candidates’ specific knowledge, skills, and abilities, and judging them in the context of the job requirements. Interview evaluations, in conjunction with other information gathered during the selection process (e.g., reference checks, application responses, resume, and correspondence), should form the basis for the final hiring decision and quantified through a scoring matrix. The committee should recommend the individual that best meets the identified job criteria as reflected by the highest score. Search committee members should be sure to note whether any hiring preferences are applicable to the final candidates, such as the veteran’s preference or former foster child preference as indicated on the employment application. The hiring manager is ultimately responsible for making the final hiring recommendation and/or decision.

Learn more about Hiring Preferences.

If a hiring manager or committee chair has a specific need to consider candidates who do not meet the position’s minimum qualifications, Human Resources needs to be contacted for further evaluation and to provide instruction. It is only under limited and rare circumstances where this will occur. A specific process of detailed documentation will be followed as instructed before an offer of employment can be made.

Each department may be provided additional guidance from its divisional Vice President or Provost regarding the specific procedure or steps for seeking approval to make an offer and/or hire a selected candidate. Each department should seek out this guidance before making an offer to a selected candidate.

It is important to note that all salary requests and approvals are subject to review by Human Resources. By procedure (SAP No. 33.99.01.T1 Hiring Faculty and Non-Faculty). Additionally, before approval to hire is sought and offer extended, the Department Head must ensure that all wage commitments are consistent with University SAP 31.01.01.T1.01 Compensation Administration which includes a salary review for equity by the Office of Human Resources to meet the University’s commitment to its Affirmative Action Plan.

Academic Affairs Division-Instructions for Hiring Approval

Hiring process for full-time faculty and staff (not all levels of staff will require the appointment letter, but will require the memo for approval to hire)

Request to hire is drafted by way of memo through the College Dean to the Provost’s office.

Approval or declined request to hire will be returned to department (Scanned copy will be sent to the Department Head, Dean, Human Resources and Payroll)

• Department will transition the candidate to the Offer stage in Workday as soon as the candidate has accepted a verbal offer.
• Department issues a written Letter of Offer (see guideline Making an Offer)
• Prospective employee will return official signed Letter of Offer to the Academic Affairs Office
• The Academic Affairs Office will mail the prospective employee the “Official Letter of Appointment”
• Department completes any additional required and appropriate hiring tasks in Workday and through Human Resources (as requested).

All appropriate approvals to hire must be secured before an offer can be extended. It is important to note that all salary requests and approvals are subject to review by Human Resources. By procedure (SAP No. 33.99.01.T1 Hiring Faculty and Non-Faculty): Additionally, before approval to hire is sought and offer extended, the Department Head must ensure that all wage commitments are consistent with University SAP 31.01.01.T1.01 Compensation Administration which includes a salary review for equity by the office of Human Resources to meet the University’s commitment to its Affirmative Action Plan.

Texas A&M University System regulation and Tarleton State University rules require all offers of employment to be contingent or conditioned upon a number of factors including, but not limited to verification of education and degree, verification of licenses, verification of relevant job-related credentials, satisfactory background check, employment eligibility, and/or verification of compliance with federal selective service law. Because these contingencies and conditions may not be officially vetted at the verbal and written offer stages, certain elements must be present with every offer of employment.

After a hiring manager makes a verbal offer to a prospective employee, it will be followed up with a written offer letter and movement of the candidate to the Offer stage in Workday (Workday can generate and deliver an offer letter to the candidate if the department chooses). Not only does a written letter ensure compliance with current policies, it will prove clarity in the communication and protect the institution from any potential exposure to liability.

The Academic Affairs Office maintains the most up to date offer letter template for faculty positions. All contingency and disclosure paragraphs must be included in every offer letter as indicated here.Contingency Language

This offer is contingent upon your ability to provide employment eligibility documentation to work in the United States as required by federal law. In addition, this offer is also contingent upon the successful completion of the degree-verification, criminal background-check processes, and your compliance with the Selective Service law if applicable to you.Disclosure Language

This offer and/or appointment, and your acceptance of same, does not create an employment contract for a definite term. Rather, your employment remains terminable “at will” in accordance with System Regulation 32.02 which states that all non-faculty employees may be dismissed from employment with or without cause. Furthermore, your employment is subject to all the rules and regulations of Tarleton State University and the Texas A&M University System as found on the policy page.

