Posting and Advertising the Position

Hiring System

Regular faculty positions are posted and hired through PageUp. PageUp is an all inclusive automated system, which has combined the following processes:

• Posting Details – this is a template, which when completed, creates the job description/posting announcement applicants will see on the NMSU website.
• Applicant Documents – these are the documents that the applicant will provide as part of their application process. These documents may be required or optional. These will generally include, but are not limited to: Cover Letter/Letter of Interest, CV/Resume, Reference Contact List, Transcripts, etc.
• Supplemental Questions – this feature allows the Search Committee to ask specific questions of the applicant, which may be required or optional and can attach point values to answers or disqualify candidates, removing them from the qualified pool.
• Ranking Criteria – this feature allows the Search Committee to establish applicant evaluation questions, which are then utilized by each Search Committee member in evaluating applications, interview answers, etc.
• Search Committee – this feature identifies and connects Search Committee members to the electronic process. The user designation allows search committee members access to the applicants and the recruitment process for review and ranking.
• Letters of Reference – this feature establishes the number of references required and has an electronic reference letter collection process feature.
• Underutilization (Affirmative Action Plan Compliance) – this feature establishes the underutilization status of the position.

Preparing for Posting and External Advertising

Applications must be collected electronically through the PageUp system. This is to remain compliant under our Affirmative Action Plan. If no underutilization exists in the job grouping, positions may be posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days. If underutilization exists, departments are encouraged to post beyond the minimum period to generate an expanded and potentially more diverse applicant pool (see ARP 6.01). Departments may determine if their position is underutilized by following the instructions available at Underutilized Placement Goals. For information on how to navigate and utilize PageUp to its fullest capability, please review the PageUp System Toolkit. Advertising beyond the NMSU job posting site should target audiences with a goal of obtaining a diverse qualified applicant pool. Searches for tenure or tenure track positions are required to be national and need to be advertised in journals, professional listservs and other outlets that have a national audience appropriate to market pool for vacancy. Your goal should be to make a good faith effort in obtaining a qualified applicant pool by placing advertisements in media sources that target applicants with the functional-specific areas for your position. If your position has been identified as Underutilized, it is recommended that you consult with the Office of Institutional Equity. At a minimum the department is required to advertise in at least one (OIE recommends two) additional diverse media sources targeting the underutilized audience. Be aware of how language in the advertisement may adversely impact a diverse pool of candidates

• Requirements are too restrictive can significantly reduce the applicant pool. Establish minimum requirements (i.e. education and experience) using objective measures.
• Make sure that your minimum requirements and preferences are supported by bona fide job specific reasons.
• Avoid using culturally sensitive language or language that implies a preference for one culture over others.
• All advertising must include: department name, position title, requisition number, link to full posting and Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Statement.
  • Short Version of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Statement for Job Advertisements. All electronic job ads must include a link to the position announcement on the NMSU website, which contains instructions for requesting disability accommodation.
    • • NMSU is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.
    
    

    OR

    • • NMSU is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.
    
    

    OR

    • • NMSU is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

As part of the request to post a vacant position, advertisements for external sources must be submitted as an attachment for Dean/CC President review. Departments are responsible for funding and placing external advertisements, once approved. Resources: Sample Ads | Recruitment Publication Resources

Request to Post Position

Requests to post vacant positions are submitted utilizing the Departmental Login for PageUp. Vacant positions are posted on the NMSU Jobs system through the Employment Services staff once the position is approved for posting.

• If no underutilization exists in the job grouping, positions may be posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days. If underutilization exists, departments are encouraged to post beyond the minimum period to generate an expanded and potentially more diverse applicant pool. See ARP 6.01.
  

  • Departments may determine if their position is underutilized by following the instructions available at Underutilized Placement Goals
• For information on how to navigate and utilize the PageUp system to its fullest capability, please review the PageUp Toolkit.

Guest Users access may be requested at the time of posting. Note: As of October 24, 2016 People Admin was updated to require routing to the Provost Office for approval prior to posting

Evaluating and Responding to Applicant Pool

Applicants are required to apply online for University vacancies. During the recruitment process, application materials are confidential. Review and screening of faculty positions should begin after the close posting date. The employing departments assigned Search Committee Members must determine which of those qualified individuals can best meet the university and department’s needs, while at the same time documenting the reasons for not selecting all other candidates. Use caution when deselecting candidates, because an automated email notification is sent immediately upon deselection. If an error is made in deselecting a candidate, contact your HR Liaison to discuss options. The deselection can be reversed, but the email notification cannot. For more details on evaluating and responding to the applicant pool, see Evaluating and Responding to Applicant Pool in the Search Committee Advisory Guidelines.

Candidate Assessments/Evaluating Candidates

The purpose of candidate assessments is to assist in making an objective and informed decision about which applicant will best provide the knowledge skills and abilities to be successful on the job. A chart or matrix can be devised listing all interviewed candidates and listing, on the other axis, criteria for successful performance in the position such as experience, education, key skills, knowledge, abilities, presentation in interview, etc. This approach helps the interviewer organize and display a variety of pertinent information for consideration in making the final selection decision.

Resources/Tools:

Initial Screening Tool

Sample Criteria Tool

Preparing Interview Questions

Advanced preparation of interview questions provides a uniform basis for evaluating candidates. Prepare open-ended questions that will assist in evaluating the knowledge, skills and abilities required for a new employee to be successful on the job. Inappropriate questions that relate to an applicant’s personal life or protected class status cannot be asked. NMSU encourages departments to invite candidates for interview in writing (email or letter). We have created two sample templates for invitation to interview.

