Getting Started

Home
Directories
Offices & Services Directory
Human Resources
Recruitment and Hiring Toolkit
Getting Started - Recruitment and Hiring

Getting Started - Recruitment and Hiring

One of the most important decisions you will make as a manager is the selection of a new employee. One of the most significant expenses in a budget is the cost of employees. How can you help ensure that you will get the best person available? What is your role in the hiring process? The purpose of this guide is to give you a place to start in answering these questions.

Not only are you a part of the hiring process, your role at the very beginning of the hiring process is critical. The initial decisions you make and the way you communicate those decisions to others in the hiring process about how to fill your vacancy and the ideal candidate for the position may well determine the caliber of the individuals from whom you may make an appointment.

Centenary College of Louisiana is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, genetic information, national origin, disability status, veteran status, or any other legally protected class in its programs and activities. Centenary specifically finds that diversity of faculty, administrators, and staff is a crucial element of the educational process and reaffirms its commitment to enhancing education through affirmative action to increase diversity at all levels.

The Office of Human Resources provides assistance to the campus community to ensure equality in the recruitment process for all hires and is committed to promoting and advancing equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion for all.

 

Things to Remember

  • What steps to take largely depend on what type of position/vacancy needs to be filled.
  • When in doubt, contact the Office of Human Resources at hr@centenary.edu
  • Have a plan! Know where you want to be and consult HR (Human Resources) on how to get there.
  • Establish the need for the position.
  • Secure Funding.
  • Know the function of the job.
  • A pre-audit might be needed if the position has changed significantly.

 

Best Practices

  • Establish a reasonable timeline for the search and hiring process.
  • Have an established budget and position prior to getting started.
  • Have the appropriate approvals before putting in too much work.
  • Meet with HR with any questions or concerns.
  • Understand the recruitment and hiring process and/or ask for assistance as needed.


Resources

  • Chart of Roles and Responsibilities
  • Staff Hiring Process Checklist

 

What is Recruitment?

Recruitment involves everything from identifying the need to filling a position. Recruitment is the process of actively attracting top talent, screening, interviewing, and hiring for a particular position.
Recruitment is the first step in building an organization's human capital. At a high level, the goals are to locate and hire the best candidates, on time, and on budget. The recruitment process should ensure that all processes and procedures have been taken to reduce and/or be free of biases.

Steps for Recruitment

Identifying the need.

  • Why does this position need to be filled?
  • What kind of work is the position responsible for?
  • What knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience is minimally required to perform the essential functions of the position?
  • Is there enough work for a full-time or part-time position?
  • What kind of budget is available for the position?
  • Is there a current job description, does it need to be revised?
  • Are there unique considerations? For example, specific training requirements or potential relocation.

Devising a recruitment strategy/plan

  • Determine the search method.
  • Individual Supervisor
  • Search Committee (to ensure an effective and efficient decision-making process, a committee of 5-8 is recommended; no less than 3)
    • Seek out committee members who:
    • Are familiar in the field's responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the advertised position.
    • Are respected within the College community and their respective disciplines or professions.
    • Are open-minded and committed to diversity, inclusion, and a fair process.
    • Can negotiate conflict to achieve group results.
    • What geographical area should be considered?
      • Local
      • National
      • International
      • Which source of recruitment is to be practiced?
        • External applicants.
        • Internal applicants.
        • Both

Advertising the position.

  • Internet Recruiting
  • External publication advertisements
  • Direct Recruitment
  • Contacting recruiting agencies
  • Headhunters

Implement the Recruiting Strategy

  • Understand the requirements for the position.
  • Be pro-active.

Who Should Be Recruiting?

Ideally, everyone should be actively recruiting when the opportunity presents itself. Recruitment is an ongoing process that requires enthusiasm and effort.

EEO Responsibilities

A recruitment strategy is required for all searches for employees. Recruiting efforts can take many forms, including advertising, networking, job postings on listservs, recruitment efforts made at conferences, and contact with professional associations.

The College’s legal obligations as a federal contractor require it to design specific efforts to promote equal employment opportunity. Centenary does not utilize a quota system in its hiring practices but rather demonstrates compliance with EEO through a good-faith effort to reach underrepresented populations and create a diverse applicant pool. There is no required number of recruitment sources; however, search committees must demonstrate a good faith effort to recruit the position as broadly as possible. Search committees are encouraged to demonstrate they have gone beyond this standard recruiting to target diverse applicant pools specific to the position. HR may assist in this process; however, the overall recruitment strategy is ultimately the search committee's responsibility.

Where and How to Recruit

  • Effective Advertisements
  • Be used as a tool to screen for job knowledge
  • Have a good job title and description
  • Focus on essential functions
  • Avoid broad generalizations
  • Attract the attention of appropriate jobseekers
  • Attract relevant interest by making the candidate see themselves in the position
  • Create a desire to work at Centenary (family-friendly benefits, local area information, low state income tax, etc.)
  • Provide clear instructions for applying
  • Keep the advertisement simple
  • Only use phrases that are essential to the job
  • Providing enough details so applicants know if it is a right fit for them

Practices to Promote Diversity & Ensure Equity and Inclusion

What is Diversity?

The range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, veteran status, and political beliefs. Diversity includes complex differences and similarities in perspectives, identities, and points of view among institution members and individuals who make up the wider community.

What is Inclusion?

Involvement and empowerment, where the inherent worth and dignity of all people are recognized. An inclusive university promotes and sustains a sense of belonging; it values and practices respect for the talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of living of its members.

What is a Protected Class?

A group of people with a common characteristic legally protected from employment discrimination based on that characteristic. Protected classes are created by both federal and state laws.

Method of Directing the Search

  • Search Committee: Search Committees are required for all benefited faculty and high-level administrative searches. The Committee memberships should be diverse as appropriate for the particular position. The only identifier required is the committee chair. The demographics of search committee members is no longer required.
  • Individual Supervisor: For support staff and some administrative positions, the supervisor may manage the search including reviewing applicants, checking references, and selecting a candidate.

Advertising and Recruiting Resources

Recommended places to advertise

  • Diversity Advertising and Recruitment Resources
  • Local and Regional Newspapers

All jobs are automatically posted to:

  • Centenary career page
  • Diversity in Higher Ed
  • Workplace Diversity

More ways to recruit

  • Advertise in field-specific journals, associations, and listservs
  • Direct contact with qualified candidates in your network and/or from similar/previous searches
  • Department website and/or social media sites
  • Special interest organizations or groups

Additional Information

FLSA
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) - establishes minimum wage and overtime pay standards for full-time and part-time employees. The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) administers and enforces the FLSA. The new salary threshold is $684 per week ($35,568 annually). The final rule will be effective January 1, 2020.

© 2024 Centenary College of Louisiana

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy The institution does not discriminate in its educational and employment policies against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, or on any other basis proscribed by federal, state, or local law.