What Not to Include in the Offer Letter:
In addition to the above contingencies, offer letters should not make promises that may turn into an issue for the employing department at a future time. For example:
Permanent residence sponsorship (it is not an entitlement and needs to be justified; System Regulation 33.99.09)
Promotions or reclassifications (depend on performance which can only be judged upon past performance and consequently cannot be promised before)

If the hiring manager, search committee chair or committee members receive further work status information from the candidate to determine the selected candidate is a foreign national, then in accordance with Texas A&M University System Regulation 33.99.09 Employment of Foreign Nationals  the hiring manager will need to submit a memo through departmental channels to the divisional VP or Provost’s office requesting authorization to make a firm offer of employment and sponsor for the appropriate type of visa.

Most often faculty positions are sponsored for an H1-B visa; however, International Faculty & Scholar Services (IFSS) at the Texas A&M University makes the final recommendation on the most appropriate visa. There is a cost for a visa sponsorship.

Typically, the hiring manager can make a verbal, contingent offer of employment, indicating the offer is pending background checks, and approval from the Provost in writing to hire a foreign national. The hiring manager should then additionally consult with Human Resources on aspects of the foreign national hire process including the coordination of the start date, verbiage required for the offer letter and other processing details.

The University has two structured start dates each month, the first and third Monday, for new budgeted staff hires. The mandatory Employment and Benefits Orientation on the new employee’s first day allows for a more streamlined and efficient hiring process, equips the new employee quickly with their immediate needs, and performs the necessary compliance for employment verification.

Budgeted faculty start dates will continue to coincide with the academic calendar (i.e. September 1, January 16 etc.) however, the department will need to ensure the faculty member is registered for and attends an Employment and Benefits Orientation session before the official academic start date.

Existing budgeted employees who apply for and are hired into a new position are not required to follow the structured start date. However, some employees may experience benefits impacts from their change in jobs and should be aware and attend to any needs that arise.

Included here is a sampling of some of the services that will be provided to the new employees at the Employment and Benefits Orientation. Other services are continually added as identified.

• Benefits and Retirement information and enrollment
• Payroll information
• Single Sign On credentials
• Temporary parking permits issued
• Escort to the Texas ID Card office

Details regarding where and when the Employment and Benefits Orientation sessions are scheduled can be found on the University Calendar. If there are any questions, please contact Human Resources.

Once candidates are fully vetted and scored their status can be changed in the candidate tracking system, Workday. This status change function is only available to those departmental individuals assigned as “Manager” or Recruitment Coordinator (typically a hiring manager or department head and administrative assistants). Most search committee chairs will not have access to status changes in the candidate tracking system. This allows a tight control over a very important documented process as candidate status documentation is highly scrutinized by the Texas Workforce Commission.

Workday Help (requiring SSO logon) will direct the Manager or Recruitment Coordinator to the details regarding candidate status changes.

Finding the right person for the position is the goal of every search and when an ideal finalist is selected, Human Resources recommends that hiring managers and/or their recruiting coordinators disposition remaining finalists when the new employee is in attendance at orientation. Should the selected finalist withdraw post offer, hiring managers may still have a pool of viable finalists to select from. If the selected finalist rescinds acceptance and all other viable finalist have been declined, hiring managers may have to restart the Post, Search, and Hire process.

When changing a candidate’s status to a final disposition (candidate no longer being considered), Workday will send the candidate an automated message. Best practice is to have a personal message go out to any candidate that had been brought on campus or initially interviewed by phone this can be email or regular mail before the status is changed and the automated message is delivered. Human Resources can assist the hiring manager with an appropriate message.

Hiring managers should perform application status changes without delay; specially when identifying applicants that do not meet the position minimum requirements. Hiring managers should ensure each applicant is moved forward to the correct stage of the candidate pipeline. For example; applicants selected for interview should be moved forward to the interview step. Each step of the pipeline affords additional disposition reasons that most accurately reflect a reason for declination.

