Guide for Recruiting Classified Staff

BCN Human Resources 70 Artemesia Way Rm#2, MS240

Reno, NV 89557

November 2010

http://www.bcn-nshe.org/downloads/hr/hiringcompensation/guideforrecruiting.pdf

Nevada System of Higher Education BUSINESS CENTER NORTH

Human Resources/240 Reno, Nevada 89557-0055

(775) 78-6844 TDD #784-1706 FAX (775) 784-1143

BCN HUMAN RESOURCES CLASSIFIED RECRUITING

Hiring a new employee is one of the most important decisions a college/department hiring official will make. BCN Human Resources wants to help you find the most qualified candidates for your department. As your partner in recruiting, BCN Human Resources is committed to providing you outstanding service toward your hiring goals. This manual outlines the process for recruiting classified staff. You can count on support from knowledgeable and responsive staff when you have a question or problem. Just call 775-784-6844 or send us an email at HR@bcn-nshe.org. Dec 2010

Business Center North: NSHE System Administration – University of Nevada, Reno – Dessert Research Institute – Great Basin College

Truckee Meadows Community College – Western Nevada Community College http://www.unr.edu/hr/bcn

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Table of Contents (Each item has a link.)

Section

Topic

Page

1

Initiate a Recruitment

• Recruiting Actions • Employment Requisition Form

1

2

Job Announcement and Advertising

5

3

Evaluating Applicants

• Application Process • Examination Process • Certified List of Applicants • Interview Process • Skills Assessment • Reference Check

6

4

Pre-Employment Screens

• Background Check • Drug Test

13

5

Offer and Acceptance of Employment

• Document the Interviews • Affirmative Action Approval • Accelerated Salary • Make the Offer • Finalize the Hiring Process

15

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Initiate a Recruitment

This section contains the information you need to initiate recruitment for a classified job. All recruiting actions require completion of an Employment Requisition form. Some recruiting actions also require an updated position questionnaire. The Employment Requisition (form VPAF202) serves as budget approval for expenditure of salary funds and as notification to BCN HR that you wish to open a recruitment. The Position Questionnaire (form NPD19) is used to establish or update the duties and responsibilities of a classified job. Both forms are accessible at the BCN HR forms page. The forms page can be accessed through the BCN HR website (www.bcn-nshe.org/hr) or through the UNR website home page (www.unr.edu). Note that forms are listed in alphabetical order by title of form. A BCN HR Recruiter is available to support you through each step in the hiring process. One will be assigned to every recruitment to guide the process. When you have a question or problem, just call 784-6844. We are here to help. Recruiting Actions Recruit for Existing Position To recruit for an existing position that is currently or soon to be vacant, complete an Employment Requisition form. See instructions below: “The Employment Requisition Form”. Establish a New Position All classified positions must be established through BCN Human Resources. Prepare two documents to begin this process: an Employment Requisition and a Position Questionnaire. Once complete and signed by the appointing authority and budget authority, forward both documents to BCN HR. Your BCN HR recruiter will work with you to review the job and determine job classification, title and pay grade. Once job classification is finalized, the recruitment process can begin. Duty Update and Recruitment The official duties of an existing classified position are those described on the most recent Position Questionnaire. If you wish to update the duties of a vacant job, are not proposing a classification change, and wish to open a recruitment for the job, prepare an Employment Requisition and a Position Questionnaire. Once complete and signed by the appointing authority and budget authority, forward both documents to BCN HR. Your BCN HR recruiter will contact the “Recruitment Contact” shown on the Employment Requisition form.

