Human Resources Hiring Guide

Human Resources

Hiring Guide

This document was prepared and is maintained by

Human Resources.

Effective Date: March 1, 2007

Revised: September 2022

Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Employees Classes ........................................................................................................................................ 4

A&P position ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Executive Service Position ....................................................................................................................... 4

USPS position (Staff) ............................................................................................................................... 4

OPS position ............................................................................................................................................. 4

Faculty position ........................................................................................................................................ 5

Budget authority ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Compensation process .............................................................................................................................. 5

Position number assignment ................................................................................................................... 6

Appointment Types ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Regular appointment ................................................................................................................................ 6

Interim appointment ................................................................................................................................ 6

A&P Visiting appointment ....................................................................................................................... 6

USPS Probationary appointment ............................................................................................................ 6

USPS Time-Limited appointment ............................................................................................................ 7

Search Procedures ....................................................................................................................................... 8

What is a search and when is one required? .......................................................................................... 8

When does a search require the use of a search committee? ................................................................. 8

What is the difference between search committee and interview panel? ............................................... 8

Interview Panel .................................................................................................................................... 8

Search Committee ............................................................................................................................... 8

Procedures for posting on the UCF Employment Opportunities website .............................................. 9

Creating an account for UCF Talent Management System ............................................................ 9

Creating a requisition ......................................................................................................................... 9

Procedures for advertising ....................................................................................................................... 9

Screening applications ............................................................................................................................. 9

Interviews ............................................................................................................................................... 13

References .............................................................................................................................................. 14

Background checks ................................................................................................................................ 14

Candidate Selection Procedures ................................................................................................................ 14

Procedures to complete the hiring process ............................................................................................ 14

Offer ............................................................................................................................................................ 15

Submitting an Offer ............................................................................................................................... 15

Documentation needed for Talent Acquisition approval ...................................................................... 15

Salary ...................................................................................................................................................... 15

FAQs ........................................................................................................................................................... 17

Appendix A-Hiring Process for Candidates with Alternative Employment Preference or Recall Rights

.................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Difference between Alternative Employment Preference and Recall Rights....................................... 17

Eligibility guidelines .............................................................................................................................. 18

Identifying candidates with Alternative Employment Preference or Recall Rights ............................ 18

Interview and selection process for candidates with Alternative Employment Preference or Recall

Rights ...................................................................................................................................................... 19

Hiring a candidate with Alternative Employment Preference or Recall Rights .................................. 19

Additional questions about Alternative Employment Preference and Recall Rights .......................... 19

Index of Hyperlinks ................................................................................................................................... 20

Introduction

This document serves as a reference guide regarding the procedures, processes, and documentation

required to hire employees following State and Federal law, university regulations, policies, and rules and

is updated routinely as new changes are implemented. In that regard, prior to beginning a new search,

please review the most recent version of the guide (as noted by the effective date on the title page) from

the Human Resources website under Talent Acquisition.

For information regarding additional procedures, processes, and other requirements specific to your vice-

president or college, please contact your area vice-president or college personnel representative for

assistance.

Employees Classes

A&P position

Administrative and Professional (A&P) positions receive certain benefits, amount of leave, and

notification of termination that are exclusive to the A&P pay plan. There is no probationary period.

Professional jobs typically oversee the design, implementation, and delivery of processes, programs, and

policies using specialized knowledge and skills normally acquired through advanced education and/or

specialized training. Professional jobs are generally exempt under the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA),

and have responsibility in a field, function, or specialty area.

Executive Service Position

Executive Service (ES) positions receive certain benefits, amount of leave, and notification of

termination that are exclusive to the ES pay plan. ES positions serve as chief level or higher

classifications reporting directly to the president, provost, or senior vice president. ES is reserved

for positions that direct a major functional area with institution-wide scope/impact and the work

of other professional employees.

The requirements and processes ES are set by the university. The Division of Retirement refers

to this class as Senior Management Service Class (SMSC).

