Successful Search Committees

10 Practices of Successful Search Committees

  1. Committee business is kept confidential.
  2. The search committee chair serves as the committee spokesperson.
  3. The committee agrees how to make decisions early in the process.
  4. The position is announced widely and in multiple ways.
  5. Selection criteria are determined and operational definitions are established in advance of application review.
  6. Committee processes are consistent from candidate to candidate.
  7. Committee members who possess personal information about a candidate share that information as a reference.
  8. Committee members recognize that there is no such thing as an "off the record" reference.
  9. Detailed notes are made on all screening and selection decisions and submitted at the end of the process.
  10. Applicants are notified in writing as soon as they have been eliminated from consideration.

Search Committee Guidelines

Search Committee Composition

  • Diverse search committees demonstrate good faith effort to generate a diverse applicant pool.
  • Look for expertise rather than representation.
  • Representation may be achieved by soliciting constituent input on recruitment strategies and interview questions, and inviting them to attend open forums.
  • Decision making and meeting scheduling is facilitated by limiting a search committee to no more than 5-7 members.

The Search Committee Chair's Responsibilities

  • Be aware of and communicate the committee's charge (is the committee to select a candidate or recommend a list of candidates?).
  • Oversee record keeping.
  • Manage search committee business.
  • Serve as committee spokesperson.
  • Communicate expectations for committee conduct.
  • Mediate conflict.
  • Identify and, where appropriate, contact resources that may assist the search committee.

Logistics and Protocol

  • Search committee business is confidential and must not be shared outside the committee.
  • Remember that the committee chair is the official committee spokesperson.
  • Decide how screening and selection decisions will be managed early in the process (e.g., committee members will assign points which will be tallied at the end, majority voting will occur, the committee will strive for consensus, but will use negative voting if consensus cannot be reached.)
  • The search committee is not searching for the best candidate, but rather the candidate that best meets the needs of the hiring department.
  • Design a search process that is respectful of all applicants.

Recruitment Strategies

  • Be creative.
  • Use multiple recruitment sources (e.g., journals, newspapers, websites, listservs, professional contacts, etc.).
  • Target appropriate professions/disciplines.
  • Target sources that will reach women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities.
  • Use recruitment resources that will reach qualified applicants.
  • Use Human Resources as a resource.

Selection Criteria

  • Screening criteria should be job-related and taken from the position description.
  • Determine selection criteria in advance of application review.
  • Develop operational definitions of each screening criterion.
  • Be consistent in procedures.
  • Be consistent in applying selection criteria.
  • Use tools such as screening matrices to quantify your evaluations.
  • Avoid commonly used but often indefensible screening criteria:
    1. Years of experience
    2. University/college/graduate advisor reputation
    3. Degree requirements (unless essential to successful job performance)
    4. Uninterrupted periods of employment (which may adversely affect women in their child bearing years and person with medical conditions or disabilities).

Interviewing

  • Prepare questions in advance of application review.
  • Avoid illegal and improper questions.
  • Remember that even social situations are a continuation of the interview process.
  • Remember that past performance is often the best indicator of future success.
  • Ask questions that will require a candidate to demonstrate competencies required for successful performance of the job.
  • Use behavioral interviewing techniques as appropriate.
  • Ask candidates to demonstrate their competence as appropriate.
  • For faculty positions, consider promotion and tenure criteria now and ask questions that elicit evidence of a candidate's:
    1. Dynamic classroom techniques
    2. Rich and accomplished research agenda
    3. Committment to service

References

  • Develop a list of standard reference questions to ask all those contacted.
  • Ask for examples of behavior (e.g., "tell me about a time when the candidate had a difficult encounter with a fellow researcher," "give an example of the candidate's ability to work under pressure").
  • If search committee members possess personal information about a candidate, this information may be shared as a reference.
  • Be consistend in requests for references (contact the same number of references for all candidates, etc.).
  • Note that letters of recommendation requirements often screen out applicants who wish to conduct a confidential job search and those in fields where letters of recommendation are not traditionally provided.
  • Do not be overly swayed by letters of recommendation; most people can find three people to say positive things about them.
  • Remember that there is not such thing as an "off the record" reference. If a contact is unwilling to speak candidly and on the record, ask for the name of someone who would be willing to do so.
  • While search committees are not obligated to confine reference checks to the names provided by the applicant, common courtesy dictates that an applicant be notified if additional inquiries are planned.

Documentation

  • Search committee members should keep detailed notes on all screening and selection decisions.
  • Search committee notes must be able to defend screening and selection decisions.
  • Do not write down anything that you would not wish to be made public.
  • Forward all search committee notes to Human Resources when the search is closed.

Applicant Communication

  • Notify applicants in writing as soon as they have been eliminated from consideration.
  • Regrets letters should be courteous and express appreciation for the applicant's efforts. Do not keep application materials on file
  • Questions about why an applicant was not selected should be directed to the search committee chair or to the hiring authority. The search committee chair or hiring authority should consult with Human Resources before responding to an inquiry. Communication to applicants should focus on what the committee was seeking, rather than what the applicant is lacking.
  • Notify candidates if the search process is delayed or takes longer than expected.
  • Applicants who feel that they were treated in a courteous and respectful manner during the search process are less likely to be angry if not selected and less likely to file a complaint about the decision or process.

Produced by the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office, Human Resources, and the Office of the General Counsel
April 1, 2005