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Duty Update Only The official duties of an existing classified position are those described on the most recent Position Questionnaire. If you wish to update the duties of a job and are not proposing a classification change, you need only prepare an updated Position Questionnaire. Once complete, obtain appointing authority and employee (if applicable) signature(s) and submit the Position Questionnaire directly to BCN HR for review (no budget approval required). Reclassify and Recruit The official duties of an existing classified position are those described on the most recent Position Questionnaire. If you wish to update the duties of a vacant job, are proposing a classification change and wish to open a recruitment for the job, prepare an Employment Requisition and a Position Questionnaire. Once complete and signed by the appointing authority and budget official, forward both documents to BCN HR. Your BCN HR recruiter will contact the “Recruitment Contact” shown on the Employment Requisition form. Hybrid/Reclassify This action opens competition among existing classified employees for reclassification upward. In effect, you will recruit one of your current staff members to be reclassified. This action has a narrow application. It is used to provide competition for a reclassification as opposed to recruiting for a vacant position. Prepare an Employment Requisition and a Position Questionnaire NPD19. The position number and employee name on both forms will be “To Be Determined”. Once complete and signed by the appointing authority and budget official, forward both documents to BCN HR. Your BCN HR recruiter will contact the “Recruitment Contact” shown on the Employment Requisition form. Employment Requisition Form The Employment Requisition form is found on the BCN HR website, “Forms” page. The form can be prepared electronically on-line. At this time, the form is not available for electronic signature, routing or submission. After you complete the form, print it out, obtain the signatures required and submit it to your budget authority. The form is then to be submitted to BCN HR. Upon receipt of your employment requisition, a BCN HR recruiter will contact the “Recruitment Contact” you listed on the form. Discussion with your recruiter will cover type of recruitment, selective criteria and any other recruitment conditions or questions.

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Automatic Advancement For positions at or below the journey level of a classification series, you have the option of hiring an employee below the authorized level of the permanent position. “Journey level” means the level of performance that requires proficiency sufficient to perform work independently with little or no additional training. For example, the Administrative Assistant series consists of levels I through IV. The Administrative Assistant II level is considered the journey level of the series. The “authorized level” of a position is the grade and classification level at which the position is permanently allocated in your budget. Your department can benefit from Automatic Advancement because salary funds are preserved (reduced initial salary level). Automatic Advancement also provides a period of time during which the incumbent gains job-specific training. Let’s say you have a vacant position at the Administrative Assistant II level. Although the fully authorized level is Administrative Assistant II, grade 25, you may recruit and hire an employee at any level below Administrative Assistant II in the series: Administrative Assistant I, Administrative Aid, or Clerical Trainee. Select the levels you wish to create an Automatic Advancement for in Section II.5 on the Employment Requisition. If you’d like more information concerning Automatic Advancement, your BCN HR recruiter is here to assist you. Emergency Hire If you need a temporary employee on the job while you are recruiting for the permanent employee, check “yes” to “Do you need an emergency hire?” The Employment Requisition form serves as your request to initiate a temporary hire. Your BCN HR recruiter will facilitate the emergency hire process for you. Selective Requirements Experience and skills beyond the classification’s minimum requirements are the “selective requirements.” You can list your selective requirements on the employment requisition or you can leave this line blank. It is standard procedure for BCN HR to discuss selective criteria with you on every recruitment.

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Type of Recruitment Discussion with your BCN recruiter will cover several topics: recruitment timeline, selective criteria, advertising and interviewing. All of these considerations will form a basis for determining the type of recruitment. The type of recruitment determines the group of individuals eligible to apply. The types of recruitment are:

Open Competitive All individuals are eligible to apply. Campus Promotional Current employees of your institution with six months of full time service will be eligible to apply. Promotional applicants may be at the same grade, a higher grade or a lower grade than the vacant position to which they are applying. Depending on the grade of the person selected, the appointment may be a promotion, a transfer or a voluntary demotion. System-Wide Promotional Current employees of any campus within NSHE who have 6 months of full time service will be eligible to apply. Promotional applicants may be at the same grade, a higher grade or a lower grade than the vacant position to which they are applying to. Depending on the grade of the person selected, the appointment may be a promotion, a transfer or a voluntary demotion. State-Wide Promotional Current employees of any State of Nevada agency who have 6 months of full time service will be eligible to apply. Promotional applicants may be at the same grade, a higher grade or a lower grade than the vacant position to which they are applying to. Depending on the grade of the person selected, the appointment may be a promotion, a transfer or a voluntary demotion. Transfer Only Current State of Nevada employees in the same or comparable classification as the vacant position will be eligible to apply. “Transfer Only” is a non-competitive recruitment. Reinstatement Former employees of the State of Nevada who terminated within the previous two years, who held permanent status and who were separated without prejudice are eligible to apply.

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Job Announcement and Advertising

Job Announcement The formal notice of recruitment is the publicized job announcement. Your recruiter will develop a job announcement containing a description of the duties, minimum qualifications, pay and grade level, and any special conditions of employment. Each job announcement is posted on the BCN HR website and the Department of Personnel website through the NVAPPS system. The posting period will vary depending on recruitment needs. Advertising At your request, BCN HR will post your job on HigherEdJobs.com; a specialty internet job board catering to job seekers looking for employment in higher education. There is no cost to the hiring department for this service. Your recruiter can also assist you in writing and placing a print ad in a specific newspaper or publication, as well as posting on a specialty website. The cost for print or specialty advertising is the responsibility of the hiring department.