USPS position (Staff)

Many University Support Personnel Services (USPS) positions are typically recognized through

collective bargaining agreements and/or state statute. Certain benefits, amount of leave, and notification

of termination are exclusive to the pay plan. University Support Personnel System (USPS) employees

earn regular status in the USPS after an original successful completion of a designated twelve (12)

probationary period

OPS position

Other Personnel Services (OPS) positions are temporary employer/employee relationships typically used

for the completion of short-term, temporary, or intermittent tasks, and for a short-term or temporary need.

These are “at will” positions that do not require notice periods for separation. Other Personnel Services

positions do not qualify for paid holidays, leave or other benefits. Certain OPS positions may qualify for

insurance benefits depending on hours and a measurement period. Adjunct faculty, especially adjuncts

hired to provide instruction for a semester, are typically provided short-term, one-semester contracts.

Post-doctoral Associates (PDA) are also provided OPS contracts; however, they receive some limited

benefits and may have employment for up to a year offered to them. Please see OPS policy for further

information.

Faculty position

Instructional faculty members are employees who are typically assigned to teaching, research, and

service. Many faculty are also employed largely as researchers, librarians, clinicians, and/or

administrators. Faculty may be non-tenure earning, tenured, or tenure-earning, and their assignments are

determined by the needs of the department, college, or unit. Regular faculty hired with Educational and

General (E&G) funding generally have the expectation of being offered continuing employment. Clinical

and research faculty appointments are dependent upon the position funding, which could include support

through Contract & Grants (C&G) or Auxiliary funding. Please refer to the Academic Affairs

Administration office for the faculty hiring process.

Budget authority

The first step in the recruitment and hiring process is to obtain budget authorization from your area finance

business center. Strategists within the Finance Business Center and HR Business Center should meet to

have a workforce planning (WFP) and Budget discussion. Note that budget authorization must be obtained

for all searches, including those that are simply replacements for recently vacated positions, to confirm the

availability of funds. Please contact your area VP or college Dean’s Office directly for assistance in this

regard.

To confirm budget availability for C&G positions, contact the Office of Sponsored Research.

For a better understanding of Local and Auxiliary funding sources see the statements below:

Local funds refer to all other funding sources, such as the following:

• Student Activities – funded by the activity and service fee paid by students to support student

government and student clubs and organizations, including the Student Union and the Recreation

and Wellness Center. Expenditures for these entities are funded by the activity and service fee and

by revenue generated through functions in the facilities.

• Concessions – funded from vending machine revenue. These funds are allocated across the

university and can be used for events and other expenditures that support the university.

• Student Financial Aid – loans and scholarships funded from federal, state, and private sources and

disbursed to students.

• Technology Fee – funded by technology fees paid by students to enhance instructional technology

resources for students and faculty.

Auxiliaries some auxiliaries’ positions are partially or wholly funded by student fees. The primary auxiliary

areas include Housing, Student Health Services, Parking Services, Computer Store, Telecommunications,

Continuing Education, Dining Services, and the bookstore.

Compensation process

The hiring official should begin with communication with the Compensation department as stated in the

UCF SOP_HR_Job and Workforce Management - Staff. When establishing a position, the department

will need to submit a Job Assessment Questionnaire through WorkDay. The Compensation Partner will

determine if the position should be assigned to an existing job code, if the current job code needs to be

updated, or if a new job code needs to be created. For positions that have not been reviewed in the last

two (2) years, the position profile in WorkDay must be reviewed and any changes should follow the UCF

SOP_HR_Job and Workforce Management - Staff and submitted for appropriate analysis. For the current

Compensation pay practices, procedures, and guidelines, please visit the Compensation Practices and

Procedures section of the HR website.

Position number assignment

A position number is the number associated with the specific position that will ultimately be assigned to

the selected candidate. New position numbers for all budget entities are automatically assigned when a

position is established through WorkDay.

Appointment Types

Regular appointment

This is an original or continuing appointment. A recruitment search is required for all regular appointments

unless the hiring official has applied for and has been granted a waiver of search by either the President or

the Office of Institutional Equity. Regular appointment employees are entitled to all rights, privileges, and

benefits of regular, full-time, or part-time employment in accordance with applicable university regulations.

