Best Practices:
Coordinating On Grounds Interviews

PLANNING

  • Select interviewers and confirm that they are available to meet with all candidates who will visit Grounds.
  • Set dates and block time on interviewers’ calendars well in advance, ideally even before you have identified your finalists.
  • Be as consistent as possible in scheduling so that candidates have a similar experience. For example: if one candidate requires a phone interview, then all candidates should be scheduled for a phone interview.
  • When bringing multiple candidates to Grounds, schedule only one candidate per day.
  • Include a 10-15 minute break for candidates after every 2 or 3 interviews.
  • For candidates who will interview for more than 4 hours, include meal accommodations. When a meal is involved, check with candidate for any dietary restrictions.
  • Include “down time” for out-of-town candidates, so that they have an opportunity to see the area.
  • Especially for out of town candidates who will need to spend one night in Charlottesville, consider breaking up meetings over two days (i.e. schedule an afternoon and the following morning).
  • Reserve interview space. Ideally, candidates would have the opportunity to move around throughout the day in order to get the best possible sense of environment.
  • Assign someone to manage each of the following:
  • Time- make sure the process stays on schedule.
  • Transitions- provide transportation to and from interviews across Grounds, as well as a guide from meeting to meeting within the same building. When interviews finish early, have candidate wait in lobby.
  • Candidate should be offered water and/or coffee upon arrival and throughout the day.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

  • Once all the details have been finalized, provide the following to all interviewers at least 48 hours in advance:
  • Full interview schedule for each candidate
  • Candidate resumes and cover letters. Do not include applications.
  • Job description or job summary, as provided by the manager
  • Candidate evaluation form, as provided by the manager, including a deadline and instructions for return.

CANDIDATE COMMUNICATION

  • As the first point of contact, always introduce yourself and your role on your team and/or in the search.
  • Once all the details have been finalized, provide the following to each candidate at least 48 hours in advance:
  • Itinerary with travel details (flight- numbers/times; hotel- confirmation number, web site and contact information; transportation- information for taxi, rental car, etc.)
  • Travel “rules”, including information on reimbursements
  • Interview schedule with names and titles, including guidelines for parking
  • Job description or job summary, as provided by the manager
  • Org chart (check with manager)
  • If management position, check with manager on providing position descriptions of subordinates or any other relevant information.
  • Clearly identify a point of contact and provide contact information. This should be someone that the candidate can contact throughout the process with any questions and/or at the last minute regarding travel emergencies, etc.

ACCOMMODATIONS

  • Procurement offers hotel certificates for free night stays in local hotels.
  • Convenient overnight accommodations include (will need to confirm with procurement where certificates can be used):
  • Colonnade Club (room must be reserved by Club member)
  • Oakhurst Inn
  • The Boar’s Head Inn
  • Courtyard Charlottesville- University Medical Center
  • The Omni Charlottesville
  • The Inn at Court Square
  • Please remind all candidates to save receipts.