Find tools and resources for search committee members to guide you through the recruitment process in support of the university's mission to create a more diverse and inclusive culture.
When added as a search committee member, you will receive an email from ub-hr@buffalo.edu with details about the posting. Use these steps to access applicant information in UB Jobs.
1. Use your UBIT credentials to log in to UB Jobs.
2. Once on the site, click the User Group dropdown menu at the top right of the screen and select Search Committee Member.
3. Click on the Postings drop-down and select the appropriate position type for your posting.
4. Scroll through the postings click on the Title of the position for the search you are serving on.
5. Click Applicants to access applicants and their application materials.
6. Click the applicant’s Name to view their application or click the Documents you are trying to view to view the documents directly.
A thoughtful, intentional search plan is key to finding the best candidates. A great way to plan your search is using reverse order to plan the timeline for your recruitment. Start with the date you want your candidate to begin working and work backwards including all key milestones the search will require.
Keep in mind that the minimum posting period for each position type is predefined. Use the posting periods below and the key milestones of the search to develop a timeline.
Position | Minimum Posting Length |
---|---|
Competitive classified | 10 calendar days |
Noncompetitive/labor classified | 15 calendar days |
UUP faculty | 20 business days. HR will posting open until filled unless otherwise specified by the department |
UUP professional | Internal for 15 calendar days and external for 30 calendar days |
M/C professional | 30 calendar days |
Research Foundation | 14 calendar days |
UB Foundations Activities | 15 calendar days |
Request to post your position for a longer period of time by a note on the comments tab in UB Jobs.
End of Internal Posting Period: If an internal candidate is identified before the end of the internal posting period, the external posting period can be canceled. The end of the internal posting period is the last day to cancel the external posting period.
End of External Posting Period: At the end of the external posting period, the search committee should decide whether the applicant pool is sufficient or if additional outreach is needed.
Interviews: The search committee can begin interviewing immediately after the position is posted. Starting interviews right away will help minimize the time spent interviewing candidates and can help shorten the posting timeline.
Recommendation for Hire: After the search committee has interviewed candidates, they must deliberate and decide who they would like to recommend for hire.
Hiring Proposal Submission: Once a recommendation has been made, the hiring manager will need to submit a hiring proposal for approval in UB Jobs.
Hiring Proposal Approval: An offer of employment can only be extended after the hiring proposal has been approved. Once the hiring proposal has been approved, the department can contact the candidate to offer the job.
Offer Accepted: When the candidate has accepted the offer, the department can coordinate a start date and begin making onboarding preparations.
Date to be Filled: The date to be filled is the start date for the candidate who has accepted the position.
Determine where advertisements for the posting will be placed. Utilize a variety of print or web advertising and listservs to reach the largest possible applicant pool.
The university’s affirmative action statement is required on all postings. Be sure to include one of the following statements on all external advertisements:
“University at Buffalo is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.”
- Or -
"As an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer, the Research Foundation will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and veteran or disability status."
Sharing a posting announcment through a listserv is an advertisement and should include the university's affirmative action statement.
The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) has compiled a table of local census data by profession that can be used to determine what your applicant pool should look like.
A search committee is responsible for advertising a posting, reviewing all applicant materials and recommending the best candidate to fill a vacancy.
Committee should be composed of at least three individuals with both women and minority representation (not the same person).
Look for key characteristics when identifying search committee members:
Value employees that take on a search committee role by:
Information should be shared by the search committee strictly on a need-to-know basis.
The details related to the search must be kept strictly confidential including:
Search committee training is key to getting the search committee ready to interview candidates effectively. Have the search committee complete these trainings as part of their preparation for the search.
In addition to search committee trainings, search committee members should familiarize themselves with university policies and federal laws related to recruitment and employment.
It is important that all the search committee members know their role in the search and are prepared to review applicants. Make sure to cover the following issues in the first search committee meeting to ensure that the committee is ready to do their job:
The search committee can play a key role in advancing UB’s commitment to equity and inclusion. Greater diversity of views enhances group performance.
Diversity includes:
Not all applicants will be a candidate for a posting. Develop a plan as to how you will work through the applicant pool to identify the qualified candidates for your posting.