Interim appointment

This is a limited time appointment of an existing UCF employee that spans six (6) months or more, who

assumes full responsibility for another position at or above a manager level. This appointment may require

a change to the incumbent’s position number. The incumbent’s current position will remain open while

he/she is in interim appointment status. Only current employees are eligible to assume this appointment

type. Interim appointment employees are entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of regular, full-time,

or part-time employment in accordance with applicable university regulations.

A&P Visiting appointment

This is an appointment of a person having professional qualifications when either the person or the

position is not expected to be available for more than a limited period. This can apply to positions that are

vacant where an external or internal candidate is selected to temporarily fill the position.

a. If a search is conducted, the appointment to this position cannot exceed four years in duration.

• If a recruitment is commenced for a director level or above, the appointment will require

the use of a search committee.

b. If no search is conducted, the appointment to this position cannot exceed one year in duration.

Visiting appointment employees are entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of regular, full-time, or

part-time employment except the right to continued employment in accordance with applicable university

regulations.

c. No UCF employee may serve in a Visiting one-year term more than once in their service to the

university and no more than a cumulative total of 4 years in any visiting capacity.

USPS Probationary appointment

This is an appointment to a position in a class for the designated period, where the employee meets the

minimum qualifications for the position. Continuous successful performance is required to successfully

complete a probationary period. Each employee will serve only one initial probationary period upon hire

with the university, except for those covered by the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Collective

Bargaining Agreement. Probationary employees are entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of

regular, full-time, or part-time employment except the right to continued employment in accordance with

applicable university regulations.

USPS Time-Limited appointment

This designation must be made to the position at the time of recruitment. The hiring department has three

options available with a Time Limited Appointment:

a. If a department elects to select a candidate without a search, the duration of the appointment

will be no longer than twelve (12) months.

b. If a search is conducted, the department will need to a job change action annually to continue the

time-limited status.

c. If the candidate selected is named in a grant, no search will need to be conducted.

Time-Limited employees are entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of regular, full-time, or part-

time employment except the right to continued employment in accordance with applicable university

regulations.

Search Procedures

What is a search and when is one required?

A search is defined as the process of filling a job or position vacancy via public announcement (“posting”)

and recruitment, followed by consideration of all qualified applicants. A hiring official may choose to use

an internal posting where it is believed that a suitably diverse and well qualified pool of candidates can be

obtained from within the University. A search is required for all positions, unless specifically exempted.

For a description of search exemption categories, please refer to the “

Request for Exemption from Posting”

form. For assistance with using this form contact the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE). NOTE:

Exemptions in two categories require approval by OIE PRIOR to extension of an offer. They are

indicated on the form.

If a UCF employee who has received notice of layoff (or has already been terminated by the university due

to layoff) applies for a position and meets the required qualifications as described in the posting, he or she

may have alternative employment preference or recall rights. In this situation completion of the search may

not be required. Please refer to Appendix A of this guide for information regarding the hiring process for

a candidate with confirmed UCF alternative employment preference or recall rights.

When does a search require the use of a search committee?

Use of a search committee is required for A&P positions at the Director level and above as part of the

search process, regardless to whether the position is posted internally or externally. In all cases where a

committee is used, the hiring department must follow the Search and Screening Guidelines

posted on the

Office of Institutional Equity’s website.

What is the difference between search committee and interview panel?

Interview Panel

An interview panel is a team committed to interviewing and aiding the selection process for a position.

The panel process is beneficial because it provides varying perspectives, helps to minimize biases, and

involves employees and customers in the hiring decision. An interview panel should be composed of at

least two (2) individuals who have a strong knowledge of the position and its requirements. There are no

specific diversity requirements; however, UCF strongly encourages diversification of the panel. Although

the interview panel provides recommendations, they are not charged with eliminating candidates from the

pool; this is the responsibility of the hiring official. The hiring official is required to review all

applications and participate in the interview process.

