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Resources for Department Analysts

UC Recruit

Creating a Recruitment: Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I format the Title for recruitments?

Generally when formatting a title for a recruitment, use the Payroll Title followed by the Area of Specialization or Discipline (if applicable) and the Department. For example:

  • Assistant Professor in Astrophysics, Department of Physics

Some departments also elect to put language in the title when there are multiple positions available. We suggest that any additional information be placed at the end of the title. For instance:

  • Temporary Lecturer in Department of Art History (Pooled Recruitment)

Source: (AP)

What should I put in the Description section?

Please copy and paste your job posting ad in the Description section remembering to include the Affirmative Action tagline and Diversity statement. If the search is multi-level, be sure to include applicant instructions so that applicants know to which level they should apply. The Description serves as the advertising text and should contain the basic elements of an advertisement as listed in Red Binder VII-7.

Source: (AP)

For our Senate faculty searches, do we need to advertise in at least one print journal? Print advertising requires a large portion of our recruiting budget.

Departments that use JobElephant may forgo the campus requirement of placing at least one print ad for each Senate faculty search. The print ad comprises part of the open search evidence required by DOL regulations in the hiring of foreign nationals. Departments that wish to avoid the expense of a print ad are encouraged to use JobElephant because of the service the agency provides in recording advertising evidence.

Source: (AP)

What is the difference between choosing an Open/Close/Final (O/C/F) search versus an Initial Review Date (IRD) search?

O/C/F recruitments are one‐time searches that will complete when the vacant spot is successfully filled. All applications will be received before any are reviewed. Applications are visible to the search committee as soon as they are Complete. The Open date is when applicants may begin applying; Close date is the date when new applicants are no longer accepted. Final date is the date when applicants can no longer modify or add to their application materials.

In IRD searches, applicants are received in discrete review windows bookended by review dates. Completed applications are visible to the search committee once a review date passes. Applicants who complete after the IRD are able to apply until the final date, but can only be assessed and evaluated if another review date is added. Because of the flexibility of adding review dates, this configuration is recommended for searches which are open‐until‐filled, such as Senate faculty positions, or for pooled recruitments which remain open over a long period.

Source: (AP and AAIT)

Does the "Final Date" mean the date by which the department needs to have finalized the recruitment and hired a candidate?

No. Both date configurations reference a "Final Date." This does not refer to the date by which the department needs hired a candidate. The final date is the last day that applicants can make changes to their applications. (Note that changes made to an individual application can affect the review window.) Set the final date out far enough, especially in IRD/open until filled searches, so that additional review dates can be added if necessary.

Source: (AP and AAIT)

When I try adding members to the Search Committee, their names do not show up. How can I add someone to a committee if their name is not searchable?

UC Recruit automatically adds certain user groups to the system (i.e. faculty). Certain users however, need to be manually added (i.e. graduate students, campus affiliates). If you are unable to add a user to a search committee because they are not found within the search function, please email us at: help@aait.ucsb.edu

Source: (AAIT)

What is meant by "Basic Qualifications?"

Federal hiring criteria for Basic Qualifications are that they be: (1) objective, (2) non-comparative, and (3) relevant to the position. Basic Qualifications are the bare minimum that would allow someone to be considered a qualified applicant for the position. They should be in place at the time the applicant submits an application. Departments should be sure to specify whether the applicant should have a degree by time of appointment rather than by time of application. Basic Qualifications should be written in a way that ensures that they can be assessed by examining application materials alone. Additional Qualifications must be met by the start date. Preferred Qualifications are anything that are not required but are desirable.

Source: (AP)

How should the department set the Basic Qualifications for pooled searches and open‐rank Senate faculty searches?

For pooled searches with several title codes and multi‐level recruitments such as open level Professor recruitments, Basic Qualifications should be set to the lowest common requirements.

Source: (AP)

Our Search Plan is undergoing review and has not yet been published to the campus jobs board. Our department wants to make a few changes. Since the Plan is not yet fully approved, can I go ahead and make the change, or do I need to check with any of the approvers? Once the plan is fully approved, can I change the editable fields in the recruitment? We figure that if they are editable, it must be okay to change those fields.

