Recruitment & Hiring

To conduct a search: Please review each step of the process carefully below. You'll utilize the Online Employment System to post vacancy announcements & review applicants. 

Job Seekers: - Visit our website to search for open positions, create an application, and apply for a position.

For a quick action guide, please review the Search Procedures Checklist.  

Recruitment and Hiring Procedures - A Step-by-Step Guide: 

Step 1: Approval to Begin the Search

The hiring manager initiates the search by requesting approval from the appropriate divisional Vice President. The Vice President then seeks approval of the President's Cabinet.  Once the request is approved by the President’s Cabinet, the hiring manager will be notified by the Office of Human Resources to begin next steps. 

*If a position is new or the vacant position is being revised, the hiring manager or designee, will need to submit a Job Description Questionnaire and a departmental org chart to Human Resources. The Office of Human Resources will classify the rank, title and salary associated with the position before moving forward with next steps. 

Step 2: Establish a Search Committee & Identify a Chair

The Search Committee and Chair are appointed by the department head, supervisor, and/or Dean, Director, or Vice President, as appropriate.  

Generally accepted best practice for search committee membership (in terms of size and diversity of perspective) is three to five members and could include employees from other areas/departments. For faculty searches of Assistant Professor and above, one member must be from outside the hiring department.  

Additionally, all search chairs and at least 50% of the search committee must attend a Required Equity Minded Search Practice Session for Search Chairs and Search Committee Members 

Note: The direct supervisor, department chair, and/or final decision-maker should not serve on the committee nor take part in the initial applicant review as this could potentially be seen as having an undue influence on the search committee. 

Search Committee Roles and Responsibilities during Searches: 

Role and Responsibilities of Search Committee Members 

Role and Responsibilities of Human Resources 

Search committee training video-add the resource here for non Geneseo members like students or volunteers and those that do not take the Equity minded course 

Role and Responsibilities of the Search Committee Chair 

Step 3: Create the Job Description & Vacancy Announcement

Using the Online Employment System, create the vacancy announcement by completing the required fields in the system. The following guides will walk you through the process:   

How to Post a Vacancy Announcement in the OES  

How to Create Evaluative Criteria 

In addition to our own webpage, Human Resources uses the following advertising sources: 

As you are creating your vacancy announcement, consider where your job posting may attract the best applicants. There are additional advertising sources that can be used, it’s up to the department to post and pay for these additional sources. Some suggestions include: 

Suggestions for Faculty Openings Advertising and Outreach 

Suggestions for Staff Openings Advertising and Outreach 

Once you are satisfied with your vacancy announcement, you will submit it for approval. The Job Posting Workflow outlines the order of approvals required prior to posting. You will be notified when it has been posted.  

Step 4: Begin the Search Process

Once the posting is live, the Search Committee Chair will schedule a kickoff meeting. This meeting will include the committee members, the department head, supervisor, and/or VP to charge the committee, an HR Employment Coordinator to go over the search process and navigating the online employment system (OES). The following guides go over navigating the OES: 

Search Committee Member's Guide for Navigating the OES 

Search Chair/Committee Reviewer User's Guide for OES 

During the initial meeting: 

  • Review the Evaluative Criteria established in the OES. Search committee members will evaluate applicants within the OES. 
  • Determine the interview methods (Telephone/Zoom/Teams, on campus, or both). 
  • Collect interview questions from committee members and develop a list of initial and campus interview questions. 
  • Forward initial and campus interview questions to Human Resources for approval. Each set of interview questions must include a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) question. 
  • Review the job description and vacancy announcement, specifically outlining the required and preferred job qualifications. The information is contained in the job posting located in the OES. 
  • Review the time frame for reviewing applications, reviewing references and conducting initial/campus interviews (refer to dates in the OES). Calendar future meetings and interview dates. 

Please review these helpful guides and samples: 

Protected Classes and Illegal Questions Guidance 

Sample Interview and Open Forum Rating Sheet  

Step 5: Review Applications & Submit for Approval to Interview

All search committee members and search committee chair evaluate applicants using the evaluative criteria function in the OES. The following guides may be helpful: 

Search Chair/Committee Reviewer User's Guide for OES 

Search Committee Member's Guide for Navigating the OES 

Meet to discuss applicants based on individual evaluations and review results. The committee formulates an overall evaluation for each applicant, including recommendations for initial interviews. 

In the OES, the Search Chair changes the applicant status of the applicants recommended for an initial interview to “Recommended for Initial Interview to Department”, each level of approval will keep moving it forward. Please review the flow chart for more information on approvals: 

Professional Staff and Faculty Recruitment & Selection Flow Chart 

Step 6: Conduct Initial Interviews

Once approvals are received from Department and Affirmative Action, the system status will appear as “Initial Interview Approved”; schedule interviews accordingly. 

Conduct Initial Interviews- All search committee members should record answers to interview questions. At the conclusion of interview, inform applicant that their references will be contacted.

Search committee meets to evaluate applicants based on application materials and results from initial interviews. Committee formulates an overall evaluation for each applicant, including recommendations for campus interviews. 

Search Chair completes the evaluative criteria for each applicant who received an initial interview. This step is completed in the OES. 

In the OES, the Search Chair changes the applicant status of the applicants recommended for a campus interview to “Recommended for Campus Interview to Department”, each level of approval will keep moving it forward. 

Step 7: Conduct Campus Interviews

Once approval is received from Department, Division and Affirmative Action, the system status will appear as “Campus Interview Approved”; create an interview itinerary and schedule interviews according to the itinerary. 

Hold the interviews according to the itinerary. 

Step 8: Recommend to Hire

Meet to evaluate applicants based on application materials, results from initial interviews, results from campus interviews and results from references. 

Reference Check Form 

Committee formulates an overall evaluation for each applicant, including final recommendations of acceptable or not acceptable. 

In the OES, the Search Chair completes the evaluative criteria for each applicant who received a campus interview. 

In the OES, the Search Chair changes the status for each applicant interviewed, in accordance with the recommendations of the committee. The Search Chair will meet with hiring manager/department head/chair about the recommendations and status changes. 

Step 9: Extending an Offer

A Hiring Proposal is submitted to HR with offer details (see instructions for creating a Hiring Proposal). Once approved by HR, the VP/Provost, or their designee, of the hiring department contacts final candidate to make the unofficial verbal offer. The negotiated and accepted offer will be captured in the OES by updating the the Hiring Proposal.   

Department and/or VP/Provost Office completes the Geneseo Employment Recommendation (GER) form and forwards it to the VP/Provost, President and HR. Human Resources will work with VP/Provost Offices to obtain an authorized GER form and an official appointment letter signed by the President.  

Once offer has been accepted, search chair or hiring manager will reach out to all applicants that were interviewed to notify them they were not selected. 

      Offer Checklist 

Step 10: Final Stages - Closing the Search

HR changes the status of applicants in the system. Applicants who were not interviewed will be informed by email about their status. 

The Search Chair will collect all interview notes/documentation from committee members and send them to HR for the official search file. 

Additional Resources 

The Office of Diversity & Equity (ODE) offers information for equity-minded search practice training, diversity and inclusion in hiring, reasonable accommodation, and waiver of search.