Search Committee

Search committees play a vital role in recruiting, evaluating, and recommending the most qualified

candidates for employment. Search committee members are often the first university employees that a

candidate will meet. Each committee member has an opportunity to represent the university as a diverse

and welcoming community. The search committee size, composition, and scope will vary based on the

specific position being recruited for. However, it is required that search committees consist of at least

three (3) members. The role of the hiring official is to appoint the committee, provide the charge, and

receive the recommendations prepared by the committee after a thorough review of the credentials of the

qualified applicants. The hiring official is never a member of the committee. Once the committee has

completed their review and makes recommendations to the hiring official, the hiring official is the person

who will make the final decision on the selection. For more information about the duties and

responsibilities of a search committee in the recruitment process, please see the University’s Search and

Screening Guidelines posted on the OIE website.

Procedures for posting on the UCF Employment Opportunities website

Creating an account for UCF Talent Management System

Job postings are created in Workday

by the hiring manager and users in the Human Resources Business

Centers. Access to Workday will be determined and granted by the user’s role in Workday automatically.

Creating a requisition

To advertise a vacancy on the UCF Careers website, a job requisition to post the position must be created

in Workday. For more detailed information on how to create a requisition in Workday, visit the Knight

Vision Workday training catalog on Recruiting, Hiring & Onboarding and select how to Create a Position.

All job requisitions without exemptions are required to be posted for a minimum of five (7) calendar days.

Positions may be “open until filled”. If open until.

All positions must be advertised and posted with minimum qualifications as designated on the class

specification. All other job-related qualifications must be listed as “preferred qualifications.” Preferred

qualifications are required for all A&P, USPS, & OPS postings. Search criteria must be applied to all timely

candidates. Candidates who apply to USPS postings will be released to the hiring departments once Talent

Acquisition has reviewed the candidate pool for preferences. A department has the option to post multiple

vacancies with same position title, work location and work schedule utilizing an Evergreen posting in

Workday. Evergreen requisitions allow you to have a steady flow of candidates for pool positions.

Procedures for advertising

A hiring official may choose to advertise to UCF employees exclusively. These internal postings do not

require a second source of advertising. USPS or OPS positions posted as external postings are not required

to have a second source of advertising but have the option to utilize outside sources if they chose too. In

addition to posting to the UCF website, A&P positions must be advertised, in at least one outside source

(published in hard copy or electronic version) to attract a broad pool of applicants. Talent Acquisition

provides options for online ads with CareerBuilder, Higher Ed Jobs, and Diversity Jobs as well as a

partnership with Job Elephant. Job Elephant creates postings for its clients and provides a portal to view

and access them, as well as provides recommendations for each posting based on market research and

previous ROI. Please contact Talent Acquisition for more information. Professional organizations’

websites and listservs are also acceptable as second sources of advertising.

“Achieving diversity and inclusion at UCF is a team effort. In partnership with Talent Acquisition and

the Office of Institutional Equity, hiring officials will make outreach efforts that encourage all qualified

individuals to apply and will source high-performing candidates from all segments of our

society. Examples of actions hiring officials can take include communicating vacancies to informal

professional networks, posting vacancies on professional organizations’ websites, and ensuring diversity

in the search committee/interview panel.”

Screening applications

The hiring official is responsible for retention of all public records (such as correspondence and

applications). All search materials are considered public records and are to be retained for four years so

that equal opportunity and affirmative action compliance reviews can be performed. For additional details

refer to the Records Retention Schedule

The hiring official may not accept search or application materials in confidence. Any such materials

submitted will not be accepted in the process until the candidate agrees that it can enter the public document

file. Hold them in a separate file and notify the candidate that the materials were not a part of the

requirement. After that, State of Florida records-retention procedures apply.

In cases where the applicant pool is either not diversified or not large enough, the hiring official may choose

to reopen the posting to enhance the pool and attract other candidates. Adequate diversity is defined as a

pool of candidates representing two genders and at least two different ethnic groups among the candidates

who meet qualifications. If the search has been reopened and the pool is still not suitable, the hiring official

should document why the search cannot be diversified and should seek approval from Talent Acquisition

before proceeding.