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Evaluating Applicants Application Process Job seekers, both internal and external, apply for jobs through the “Nevada Applicant Processing and Placement System” or NVAPPS. This system permanently resides on the State of Nevada, Department of Personnel website, but can be accessed through a link on the BCN HR website. Job seekers can attach their resume and cover letter to the state job application in NVAPPS. In NVAPPS, you will view job applications, cover letters and resumes for eligible candidates. Your recruiter will assign you viewing access and help you navigate through the system. Job applications can be printed from NVAPPS to your local printer; you will want copies for reference at the job interview. Important: NVAPPS is compatible with Internet Explorer. Using other browsers (FireFox, Netscape) will limit functionality of NVAPPS. Examination Process The “Examination” refers to the State of Nevada’s mandatory tool used to test applicant knowledge. The examination tool for each job classification is pre-determined by the State of Nevada. Exams come in several formats:

• written test; • evaluation of application; and • evaluation of job-specific training and experience

For many state job classifications, the exam will be used to rank your applicants. Applicants are placed in score order and the hiring department is required to interview applicants in the top five positions. Some job classifications that utilize a written exam are “unranked”. In this case, applicants take the written exam on a pass/fail basis. Those who pass are placed on the hiring list. The hiring department is required to select and contact a minimum of any five applicants for interview. An exam is not the same as a skills assessment; please see section below on skills assessment. Your recruiter is always available to explain the examination process that applies to your particular recruitment. Exam scheduling, administration and scoring will be done by BCN HR.

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Certified List of Applicants Once the examination process is complete, a list of your applicants will be prepared for you. The list is formally titled: “Nevada State Personnel Certification List”. The certification list serves several purposes. It is your working document for interviewing and selecting your applicant. You will document your contact with and comments about each applicant on this form. Signature of your appointing authority on this list indicates compliance with recruiting rules. The list is your Affirmative Action approval form. Instructions for working the certification list accompany each form. Your recruiter will guide you through this process and answer all of your questions. Important: A job offer cannot be made until the certified list has been completed, signed by the appointing authority, and reviewed and signed by your BCN HR recruiter. Interview Process Your first impression of the candidates who apply for your position will come from the employment application, resume and other written materials submitted by the candidate. Interviews provide the opportunity to focus on the candidate’s specific background and experience. Interviews are a critical step in hiring the best person for your job. You will view job applications, cover letters and resumes in NVAPPS. Your recruiter will assign you viewing access and help you navigate through the system. Job applications can be printed from NVAPPS to your local printer; you will want copies for reference at the job interview. An interview panel will provide you different perspectives and lend validity to your hiring process and selection. Use of an interview panel is optional. If using a panel, a minimum of three members is required. Take time to prepare for the interview. Review the job description. Develop a list of job-related interview questions. Use it consistently for all applicants for the same position. Interview questions must be submitted to your BCN HR recruiter for review. If you are using an interview panel, your BCN HR recruiter is available to participate on the panel. Sample interview questions are included at the end of this section.