Unless correcting a minor typo (for example), a Search Plan that has not yet been fully approved should be left intact as it was originally submitted unless an approver requests changes be made, or unless the department consults with approvers before making a change. There are a couple of reasons: changes can affect other areas of the recruitment that are easily missed, or they can adversely affect previously-granted approvals. Departments may consult AP staff or help@aait.ucsb.edu if unsure whether the desired modification is substantial enough to warrant approver consultation.

Once approved, Search Plan fields which are editable should not be changed without further consultation to ensure that changes do not adversely affect the recruitment, run counter to policy, or potentially cause other problems that can be difficult to anticipate.

Source: (AP)

We have several PIs who need to recruit for research positions over the course of the year in Specialist, Project Scientist and Researcher titles. Can we do this as a single, pooled recruitment for efficiency?

Although research titles can be configured as pooled recruitments, efficiency can actually be reduced. Managing these searches is tricky. We recommend that these titles be separately searched.

Some titles, such as Professional Researchers and Specialists, are not well‐suited to pooled searches since these are vastly different positions with varying qualifications and appointment criteria.

In a pooled search, each Proposed Candidate’s Search Report must be processed serially (one at a time), unless the position and PI are exactly the same for each candidate. This can cause delays if several PIs are attempting to propose candidates for hire out of the search around the same time.

During the time in which a pooled recruitment Search Report is under review, best practice is to avoid making changes to the recruitment unless an Approver requests a change. Do not add additional review dates or evaluate newly submitted applications until the Report is approved.

Source: (AP)

We are recruiting for a Temporary Lecturer and want to require that applicants submit cover letters, CVs, and teaching statements. We would like to provide an optional slot for teaching evaluations. Is it okay to delete the other default document slots that the system generates with every recruitment?

Yes, it is recommended that departments carefully customize the Required Documents for each recruitment. We also recommend that departments use the "Edit" button in the Document Requirements field to re‐order the documents so that required items and optional items are grouped together for clarity from the applicant’s point of view. Use the free‐form text fields for further explanation. For example, to describe the kinds of items that would be appropriate for the optional miscellaneous slot, or to advise of page or file size limitations (e.g. "2 pages maximum," "teaching evaluations, if available," or "50 MB limit").

Source: (AAIT)

Can we include an optional slot in the Document Requirements section labeled "for internal use only," in case we want to ask some applicants to provide additional items later in the review process?

No, this would be contrary to fair hiring practices. Prior to the Shortlist stage, all applicants must be given the opportunity to provide similar application materials.

Source: (AP)

We want to see the letters of reference for all Complete and qualified applicants in order to arrive at a Shortlist. Should we choose Only Contact Information or Letters of Recommendation?

The system offers three reference requirements settings: Letters of Recommendation, Contact Information Only, and None. Letters of Recommendation requires that the applicant provide reference names and contact information and requires that the applicant trigger the solicitation to be sent to the reference as part of the application. Choosing Contact Information Only requires that the applicant provide the minimum number of reference names and contact information. The department requests a letter from each reference by triggering a solicitation request through the system. The committee's planned use of Contact Information Only, including at which stage and for which applicants references will be contacted, must be clearly explained within the Selection Plan. None means that the department will not use UC Recruit to manage references.

For Senate faculty searches, Contact Information Only is typically used when the committee wants to see letters only for long-Shortlist or Shortlist candidates. It is most often used for tenured position searches. Note that if letters are requested for one long-Shortlisted or Shortlisted candidate, they should be requested for all long-Shortlisted or Shortlisted candidates.

If the committee wants to see reference letters as part of its initial review of applicants in order to help determine the Shortlist, triggering solicitations for each applicant's references via Contact Information Only is an arduous task. Instead, we recommend that the department choose Letters of Recommendation, the setting most often used in non-tenured faculty searches.

Source: (AP)

We are recruiting for a senior level Senate faculty position. Applicants to these positions often do not want to alert others to the fact that they are applying to a position so they are reluctant to provide reference names. What letters configuration should we use?

