Conducting interviews
In the case of all academic appointments, and some administrative posts, candidates will be required to make a presentation prior to their interview. The Selection Committee may undertake preliminary interviews with a candidate long-list or request a candidate after formal presentation and interview, to attend for a subsequent interview.
The Selection Committee for Administrative/Support posts has discretion, under the direction of the Human Resources Department, to use any selection tools or techniques that are valid and fair to all candidates.
The approved procedure for Academic appointments is presentation and interview.
Candidates shall be provided with the following information:
- The venue for the presentation, interview or selection process
- The time allotted for the presentation
- The facilities that will be available on the day (e.g. overhead/slide projector, computer)
- The subject of the presentation and the level at which the presentation should be pitched (e.g. at a first or final year class of undergraduates and/or an academic group that includes non-specialists in the field of the candidates’ expertise).
- The composition of the audience (e.g. the Selection Committee/other members of the School/Area and/or undergraduate/postgraduates)
It is expected that all members of the staff and research postgraduate body of the
School will be invited to act as an audience for candidate presentations. It is recommended that the Chair briefs the audience prior to commencement of presentations as to their role and involvement in the process. The Chair will collate the views of the audience.
Identifying criteria for assessment will assist the Selection Committee in evaluating the presentation. The purpose of the presentation, the subject matter of which must be the candidate’s research, should be clearly defined by the selection committee in advance e.g. For example, “a presentation on your research as might be presented to an undergraduate audience”. Candidates should receive an indication of the criteria against which their presentation will be assessed (e.g. topic chosen, skill or presentation, quality of material; ability to engage students or non-specialists in an unfamiliar area; capacity to cultivate interest; capacity to impart knowledge).
It is recommended that candidates should have the opportunity, to meet with potential colleagues for the sole purpose of gaining a greater understanding of the College, School, Discipline or vacancy. Hiring leads should take a lead role in this regard in order to ensure that candidates’ application experience is a positive one, while at the same time, ensuring the probity of the selection process.
Interviews must be conducted in accordance with the College’s policy on Equality of Opportunity
Candidates must be assessed against the person specification provided for the vacancy and ranked in order of suitability for appointment. The standard assessment criteria and weightings for Academic posts (based on the promotion documentation approved by the
Board) are as follows:
INSERT MATRIX FOR SCORING
For reasons of fairness and equity a maximum of 7 candidates may only be interviewed in one day. Ideally, for Academic appointments, presentations should take place on day one with interviews following on day two.
Each member of the Selection Committee will receive an interview pack containing the applications, the job and person specification, the selection criteria, references, a timetable and guidelines on the College’s selection procedures.
For reasons of confidentiality, references for administrative and library appointments will only be taken up for the nominated candidate.
It is a requirement that the Selection Committee record factual notes on each candidate interview's and submit them to the recruitment file at the end of the appointment as part of the College’s official record of the appointment. These records must be retained for a minimum of twelve months by the HR Department.
All personal applicant records are subject to release under the Freedom of Information
Act. The Chair is responsible for ensuring that the Selection Committee adequately records its evaluation of each applicant against the selection criteria and its reasons for rating and ranking each individual.
A Nomination Form noting all those deemed appointable and in rank order shall be signed by each member of the Selection Committee. The recruitment section will forward the nomination of the successful candidate to the University Council in the case of academic appointments or to the Board in the case of Administrative and Professional Library appointments.
The Human Resources Department will handle all of the College’s recruitment communications with prospective candidates including acknowledging receipt of applications, organising interviews, Obtaining permission to contact referees, expense reimbursement, issuing employment contracts, negotiating offers (in consultation with the Head of School and Dean, as appropriate), etc. and with all agencies engaged in the recruitment process such as Advertising and Recruitment consultants.
Candidates must provide the College with the necessary permission / authority to validate their academic qualifications.
All prospective employees will be referred to the College’s Health Service who will determine their fitness to work.
The College reimburses travel expenses associated with attendance at interview for academic and senior administrative applicants. Mileage and travel insurance are not refundable.