Resources/Tools:

Interview Prep and Sample Interview Questions

Invitation to Interview Sample Templates

Examples of Illegal Questions

Preparing for On-site Visits

Outlined below are the procedural steps for Preparing for On-Site Visits, for more information on this topic visit the Preparing for On-Site Visits section within the Search Committee Advisory Guidelines website.

Hiring departments may conduct interviews after the close posting date of the position. Telephone interviews and/or face-to-face interviews provide viable information about the applicant’s knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. As a standard practice, it is recommended that interviews be conducted in a consistent setting. The interview will also provide valuable information to the applicant about the department, university/community college and the local area. In structured interviews, the same questions are asked of each candidate. The evaluation/ranking process for interviews can be established in PageUp, providing a system process for Search Committee Members to evaluate and rank each candidate. If the process is external to PageUp, the documentation (responses to each question) must be documented and retained by the department for three (3) years in the Department’s recruitment file in a secure location. In addition, a scanned copy of these documents must be attached as a supplemental document at the Hiring Proposal stage within PageUp.

The Selection Process

Conducting Reference Checks

As a standard practice, central HRS recommends conducting the reference checks on your finalist prior to interviewing. It is good practice to notify your finalists of your intent. The online application has the candidate release form built in and applicants are required to agree in order to apply for the position. Hiring departments can minimize the risk of hiring an employee who will not be able to succeed in the new job by contacting previous supervisors to ask about job performance. Reference information provided by the applicant is an essential step in cross-referencing information received. You should only conduct reference checks on finalists for the position. Many companies will only confirm employment dates and positions held. You have a better chance of getting the information you need if you are able to contact previous supervisors directly.

References will often feel more comfortable confirming information provided rather than being asked a general question about job performance. If you are unable to obtain sufficient references, the next step would be to contact the candidate and let him/her know that without references, you cannot pursue his/her candidacy further.

Suggested Referencing Questions: Questions should not be asked of any reference that cannot legally be asked of the applicant.

Conducting Interviews

Outlined below are the procedural steps for Conducting Interviews, for more information on this topic visit the Preparing for and Conducting Interviews section within the Search Committee Advisory Guidelines website.

The interview gives you an opportunity to further evaluate the applicant’s job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities. This interview also provides the ability to gather additional information about critical points on the application or to resolve any inconsistencies or contradictions that were noted.

Responsibilities as an interviewer are:

• To interview applicants and select employees on the basis of job-related qualifications
• To record the steps taken in the hiring process
• To project a professional and positive impression of NMSU on prospective candidates for employment
• To be consistent and treat all applicants equal when conducting the interviews
• Be cautious of informal conversations or inappropriate questions

Required Provost Office Approval for Making the Offer

Outlined below are the procedural steps for Making the Offer, for more information on this topic visit the Finishing the Search Process within the Search Committee Advisory Guidelines website.

After the required reviews are completed, the hiring department must submit the PageUp Hiring Proposal with the requested salary and draft offer letter to the Dean/CC President (Approving Authority). The Dean/CC President will route to the Provost Office for approval to extend the offer. If the requested salary exceeds the budgeted amount, Dean/CC President must work with the Budget office prior to routing to the Provost Office. The job start date must be a future date allowing for time to process, and is generally coincided with the beginning of a semester for academic faculty. The Dean/CC President will conduct a standard review, including but not limited to verification of qualifications, internal inequities, and underutilized status of the position, etc. If the position is underutilized, the Dean/CC President must following the “Underutilized Process” (will be provided soon by OIE).

As of October 24, 2016 the People Admin system has been changed to require all actions be routed to the Provost Office for approval.

Tools/Resources:


Sample Letters of Offer

If approvals are granted, the Dean/CC President or designated hiring manager may make a verbal offer to the candidate. Once the candidate has accepted the verbal offer, the Dean/CC President or designated hiring manager should follow up with a written offer letter to the selected candidate. All offers of employment are contingent on a successful background check.

Once the candidate has accepted the offer, the Hiring Department will complete the Hiring Confirmation and submit to HRS. The candidate will receive an electronic notification initiated by central HRS to complete the Background Check Release (Background Check Process Flow). The Hiring Department will be notified when background check results are received.

Position Filled-Next Steps

Outlined below are the procedural steps for after filling the position, for more information on this topic visit the After the Search section within the Search Committee Advisory Guidelines website.

Onboarding New Faculty

NMSU conducts an onboarding process customized for NMSU regular faculty through PageUp. The process has been designed to assist departments with preparing for a new employee so s/he feels welcome and comfortable. It is also designed to guide the new employee through paperwork that must be completed, policy and compliance issues, training courses that may be required, and many other activities that introduce the employee to the department and the overall NMSU culture. For more information about the NMSU Onboarding program, please visit our onboarding initiative page.

Disposition of Applicants/Following up with Candidates

After the Hiring Confirmation has been completed, the department will need to change the status of finalists, which will electronically notify them that the position has been filled. This information is used to record and summarize recruitment activities for the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Program reporting requirements. Refer to the PageUp Toolkit for instructions to deselect the remaining candidates.

The online application system will generate an electronic response to all applicants that a final selection has been made. Non-selected applicants who request specific information or access to selection documents should be referred to the Dean/CC President’s Office.

Recruitment Record Retention