Search Process Step-By-Step

Faculty Search Process

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Before the Position is Posted

1. College/Department will create a position description for the position and form a Search Committee.
2. The designated Business Manager will enter the position and posting information in the Position Create/Change eForm in IRIS. Please attached the Faculty Job Description Template filled out when creating the position. (All Tenure and Tenure-Track Faculty positions must be filled through a formal search process.)
3. OAC will review and approve the position after workflow notification and post the position on the HR site and HigherEdJobs. OAC will communicate with the Business Manager when the job is posted.

Applicant Intake and Initial Screening

4. The designated Business Manager downloads applicant files and CVs from the HR Employment Website and emails documents to the Search Committee Chair.
5. The Search Committee Chair will communicate with the business manager to update the status of applicants in the HR Employment Website. The Business Manager will add notes to the applicant's file with explanations regarding status changes (i.e., Does not have a requisite degree, currently funded, etc.). Preliminary Zoom screening interviews are permitted here without pool approvals.

Scheduling On-Campus Formal Interviews

6. The Search Committee Chair will communicate with the Business Manager to update the status of applicants whom they would like to move into the primary and/or secondary pools.
7. The Business Manager must add strength and weakness statements into the applicant's file with explanations regarding status changes (i.e., Very little experience in specific area, lack of current funding, etc.). Once strength and weakness statements are updated in the HR Employment Website, the business manager will email the appropriate OAC representative for review and approval.
8. OAC will review and approve primary and secondary pools in the HR Employment Website; once approved by OAC, the committee can move forward with formal, on-campus interviews. Pool approval must happen BEFORE formal interviews.

Before Making an Offer

9. The Search Committee Chair will communicate the selected candidate and information regarding the offer to the business manager to enter in the HR Employment Website for OAC review. The Business Manager will email the OAC representative the Hiring Justification Form for review.
10. OAC will review and approve hiring authorization in the HR Employment Website and email the Business Manager that the department can move forward with a formal offer.
11. Once the formal offer is accepted and background information is cleared, the Business Manager will update the HR Employment Website, including dispositioning other candidates from the requisition. The Business Manager will email OAC to move the candidate to hire with the start date to close the requisition. Business Managers should not move a candidate to the hired step.

Minimum Posting Dates:

Tenure and Tenure-Track Faculty = 20 business days

Non-Tenure Track and Instructor Positions = 5 business days

Executive Administrative Search Process
(Director, Assistant Director, Associate Director, Manager)²

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Before the Position is Posted

1. The designated Business Manager will enter the position and posting information in the Position Create/Change eForm in IRIS.
2. The Business Manager will schedule a Search Charge meeting with OAC, the Search Committee, and the position’s immediate supervisor. Executive-level positions are not posted without a search committee charge meeting.
3. Once the Search Committee is charged, HR will review and approve the position posting and post the position on the HR site and HigherEdJobs.

Applicant Intake and Initial Screening

4. (Optional) HR conducts preliminary screening to determine who meets minimum qualifications and then forwards qualified applicants to the designated Business Manager or Search Committee representative.
5. The designated Business Manager downloads applicant files and CVs from the HR Employment Website and emails documents to the Search Committee Chair. Preliminary Zoom screening interviews with the Search Committee are permitted here without pool approval.

Scheduling On-Campus Formal Interviews

6. The Search Committee Chair will communicate with the Business Manager to update the status of applicants whom they would like to move into the primary and/or secondary pools. Business Manager must add strength and weakness statements into the applicant’s file with explanations regarding status changes (i.e., very little experience in specific area, currently funded, etc.).
7. Once strength and weakness statements are added to applicant files in the HR Employment Website, the business manager will email HR and OAC to prompt pool approval.
8. OAC will review and approve primary and secondary pools in the HR Employment Website and then communicate with HR that the pools are approved.
9. Once pool(s) are approved, the department can progress with formal interviews.

Before Making an Offer

10. The Hiring Official will fill out the Hiring Justification Form and communicate the selected candidate to the Business Manager to initiate offer procedures.
11. The Business Manager will email HR and OAC with the Hiring Justification Form. OAC will review and approve the offer authorization and will notify HR after approval.
12. HR handles all remaining offer/hire steps, as necessary.