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Skills Assessment Your applicants have been screened for the requirements listed on the job announcement. A skills assessment is a supplemental tool to help you evaluate and select from among your top applicants. Spelling, grammar, Word and Excel are common subjects of skill assessments. All pre-employment skill assessments must be approved by BCN Human Resources in order to ensure uniform test administration and evaluation standards. Departments are prohibited from administering skills tests that have not been previously approved by BCN HR. BCN HR can provide skill assessments through the TapDance web-based electronic program. TapDance offers skill assessments in Word, Excel, PowerPoint (MS Office 2003) timed typing, grammar, spelling and more. Once the applicant completes the tests, results are sent to you immediately via email. The test results break down the applicant’s responses in detail, providing you insight into strengths and weaknesses. There is no cost for use of TapDance. Your BCN recruiter is ready to help you with TapDance test selection and set up. Reference Check Reference checks are a critical part of the selection process. The information from the application, interview, and skills assessment contain an inherent bias – it was supplied by the applicant and applicants typically only tell you what they want you to know. Hiring decisions should not be made without a diligent effort to check references. Ask your applicant for a minimum of three reference sources. Preferably, one of those references should be from the applicant’s current or most recent supervisor. It is strongly recommended that the hiring supervisor make the reference check phone calls. Let your applicants know during the interview that references will be checked. Reference information supplied by a human resource office is usually limited to dates of employment, eligibility for hire-back, and reason for leaving. While you may not be provided the in-depth performance information that you would prefer, confirmation of basic information provides validation of your applicant’s honesty in representing his/her work history. If you are considering an applicant already employed by NSHE, you are encouraged to review their personnel file located at the BCN HR Records Department. If you are considering an applicant currently employed by another State of Nevada agency, you can arrange to view their personnel file in Carson City. Please call your recruiter for assistance. Applicants have noted on their job application if they do not wish prospective employers to contact their current place of employment. Prior to contacting references, obtain your applicant’s permission. A sample reference check list is provided at the end of this section. All questions must be job related. Do not ask reference questions that pertain to disability, health, marital status, children or child care arrangements. Responses should be documented.

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Sample Interview QuestionsSample Interview Questions

1. Tell me about a time when you had to use your written communication skill in order to get a point across that was important to you.

2. How would your last supervisor rate your ability to deal effectively with the public? 3. What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision? 4. Give me an example of a time when you took the initiative to get others going on an

important issue and played a leading role in achieving the desired results. 5. How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Provide examples. 6. What supervisory style do you find most effective from a supervisor? 7. What did you do in your last job to contribute toward a teamwork environment?

Please be specific. 8. Tell me about some of your experiences in organizing. (For example, setting up

meetings, conferences, etc.) 9. What kind of experience have you had in handling confidential materials? 10. How do you define effective communication? 11. In a past job, when did you find it necessary to disagree with your supervisor? How

did you approach him/her and what was the result? 12. How do you typically handle yourself in a fast-paced environment? Please provide

an example. 13. What should a manager do to motivate others? 14. If we hired you, what could we count on you for without fail? 15. How do you monitor tasks that need your attention?

16. Would you rather work on a team or on your own? 17. Describe your background in making group presentations. 18. Describe how you would notify the people you supervise about a new procedure that

you were responsible for implementing. It would mean that these people would be learning a new technical skill.

19. What role do you usually take in a group meeting or discussion? 20. What was the most unpopular stand you have taken? Please describe.

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21. Describe a challenging situation or misunderstanding with a coworker and how you

dealt with the situation. 22. How do you handle a heavy workload with many strict deadlines? 23. Give an example of a work situation when you have had to keep up with changes in

technology specific to your field. 24. In your last job, if something wasn’t due for several weeks, when and how did you

approach getting it done? 25. Which problems do you believe are appropriate to bring to your manager? Give an

example. How do you usually approach a manager with a problem? 26. How do you think your staff would describe your delegation style?

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Reference Check Form

Conduct the reference checks on your final candidates. Make sure your finalists have provided permission before conducting reference checks. Candidate ______________________________ Date: _________________________ Reference Name _________________________ Title: _________________________ Company Name __________________________________________________________ Introduce yourself and the purpose for the call. I am considering __________________ for employment. He/she has reported previous employment with you. Provide a short description of the position you are filling.

Dates of Employment: From: _____________________________ To: ______________________________ Position(s) Held__________________________________________________________ Salary History ___________________________________________________________ Reason for Leaving _______________________________________________________ 1. Please describe the type of work for which the candidate was responsible. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. How would you describe the applicant's relationships with coworkers, subordinates (if applicable), and with superiors? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Did the candidate have a positive or negative work attitude? Please elaborate. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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4. How would you describe the quantity and quality of output generated by the former employee? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________ 5. What were his/her strengths on the job? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What were his/her weaknesses on the job? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What is your overall assessment of your former employee? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 8. Would you recommend him/her for this position? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Would this individual be eligible for rehire? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 10. Other comments? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for your time!

