Recruitment & Selection Edinburgh Napier University 19.02.16

Checklist for recruitment process

Establishing a Vacancy & Authorisation

Use the Recruitment Project Planner to identify key dates e.g. short listing, interviewing etc.
Form the interview panel, as per the requirements of the Appointment Panel Constitutionor the Academic Appointment Panel Constitution document. Ensure that all panel members have attended the University’s R&S training. If a staff member requires R&S training or a refresher session, they should sign up to attend R& S Training. All panel members must have attended R&S training or cannot sit on the panel. Additionally, the University runs an R&S for Administrators course, if the recruitment contact has not yet attended this they should sign up to attend this R& S Training.
Prepare your Advert/ Advert (academic)and Role Descriptionforms (Part 1 only, unless it’s a new role for evaluation – HERA), using the up-to-date templates available on the intranet. Sample Role Description Forms are available on the HR intranet along with Guidance.For academic roles, use the generic academic role profiles available from the intranet.
If you are unsure about the grading of the post or if it is a new role which requires job evaluation, please contact Human Resources and Development.You will need to complete Part 1 and Part 2 of theRole Description Form.
Complete the On-line Staffing Authorisation Form (SAF), ensure that you attach the Advert and Role Description and include a clear business case, beforesubmittingit for authorisation (this will automatically be directed to the SAF mailbox for final sign-off once it has been approved by the appropriate authorisers).

Once Authorisation has been received

A member of the HR Adviser teamwill contact you once notification is received by HRthat the SAF has been authorised,to confirm where you would like the advert placed. The University has a Web Based Advertising Only strategy. All external vacancies are placed onthe Edinburgh Napier Internet Vacancies page, the Staff Intranet Vacancies page, Edinburgh Napier Social Media Sites Twitter and LinkedIn and with the Job Centre plus. Additionally,all support vacancies are placed on S1jobs and academic/research roles are placed on Jobs.ac.uk.Departments can opt to place adverts in various other places i.e. specialist journals, however, the relevant department will have to cover the costs. Please note that we advertise all external vacancies for a minimum of 2 weeks.
If the vacancy is to be placed externally a member of the HR Adviser team will create the vacancy on the Vacancy Management System(VMS) and notify you and your Recruitment Contact that it is ready to receive applications. Recruitment contacts should refer to the “How Do I” guide for recruitment contacts.
If the post is to be advertised internally only applications will be emailed to the recruitment contact.
The Recruitment Contact should add the panel members to the vacancy (so that they can view the applications) and advise the panel members that this has been done. Recruitment Contacts should send panel members the Link to the VMS, although this can also be accessed via the HR intranet. Please note that it is not possible to give an External Assessor access to the VMS. If the panel member has not used the VMS before, they should refer to the “How Do I” guide for panel members.

Applications

ALL applications are made online. Paper or Word based application forms are only available to people who have a disability and as a result are unable to use our online application form. Anyone in this situation is asked to contact the HR team, in the first instance to discuss their needs and HR will let the Recruitment Contact know if a Word or paper based application is needed.
Recruitment Contacts will receive an email notification each time an application is submitted.
Each completed on-line application formis acknowledged automatically by the system.
Each application has a default status of “Rejected” on the VMS and this should remain unchanged at this stage.
If a hardcopy or Worddocument application form is received the Recruitment Contact must transfer the application details onto the VMS.
After the Closing Date
The Recruitment Contact should contact the short-listing panel to let them know thatthe vacancy is closed and that they are now able to view all the applications online via the VMS. The Recruitment Contact should prepare the Short-listing Matrix /
Academic Shortlisting Matrixby filling in the relevant essential and desirable criteria and candidate names. This should be sent, along with the Guidance(please note that guidance is included in the Academic Shortlisting Matrix)and a proposed Interview Timetable,to the short-listing panel (which should be made up of at least 2 members of the interview panel).Please also ensure that a link to the Visas & Immigration Guidanceintranet page is sent to the shortlisting panel.
NBThe University guarantees an interview for all disabled applicants (who tick the box on the application form), provided they meet the essential selection criteria of the post.
NB The University application form requests a candidate to clarify their eligibility to work in the UK. If the candidate ticks that they do not have the right to the work in the UK and would require a Certificate of Sponsorship the Recruitment Chairperson must seek advice from HR and review the Visas & Immigration Guidance intranet page.
Please also note that if a post has only been advertised externally for 2 weeks and an individual does not currently have the right to work in the UK the resident labour market test will not have been met and therefore a certificate of sponsorship can not be obtained by the Univeristy. In these cases an individual should not be shortlisted for the position. For advise please contact HR.
Interview Arrangements
The proposed interview timetableand short-listing matrix should be returned to the recruitment contact by the short-listing panel,this document should be retained in the recruitment file and used to offer feedback to applicants. The Recruitment Contact should update the status of applicants invited to interview to “Invite to Interview” on the VMS system.
Ensure that internal applicants who are not short-listed are notified personally or in writing by a member of the recruitment panel.
Send Reject Emails/ Letters to the unsuccessful candidates (if applicable and preferably emails)using the VMS to mail merge. Before performing the merge add in an addition column for date and time. Update these with the relevant information and these can be merged into the letter / email at the same time.
NBPlease ensure that if you are sending a group email to blind copy people in.
Check that the proposed interview timetable has the following information:
  • Names of panel members
  • Date, location and time of interview
  • Reporting instructions for candidates
  • Details of the selection exercises (if any)