Candidates must possess the minimum qualifications, (i.e., the appropriate degree and experience) on the

closing date. “Appropriate experience” is defined as experience gained within that occupational category.

Certain experience gained in any setting will be valid for meeting minimum qualifications. For further

clarification, contact Talent Acquisition.

Enrollment in the final semester of a required bachelor’s or master’s degree typically will not be interpreted

as meeting the minimum qualifications. If a department wishes to consider candidates who are close to

completing their degree, they must advertise and post for “[Level of degree] required by starting date.” with

Talent Acquisition’s approval prior to post.

Original applications and resumes, if applicable, used to apply for the positions must qualify the

applicants for the minimum qualifications of the positions they have applied for to be considered for

the positions. Candidates not meeting minimum qualifications based on all the documents submitted

at the time of application (original application and resume, if applicable) should not be considered

nor interviewed for the position.

Candidates applying to a USPS posting will be released to the hiring official by Talent Acquisition

following the posting close date. A Talent Acquisition consultant will review the candidates and flag

candidates who have the following preferences:

a. Veteran’s preference – Applicants who have been granted Veteran’s Preference and meet the

minimum qualifications of the position stated on the job posting should be given preference in the

selection process and must be interviewed. Hiring officials must use the minimum qualifications

(not the preferences) indicated on the job posting to determine whether the applicants who have

been granted Veteran’s Preference meet the minimum qualifications for the positions. Applicants

requesting Veteran’s Preference must submit a copy of their DD-214 by the closing date of the

position to be given preference. Applicants who request preferences but do not qualify for

preference or provide documentation at time of application submission will not be granted veteran’s

preference. tagged/flagged in Workday

b. USPS preference – Applicants who have been granted USPS Preference and meet the minimum

qualifications of the position stated on the job posting are highly recommended to be given

consideration and preference in the selection process. Hiring officials must use the minimum

qualifications (not the preferences) indicated on the job posting to determine whether the applicants

who have been granted USPS Preference meet the minimum qualifications for the positions.

c. Written notice/Recall preference – (alternative employment preference or recall rights) –

Applicants who have been granted Written notice/Recall Preference and who meet the minimum

qualifications of the position stated on the job posting should be interviewed if the position is

located on the same geographic campus as the current/prior employee’s position.

Applicants for a search with a search committee

Hiring officials and search committee members should guard against conflicts of interest. No individual

with a conflict of interest in the screening process should be appointed to or continue as a member of the

search committee. Potential candidates for the position should not be involved in the establishment of job

preferences and screening criteria. It is a conflict of interest for a committee member to participate in

support activities for a candidate, such as serving as a candidate’s reference.

Search committee meetings are open to the public and notices of the meetings must be prepared in advance.

Notice templates can be found on the HR website (A – Z Index). Once the meeting notice is prepared, an

email should be sent to Talent@ucf.edu

requesting that the meeting notice be posted on the University

calendar. The meeting notice should be submitted to Human Resources a minimum of 48 hours before the

meeting takes place. Members of the public may attend as observers only. Committee interaction with any

visitor is not required.

Additionally, minutes of the search committee meetings must be prepared and uploaded on the selected

candidate’s profile in Workday for review as part of the offer approval process. There should be a

corresponding document reflecting the meeting minutes uploaded for every search notice. Minutes include

the decision points of the committee, the criteria for each round, and how they were applied. They should

refer to each candidate by name and action taken. Detailed discussion does not need to be recorded in the

minutes. Additionally, search committee meetings should not be audio or video recorded.

Search committee members should be familiar with the requirements of the position and the criteria that

will be used to screen candidates through each stage or “round” of the search. The job description, the ads

placed, and other pertinent written materials should be provided to committee members. Search committee

chair and members will have access to applicants and job information through Workday. Applicants will

go through stages of the hiring process following the submission of their application. Multiple rounds may

be completed during one meeting.

