Is it acceptable for a subset of the committee to review application materials? Is it acceptable to divide the materials in order to reduce the amount of review required by members? NO.
Search committee members are held accountable for the committee's selection decisions. As such, they are expected to actively participate in each step of the review process.
The first step of the screening process is called the "paper review." During this process, committee members assess whether applicants have the minimum qualifications required for the position. Documenting why an applicant has been screened out during this process is essential. Comments such as "lacks Ph.D." or "teaching experience is in pathology rather than toxicology" will be valuable if the search process is challenged and an investigation is conducted. Once minimum standards are evaluated, committee members are likely to rank applicants based on preferred qualifications or the strengths of their experience.
Once the paper review is complete, search committee members must narrow the field of potential candidates. Asking each committee members to propose and defend his or her "top 10" candidates is one way to assess applicant viability. Often, committee members will agree on several applicants and can debate the merits of applicants selected by fewer committee members. As in the paper review, documenting why an applicant has been eliminated from further consideration is essential.
A well-developed interview process can reveal a great deal about a candidate. Rather than "winging it" when a candidate arrives, committees are advised to develop a set of interview questions in advance.
A consistent process enables a committee to effectively evaluate one candidate against another. Using the same set of questions for each candidate also makes it easier to defend hiring decisions.
When developing questions, use the position description as guide. Questions should be related to the work described in the position description and the qualifications required to be effective in the role.
Remember that past performance is often the best predictor of future success. Telephone interviews are an inexpensive way to assess the qualification of several candidates and to narrow the field to a shorter list of individuals for campus visits.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS RELATED TO QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
| Identified Need | Potential Interview Question |
|---|---|
| Experience teaching large sections of undergraduates | This person selected for this position will teach two sections of 200+ students. What strategies have you used or would you use to ensure a positive learning experience for everyone on the roster? |
| A commitment to a diverse student body | Please tell us about your experience in supporting a diverse student body. Why does this matter, and how does one demonstrate commitment?How do you ensure that your curriculum is relevant to students with varied experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities? |
| Effective teaching skills | Please be prepared to discuss your research to faculty and graduate students within the department. Please prepare 40-minute talk to be followed by 20 minutes for questions. |
| Ability to manage conflict | The ability to manage conflict is an essential competency for this position. We'd like you to describe a serious professional conflict you have experienced; how you resolved it, and what, in retrospect you would have done differently. |
| Analytical and persuasiveness skills | Analytical skills and the ability to be persuasive are critical components of this position. This package contains several sets of data related to faculty salaries at the UA and at peer institutions. You have 30 minutes to review this information and write a letter to the legislature describing what is required to be competitive with our peers. |
| A successful fundraising record | The ability to develop strong relationships is a critical component of fundraising. How do you identify "who's who" and develop the kinds of relationships that lead to sustained giving? |
Asking questions designed to determine the "character" of a candidate should also be included, though search committees members must be cognizant of in their individual biases and the human tendency to look for people "just like us."
| Character Trait | Potential Question |
|---|---|
| Willingness to collaborate | Tell us about some of your most successful partnerships. |
| Commitment to a civil workplace | Tell us about a time when you witnessed someone intimidating or harassing another person. What did you do? In retrospect, what might you have done differently? |
| Willingness to work across "status" | If a research technician challenged one of your lab protocols, how might you respond?If your departmental business manager questioned one of your perfectly valid travel expenses, how would you respond? |
| Ability to manage emotions and anger | Tell us about a time when a colleague or employee "let you down." How did you react? How do you work to ensure that commitments to you get honored?Our work can be difficult and stressful. What do you do to ensure that you keep your emotions in check? |
| Propensity for workplace violence | What makes you really mad? |
Committee members are encouraged to make notes on the answers to all questions and to submit them to the committee chair for inclusion in the search file. Brief notes that capture the essence of each response can be especially helpful if a search process is challenged. Investigators can leave search committees out of the investigation if search-related documents are comprehensive and explain the rationale behind selection decisions.
While it may be interesting to learn about a candidate's hobbies, country of origin, age, or family life, if it's not directly related to a position's requirements, it's better not to ask. And remember, meals and social events are still part of the interview process. Questions such as "What does your spouse do?" "So, do you have kids?" or "Were you born in the states?" are no more appropriate over dinner than they are in a more formal setting. Inappropriate questions can and will be used against you. DON"T RISK IT.
Don't ask the following:
