Recruitment

Staff Search Procedures & Guidelines

The staff search procedures and guidelines have been designed to assist you with conducting a successful and timely search. Our goal is to be resource for hiring managers and search committees/interview team throughout the several steps of a staff search.  

The recruitment team is available to answer your questions about SMU policies/procedures, as well as offer recommendations and information to ensure all staff searches are in compliance with the state and national employment requirements.

Initiating a Search

A Recruitment Request Form must be completed and approved in order to initiate a search for a new, replacement, or reevaluated position. If a new position is being created or an existing position needs to be reevaluated, a Job Evaluation Form should be completed, signed by dean, department head, and financial officer. The form is forwarded to the Department of Human Resources for job classification.

(1) All newly created positions must be evaluated by the Department of Human Resources for assignment of a job title, job code, and pay grade and intended starting salary.

(2) All replacement position criteria will be reviewed and evaluated by the Department of Human Resources  to assure appropriateness to job title, job code, pay grade and starting salary every three years.

(3)  All positions will be reviewed and evaluated in accordance with current Affirmative Action Plan to identify if area is underutilized in women and minorities.

Recruitment Request Form (interactive pdf document)
Compensation & Classification Information
Overview of Process
Job Evaluation Form
Job Evaluation Guidelines

Job Posting

The Department of Human Resources will create the job posting summary based on the information contained in the job evaluation. The hiring department is given an opportunity to provide additional feedback and recommendations before posting the job externally. The job posting summaries are placed on both the Employment Opportunities List located on Job Board in the Department of Human Resources, as well as, on the Employment Opportunities website.

Job Posting Period
Job Posting Criteria
Advertising

Identifying a Candidate Pool

Viewing and Managing Resumes (pdf document)
Managing Applicant Dispositions (pdf document)
Staff Search Process Checklist (pdf document)
Building Search Committee/Interview Team (pdf document)
Search Committee/Interview Team Guidelines (pdf document)
Identifying Candidates: Conducting a Fair and Thorough Review (pdf document)
Selection Criteria for Identifying Candidates (interactive pdf document)

Assessing the Candidate Pool

The department may begin in-person interviews after the priority consideration date. If qualified candidates are not identified during the priority consideration period, all resumes and applications received prior to the deadline date are expected to be reviewed, and evaluated to ensure the consideration of all qualified candidates.

A recommendation to hire cannot be submitted before the job postings deadline date.

An Applicant Evaluation Form must be completed by each search committee/interview team member. The applicant interview evaluation form provides a basis for defending selection decision. It is recommended that search committee/interview team members complete the form at the conclusion of each interview. Applicant Evaluation Forms will collected by the head of search committee/interview team. 

It is recommended that the final candidates complete an Authorization and Consent for Release of Information form at the time of  the interview to save time and support the University’s policy (9.4) that mandates pre-employment checks for all staff hires.

All pre-employment checks must be approved by the Department of Human Resources prior to an offer of employment. Background checks can only be initiated when the prospective applicant has completed an Authorization and Consent for Release of Information. Background checks usually take 24 to 72 hours to process, depending on the number of counties and geographical distance needed to check.

Interviewing (pdf document)
Interview Questions- Behavioral and Competency-Based (pdf document)
Phone Interview Form (interactive pdf document)
Campus Interview Form (interactive pdf document)
Candidate Interview Evaluation Form (interactive pdf document)
Authorization and Consent for Release of Information (pdf document)
Reviewing Skills Assessment Results (pdf document)
Interviewed Applicants Checklist
SMU Overview for Applicants (pdf document)

Finalizing a Search

The hiring department/administrator is responsible for conducting reference checks. Checking references before making a final decision can save time, money, and effort, since it reduces the likelihood of making a bad hire.
 
The hiring department/administrator must complete and forward a Search Summary and all accompanying materials to the Department of Human Resources for review and approval.
 
The Department of Human Resources will forward the Search Summary to the Office of Institutional Access and Equity. The IAE Officer will review and certify the AA/EOE Actions of the hiring department. IAE will return the Search Summary to the Department of Human Resources. The Department of Human Resources will notify the hiring department of final approval.

Checking References
Reference Check Form
Search Summary Form (interactive pdf document)