Book Interview Room, ensure that the room layout, equipment is suitable and that refreshmentswill be available for candidates and interviewers.
Make any selection exercise arrangements (including equipment, interview room requirements) and agree in advance the weighting attached to the exercise.
Make any arrangements for tour of department (If applicable).
Finalise interview timetable, and Interview Assessment Forms– please note that at the end of the interview the Chairperson of the panel should correlate the panelmember’s feedback and comments on the Chairperson’s Scoring Sheet for each candidate.
Prepare Interview Invite letters (using candidate information from the Vacancy Management System, enclosing.
Write /e-mailReference Request Letters and Forms/ Academic Reference Request form and Guidance(also available is an Academic Reference Request Form for School and University Leavers ONLY – with no previous employment history). 2 references should be sought per candidate, unless internal or zero hours, where only 1 is necessary. Reference requests should enclose / attach a copy of the Role Description.
If applicable, write / email theExternal Assessor using the template letter, enclosing aCasual Hours Appointment form , One Off Payment Form, and Expenses Claim Form for externals (Fin4 form, from Finance), as well as a set of interview papers.
The Recruitment Contact should send a set of interview papers to each member of panel, comprising of:
  • Interview timetable
  • Advert
  • Job description, including the person specification
  • Chair’s Scoring Sheet for each candidate (for chairperson only)
  • Interview assessment form, one for each candidate
  • Copy of application forms (select “Invite to Interview” criteria when generating reporting in VMS and this will pull off the application forms of the applicants who have been invited to interview only)
  • Details of the selection exercise (if applicable)

Arrange for visitor parking by Contacting Security (if necessary).
Arrange for a member of staff to greet the candidates when they arrive and photocopy their documentation as per the guidelines in the EligibilityDocument Checklist (educational certificates, passport or other acceptable proof of ID).
Please note that the following parts of a passport need to be copied and the parts must be signed and dated by the staff member that took the photocopies.
1. Front cover
2. Inside page of passport
3. Any page containing personal details including nationality
4. Any page containing the holder's photo
5. Any page with an expiry date
6. Any relevant UK endorsements.
These documents should be verified and signed by the chairpersonfor all applicants.
Interviews will be refused if the candidate fails to bring the required documentation to interview.
After the Interviews
Ensure that the chair of the panel has completed and signed the interview timetable,a chairperson’s scoring sheetfor each candidate and all the candidate’s photocopied documentation. The Recruitment Contactshould update the status of every applicant on the Vacancy Management System i.e. not appointed or appointed.
If not already received, chase references for successful candidate. If a referee is non-contactable, ask the candidate to name another referee.
When two satisfactory references have been received, the chairperson may verbally offer the post to the successful candidate
A member of the appointments panel should notify any unsuccessful internal candidates personally and offer feedback (Feedback Guidance is available on the HR intranet).
Send Reject Letters/ emails (preferably emails) using excel extract from Vacancy Management System for mail merge file. Merge candidates with status of “not appointed”.
Send a completed Appointment Form for the successful candidate to HR along with: the successful candidate’s application form, job description, including the person specification, a copy of the interview timetable, photocopies of their ID and qualifications and 2 references.
In exceptional circumstances where you wish to appoint a candidate above the bottom of the salary scale, a justification must be provided using the criteria in the Salary Placement Policy.
HR will then issue a contract of employment along with all the relevant new start documents to the successful candidate.
If the appointment is for a non-EEA worker, the recruitment panel is required to confirm that the Resident Labour Market Test has been completed and the role cannot be filled by a resident worker.
If the appointment is for a non-EEA worker HR will check all the required documentation has been provided and all eligibility criteria has been met. HR will process a certificate of sponsorship and send an offer letter to the successful candidate subject to their application being successful.
If the appointment is for a non-EEA worker they will be required to bring original proof of their entry clearance or leave to remain to HR on or before their start date so that all documents can be verified and copies can be taken. If they fail to do this they cannot commence employment.
The post file including all the paperwork should be returned to Human Resources within 3 months of the job offer.
This should include:
  • Job Description, including the Person Specification
  • Shortlisting Matrix
  • Interview Timetable
  • All references for candidates interviewed
  • All photocopied ID for candidates interviewed
  • A completed Chairperson Scoring Sheet for each candidate (signed by all the panel members – as this is the main feedback document).
There is no need to send copies of online applications as these continue to be stored electronically for 3 months after the appointment date of the successful candidate.
Once HR has advised that an acceptance has been received from the successful candidate, prepare and send reject letter to the hold candidates (if any).
Prepare for the local and corporate Inductionof the successful candidate(via L&D).
If an employee does not start on their agreed start date, notify HR immediately.

1 Checklist for recruitment process