The department may choose Only Contact Information or None. With Only Contact Information, the department may solicit the letters through UC Recruit once a Shortlist is identified (see above). With None, the department will assess the candidate using the materials provided by the candidate and by using other tools of evaluation such as campus interviews. Reference letters needed for an appointment case may also need to be solicited by the department outside of the system (see Red Binder I‐46).

Source: (AP)

We are authorized to search for an open rank (Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor) Senate faculty position. Can we set the reference letter requirements for Assistant level applicants as Letters of Reference, but the Associate/Full applicants as Contact Information Only?

Yes, Document and Reference Requirements may be set differently according to level if configured as a Multi-level search. If Contact Information Only is to be used, be sure to describe at which stage and for which applicants references will be contacted in the Selection Plan.

Source: (AP)

Why does the use of Contact Information Only require explanation within the Selection Plan?

A cornerstone of fair hiring practices is that applicants are treated equitably at each stage of review. The Selection Process > Selection Plan section provides the department a place to document and describe its applicant evaluation approach and to demonstrate its plans to review applicants systematically and fairly.

Source: (AP)

For Placement Goals, the job group we are hiring for does not contain any goals. Do we still need to make efforts and advertise?

Yes, the department still needs to advertise for the position being filled. According to Executive Order 11246, a Federal Contractor, must list all positions being filled, and must include the mandatory Affirmative Action Tagline in all job ads. Good faith efforts may be made on a broad level to ensure equal employment opportunity and Affirmative Action continues. Please consult with the Equal Opportunity Discrimination & Prevention (EODP) Office for specific information on how to make good faith efforts.

Source: (EODPO)

The job group we are hiring for has a goal for Two or More Races/Ethnicities; what does this mean and what efforts should we make to address this goal?

Two or More Races/Ethnicities is a group that was recently added to our Affirmative Action Plan, effective November 1, 2015; based on NORC data. This allows Applicants who take the diversity survey to identify as more than one group or ethnicity. This goal is usually accompanied by another group. The focus of the outreach should be on the other specified group, and on a broad level of outreach to a general diverse group. Please contact the Equal Opportunity Discrimination & Prevention (EODP) Office for further guidance on this.

Source: (EODPO)

We plan to use Word of Mouth to make outreach and advertise the job post. Is this ok?

Equal Opportunity Discrimination & Prevention (EODP) Office encourages departments to share the job post with colleagues from outside institutions via email as a follow up to a conversation regarding the recent post. A sample of the email should be uploaded as a proof of or evidence of sharing the announcement. Please consult with the EODP Office on how to best document the shared announcement.

Source: (EODPO)

For Non‐Senate Titles, the job group we are advertising for has goals to address; unfortunately, there is no budget to advertise. What can we do to make good faith efforts and remain in compliance?

Equal Opportunity Discrimination & Prevention (EODP) Office encourages departments to create a small advertising budget for all searches. However, departments may also apply some work and creativity and make efforts and outreach to groups or organizations in the field of study with a focus on women and minorities. There is no limit on outreach and good faith efforts. Please contact the EODP Office for more ideas on how to address the goals.

Source: (EODPO)

We plan to use our website and UC Recruit [linked to Indeed and America's Job Exchange (AJE)] to advertise our job post. Do we need to include any other sources?

Yes. While these satisfy the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) requirements for listing all vacancies, good faith efforts to address affirmative action equal employment opportunity are still required. Please review the suggested ad sources to reach Women and Minority Groups. https://ap.ucsb.edu/resources.for.department.analysts/content/suggested.ad.sources.pdf

Source: (AP and EODPO)

Do we need to include the entire tagline in our ad? Can this be abbreviated?

According to the Office of Federal Contractors Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the entire tagline must be included in all advertisements. The only abbreviations that may be made are for Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action, which are EEO/AA. For shortened or alternative ads, please seek guidance and approval from Academic Personnel (AP) and the Equal Opportunity Discrimination & Prevention (EODP) Office.

Source: (EODPO)