Creating selection criteria helps to ensure each applicant receives a fair and equitable review during the search process. Your plan should include determining:
Translate your critical goals into observable measurable items to rank candidates.
Review all applications to ensure candidates meet the minimum qualifications on the posting. Disqualify candidates that are not qualified immediately. Provide feedback on the candidates by categorizing the candidates into:
A Group – meets all the minimum and preferred qualifications
B Group – meets all the minimum qualifications and some of the preferred qualifications
C Group – meets some of the minimum qualifications and some of the preferred qualifications
After the applicants have been organized into groups, you will need to determine which applicants you are selecting to interview.
When scheduling for interviews, all candidates should be interviewed the same way (i.e., all through Skype, all through phone or all in-person). All second round interviews must be interviewed the same way.
For competitive classified positions, HR provides list eligible candidates who have taken the civil service exam and are reachable based on their score. Applicants can also apply for transfer, reassignment, or reinstatement.
HR canvasses positions by title for the entire university. Based on the responses, HR determines who is eligible for consideration and copies these candidates into open postings for that title.
Applicants who apply directly to the posting must fit into one of the following categories to be considered:
Transfer: Transfer applicants must have a current permanent appointment with a minimum of 1 year of service in a position of the same or transferable title. This includes applicants who are applying from outside of UB but work in the same title at a different state agency.
Reassignment: Reassignment applicants must hold the same title at UB. This includes applicants working at UB in a different department under the same title. There is no minimum length of time a person must work in order to be reassignment eligible.
Reinstatement: Reinstatement applicants are former state employees requesting to return to a title they used to work in (or a transferable title). This includes applicants who used to hold a state appointment but have separate from state service.
Human Resources can review these candidates to ensure they meet eligibility requirements before making them available to the search committee for review. Please get in touch with your Workforce Recruitment and Position Specialist
if you would like HR to review candidates for a competitive classified posting.
Applicants who apply for transfer, reassignment, or reinstatement must have their final eligibility confirmed by Civil Service before a hiring proposal can be approved.
It is important to provide candidates with clear and timely communication throughout the search process. Keep candidates informed of their application status and of any changes made to the search timeline.
Human Resources has developed email templates that can be used to provide candidates with updates related to the search process.
A great way to communicate clearly with candidates is to send out letters and information packets to candidates selected for interview. Consider including the following:
When introducing yourself to a candidate, consider sharing your preferred name and pronouns if you feel comfortable doing so. Ask the candidate how they'd like to be introduced to the search committee in advance to ensure you introduce them appropriately. You can reference the UB Jobs application for saluation and preferred/chosen name.
Interviewing your applicant is an opportunity to learn as much as possible to make an informed decision. Use interview questions that relate directly to the selection criteria you have developed.
Additional interviewing resources are available through University Libraries.
There are some interview questions that are illegal to ask. Make sure that the members of the search committee are aware that they cannot ask these questions.
The interview process allows both the search committee to assess candidates’ qualifications and the candidates to assess their interest in employment at the University at Buffalo. Candidates’ impressions of UB will be influenced by the consideration, competence and sincerity of each of the search committee members.
When inviting candidates to campus, you may want to consider one or a combination of the following:
Be sure to provide all candidates with contact information for any special arrangements or accomodations that may be needed, including parking and building access.
All commitee members should be included in evaluating the active applicants. When conducting initial interviews:
Be sure to obtain permission from the candidate before contacting references. Ways to collect reference information include:
UB Jobs Support Staff
Recruitment
Phone: 716-645-5627
Email: UB-Jobs@buffalo.edu
Nayema Chowdhury
Recruitment and Position Specialist
Workforce Planning and Recruitment
Anthony Grieco
Recruitment and Position Specialist
Workforce Planning and Recruitment
Lauren Merletti
Recruitment and Position Specialist
Workforce Planning and Recruitment
Disha Patel
Recruitment and Position Specialist
Workforce Planning and Recruitment
Mary Jo Serafini
Regional Director, Upstate New York HERC and Recruitment and Position Specialist
Workforce Planning and Recruitment