It is critical that hiring managers accurately disposition candidates. Candidates are notified at declination via Workday notification and are provided the disposition reason. Dispositioning candidates properly in workday provides consistency of hiring practices and clarity for the applicants. An example of what no to do: dispositioning all applicants at the Initial Review step and selecting “Does not meet minimum job qualifications.” Those who are minimally qualified will be left with questions and are more likely to reach out for feedback. When in doubt, contact Human Resources for guidance.

Key takeaway 1: change finalists not recommended for hire quickly after the finalist has attended new employee orientation.

Key takeaway 2: disposition timely and accurately.

It is not acceptable for hiring managers to do nothing with candidates not dispensed from the pool. Human Resources routinely monitors candidate statuses and will notify any hiring manager of this delinquency.

The Texas A&M University System Regulation 33.99.14 Criminal History Record Information–Employees and Candidates specifically outlines the system’s commitment to protecting the safety and welfare of employees and the general public, preserving state property and upholding the reputation and integrity of the system for the citizens of Texas. To achieve these goals, members of the system may obtain, at any time, criminal history record information on any candidate for employment or any current employee. Criminal history record information may be used to make employment decisions affecting the candidate or employee as provided by this regulation.

Additionally, the University follows its established rule and procedure, Tarleton State University Rule 33.99.14.T1 Criminal History Record Information, on how the background check process is followed. In all instances of a background check performed on a candidate recommended for hire, Human Resources will secure the required authorization from the candidate first. No background check will be initiated until the hiring manager submits the candidate to the Offer stage, the offer is made, and the candidate accepts.

The University is responsible for verifying and documenting that the educational qualifications of recommended candidates for faculty and staff positions are appropriate for the posted requirements of the position. Once a hiring proposal is submitted with a candidate recommended for hire, Human Resources will collect degree information (via the application process and authorization form) and perform verification through the National Student Clearinghouse.

Each degree is additionally verified through the required delivery of the official transcript by every staff and faculty new employee. The Academic Affairs Office is responsible for obtaining and retaining all official transcripts for members of faculty. The office of Human Resources is responsible for obtaining and retaining all official transcripts for members of staff.

Degrees granted by institutions of higher education located outside the United States need to be verified by Human Resources. Verification under these circumstances may result in a lengthy wait. Human Resources may conditionally approve the hire while waiting for the requested verification. Departments and/ or candidates should submit documentation as a placeholder of the verification. For example:

• Copy of the foreign degree (diploma)
• Copy of any documentation pertaining to the granting of the degree (ie. marks sheet)
• Correspondence from the institution
• Verification from a previous employer that the degree was verified

For faculty and executive administrative positions, an appointment letter will be required. Only after verbal offer, approval to hire from required authority, and countersigned written offer will an appointment letter be drafted and delivered to the candidate recommended for hire. Appointment letters are initiated for faculty, faculty administrators, Academic Affairs administrators and executive level administrative staff. Appointment letters typically should only come from the President, Provost, or divisional Vice President pending on the position type.

Typically, all contingency requirements such as degree verification and background check will have been completed before the appointment letter is sent. Under some circumstances, where there may be necessary delays in the process, contingency language should still be used in the appointment letter.Contingency Language

Appointments and employment are subject to all policies, rules and regulations of Tarleton State University and the Texas A&M University System as found on the policy page . Your employment is contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check completed through Tarleton’s office of Human Resources, as well as your ability to provide employment eligibility documentation as required by federal law.

Please contact Human Resources for more details regarding the components of an appointment letter and whether the hiring department or office is required or authorized to send one.

All records maintained throughout the hiring process and retained for a prescribed period of time are informed by federal and state laws and Texas A&M University System and Tarleton State University policies, regulations and rules. As indicated throughout the Complete Guidelines and Best Practices for Hiring Faculty and Non-Faculty information collected to inform the decision making process regarding each hire is essential to meeting compliance standards.

Read more about Record Keeping and File Retention.