2 For positions of this level, no narrative summary form is needed.

Minimum Posting Dates:

External Search = 15 business days

Internal Search = 10 business days

Executive Administrative Search Process:
(Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor, Dean, Assistant/Associate/Executive Dean, Executive Director, Chair)

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Before the Position is Posted

1. College/Department will create a position description for the position and form a Search Committee.
2. The Business Manager will schedule a Search Charge meeting with OAC, the Search Committee, and the position’s immediate supervisor. Executive-level positions are not posted without a search committee charge meeting.
3. The designated Business Manager will enter the position and posting information in the Position Create/Change eForm in IRIS. Please attach the appropriate position description in IRIS when creating the position.
4. After the Search Charge Meeting, OAC will review and approve the position after workflow notification post the position on the HR site and HigherEdJobs. OAC will communicate with the Business Manager, Search Committee Chair, and Hiring Official when the job is posted.

Applicant Intake and Initial Screening 

5. OAC will move candidates to the review step. The Business Manager will go download applicant files and CVs from the HR Employment Website and email the documents to the Search Committee Chair.
6. The Search Committee Chair will communicate with the Business Manager to update the status of applicants in the HR Employment Website. The business Manager must add notes into applicant’s file with explanations regarding status changes (i.e., does not have requisite degree, currently funded, etc.) Preliminary Zoom screening interviews are permitted here without pool approvals.

Scheduling On-Campus Formal Interviews 

7. The Search Committee Chair will communicate with the Business Manager to update the status of applicants whom they would like to move into the primary and secondary pools. The department will input all necessary information, including primary and secondary (alternate) candidates and strengths and weaknesses on the Narrative Summary Form, which routes to the appropriate administrators for signatures and approvals. The completed form will be sent to OAC for review and approval.
8. OAC will review and approve the Narrative Summary Form. Once approved, OAC will notify the Business Manager by email that formal interviews can proceed.

Before Making an Offer 

9. The Hiring Official will fill out the Hiring Justification Form and communicate the selected candidate to the Business Manager to initiate offer procedures.
10. The Business Manager will email OAC with the Hiring Justification Form. OAC will review and approve hiring authorization in the HR Employment Website and email the Business Manager so that the department can move forward with a formal offer.
11. Once the formal offer is accepted and background information is cleared, the Business Manager will update in the HR Employment Website, including dispositioning other candidates from the requisition, and then request by email to OAC to move the candidate to step hire and close the position. Business Managers should not move a candidate to the hired step.

Minimum Posting Dates: 

External Search = 15 business days

Internal Search = 10 business days

FAQS

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1. Why do some director roles require charge meetings and strength and weakness statements, but others do not?
   1. This is due to the EEO Employee Subgroup that is input when the position is created in the workflow. If the category is "Staff: Professional", then neither a charge by OAC nor strength are weaknesses are required for compliance. If the category is "Staff: Exec/Admin", then both a charge by OAC and strength and weakness is required for compliance.
      
      
2. Why do some staff positions require primary pool approval before interviews?
   1. If the position is exempt professional ("Staff: Professional"), then primary pool approval by OAC is required before interviews due to the employee subgroup level. Non-exempt staff do not require primary pool approval by OAC.
      
      
3. What happens in instances of a search being out of compliance?
   1. There are two possible consequences:
      1. If an offer has not been made, the search will be voided, and the department will have to start over again with a new position number.
      2. If the search is beyond offer and acceptance status, then it will very likely come up in a future audit and the department, as well as potentially HR and OAC, will need to answer why the search is out of compliance.
   2. In both instances above, should out-of-compliance searches be seen repeatedly from a singular department or individual, Taleo permissions may be revoked.
      
      
4. Can we edit a posting after it has been posted and is live on the UT Taleo site?
   1. No. To remain equitable in our hiring practices, the only edits that can be made once a position is posted and live are grammatical or formatting. Anything more will require a cancellation of the requisition and the creation of a new position in the workflow for posting.
      
      
5. Can I reuse a position number?
   1. Position numbers can only be reused if the position number is in good standing, meaning it was filled and the incumbent is no longer at UT. If the incumbent is still in the position, or if the position number is attached to a requisition that was canceled or deleted, then it cannot be reused.
      
      
6. How long does a position need to be posted?
   1. Faculty
      1. Tenure and Tenure-Track Faculty = 20 business days
      2. Non-Tenure Track and Instructor Positions = 5 days
   2. Staff Professional: Exempt
      1. External and Internal Searches = 5 days
   3. Executive Administrative Positions
      1. External Search = 15 business days
      2. Internal Search = 10 business days
   4. Internal Searches
      1. All internal searches are requested by written documentation stating the rationale for conducting the search outside the standard search procedures and are approved by the Dean, the Vice Chancellor, and the Associate Vice Chancellor for OAC. More information on Internal Searches is available on page 17 of the Search Procedures Manual.