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Pre-Employment Screens

Your offer of employment to the selected applicant is contingent upon the applicant successfully completing the required pre-employment checks. The required pre-employment checks will be determined by the nature of the position. Background Check A background check is required of the selected applicant. Current employees selected as a result of transfer, promotion, etc., are also required to undergo a background check. The background report is obtained through a fingerprint check of the selected applicant. The background check contains criminal history from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State of Nevada Department of Public Safety. Upon receipt of the background report, BCN HR will notify the hiring department. The selected applicant may begin employment prior to receipt of the report, however, continued employment is contingent upon a successful background report. BCN HR will work directly with your selected applicant to obtain his/her fingerprints. Some positions (e.g. police officer, child care worker, shuttle bus driver) may require a more comprehensive background check in accordance with external laws and regulations. In this case, the background check is coordinated by the hiring department. The cost of the background check is the responsibility of the hiring department. You will be asked to prepare a Request for Payment form payable directly to Nevada Department of Public Safety. Depending on the geographic location of your selected applicant, there may be a charge for fingerprinting as well. Fingerprinting cost is also the responsibility of the hiring department and payable directly to the vendor.

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Drug Test The State of Nevada requires pre-employment drug testing only for jobs that have been determined to affect public safety. The list of positions and classifications that have been approved for pre-employment drug testing is located at: www.dop.nv.gov/TS-128.pdf. Pre-employment drug testing occurs after the job offer is made and before employment begins. Employment is contingent on passing the screening test. The job announcement must include notification to all applicants that drug testing will be required for safety sensitive positions. Post-offer, your BCN HR recruiter will work directly with your selected applicant to arrange for the drug testing. Your applicant will be supplied a consent form for his/her signature, a control form that he/she will present to the testing laboratory (the forms originate from the contracted laboratory and are not available electronically) and the addresses of contracted laboratory sites. The laboratory will forward the test results to BCN HR within one to two days. The results will be communicated to the hiring department as soon as they become available. Some positions (e.g. police officer, child care worker, shuttle bus driver) may require a drug screen in accordance with external laws and regulations. In this case, testing is coordinated by the hiring department. The hiring department is responsible for the cost of the drug screening test. BCN HR will pay the laboratory and seek reimbursement from the hiring department. If you are interested in adding a position or job classification to the list for pre-employment drug testing, please contact a BCN HR recruiter for assistance.

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Offer and Acceptance of EmploymentOffer and Acceptance of Employment Document the Interviews Hiring departments are required to document interview information on the “Nevada State Personnel Certification List” provided by your BCN HR recruiter. Minimal, but very specific information is required. Instructions on how to complete and code your certification list accompany each list. Your BCN HR recruiter is always available for consultation. Once you have supplied all of the required interview information on the certification list, submit the list to your BCN HR recruiter for review. After reviewing the certification list to confirm compliance with recruiting rules, your recruiter will quickly communicate to you approval to proceed to the next step. After review and approval by your BCN recruiter, obtain your appointing authority’s signature in the space provided on the list. Signature of the appointing authority indicates compliance with recruiting rules. Affirmative Action Approval All BCN institutions are required to provide comments that speak to each applicant’s strengths and weaknesses. The instruction page of your certification list contains a set of candidate comment codes. Select the comment(s) that apply to each candidate and enter the corresponding number of the comment(s) onto the certification list. NSHE institutions follow Affirmative Action procedures specific to their organization. For UNR classified hires, your BCN HR recruiter will provide Affirmative Action review and approval. UNR classified hires must be approved by your BCN HR recruiter prior to making the job offer. The certification list is your Affirmative Action approval form. Submit your signed and coded certification list to your BCN HR recruiter for review and approval. Your recruiter will sign the list indicating approval to make the job offer. At GBC, WNC, TMCC and System Administration, please contact your institution’s human resource office for information on processes and approval.

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Accelerated Salary If you propose to offer a starting salary above step 1, complete the “Request to Accelerate Salary” form (available on the website forms page) and submit it to your BCN recruiter. Include written justification for your proposal. By state regulation, the request must be approved in advance of the offer. Make the Offer Contact your candidate and make the offer. Confirm the offer and acceptance in writing. Once a candidate accepts an offer, the hiring department is responsible for notifying all other interviewees the results of the recruitment. Personal contact with interviewed applicants is encouraged. Finalize the Hiring Process Complete the appropriate hiring documents and submit to BCN HR. A “one-stop” web link will open all the required documents you need. The link is on the BCN HR forms page and is titled “UNR/NSHE Classified Hiring Packet”. You are required to keep written records of the recruitment process and hiring decision for a period of three years, plus the current year. Interview questions, interview notes and reference check notes are part of your hiring documentation and are subject to audit.

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