• Round 1 – Does not the minimum criteria

• Round 2 – Meets the minimum criteria

• Round 2 – Not hired-not interviewed

• Round 3 – Meets preferences

• Round 3 – Not hired-not interviewed

• Round 4 – Interview 1

• Round 4 – Not hired-interviewed

• Round 5 – Interview 2

• Round 5 – Not hired-interviewed

• Round 6 – Interview 3

• Round 6 – Not hired-interviewed

In the Screen stage, the committee compares the qualified applicants’ credentials against the established

preferences to identify the strongest candidates. Ranking of applicants (i.e., strong, moderate, weak) is

recommended. However, rating on point values is not recommended because their validity is hard to

establish.

For candidates who applied but did not submit supplemental documents or did not complete the online form

as requested, the committee may document that fact as the reason the candidate did not advance. Where it

is in the best interest of the university, continued attempts to recruit such candidates are appropriate. Please

note that all similarly situated candidates must be given the opportunity to submit any outstanding,

incomplete documents.

The search committee chair can access the UCF Department Pipeline Diversity Metrics – Ethnicity report

in Workday after they have determined those candidates’ meeting qualifications for an interview. The report

indicates self-identification of protected class status by race/ethnicity and sex. A diverse pool is defined as

two genders and at least two different racial/ethnic groups. If the search has reasonably reached the

appropriate applicant pool through robust and effective recruitment, but the applicant pool is not diverse,

the hiring official may contact Talent Acquisition to request a waiver. When a broader recruitment effort

would reasonably let the university achieve its goal of diversity and inclusiveness, the recruitment process

should continue to enhance the applicant pool.

Candidates must possess the minimum qualifications, (i.e., the appropriate degree and experience) on the

closing date. “Appropriate experience” is defined as experience gained within that occupational category.

Certain experience gained in any setting may be valid for meeting minimum qualifications.

Applicants for a search without a search committee

The HR Business Center Staff are expected to work with hiring managers and department leadership to

develop recruiting strategies and talent sourcing plans that meet their departmental needs. The Hiring

Official and the Primary Recruiter will have access to applicants and job information through Workday.

Applicants will go through stages of the hiring process following the submission of their application.

In the Screen stage, the Hiring Official and the Primary Recruiter will have ability to screen the applicants’

credentials against the established preferences to identify the strongest candidates and move applicants

along the hiring stages.

For candidates who applied but did not submit supplemental documents or did not complete the online form

as requested, the hiring official may document that fact as the reason the candidate did not advance. Where

it is in the best interest of the University, continued attempts to recruit such candidates are appropriate.

Please note that all similarly situated candidates must be given the opportunity to submit any outstanding,

incomplete documents.

The Hiring Official and the Primary Recruiter can access the Departmental EEO Report after they have

determined those candidates’ meeting qualifications for an interview. The report indicates self-

identification of protected class status by race/ethnicity and sex. A diverse pool is defined as two genders

and at least two different racial/ethnic groups. If the search has reasonably reached the appropriate applicant

pool through robust and effective recruitment, but the applicant pool is not diverse, the hiring official may

contact Talent Acquisition to request a waiver. When a broader recruitment effort would reasonably let the

university achieve its goal of diversity and inclusiveness, the recruitment process should continue to

enhance the applicant pool.

Candidates must possess the minimum qualifications, (i.e., the appropriate degree and experience) on the

closing date. “Appropriate experience” is defined as experience gained within that occupational category.

Certain experience gained in any setting may be valid for meeting minimum qualifications.

Applicant statuses in Workday

User types such as Hiring Manager, Primary Recruiter, Search Chair, and Search Manager will have access

to applicants and job information through Workday. Below are the stages applicants will go through

following the submission of their application.

• Review

o (USPS only) Candidates will not be visible. Candidates will be moved to the Assessment

stage by the Talent Acquisition Center once reviewed for preferences.

• Assessment

• Screen

• Interview

• Reference Check

• Offer

• Background Check

• Ready for Hire

Interviews

Telephone interviews may be conducted as a means of narrowing the list of candidates down to a small

number of finalists. If the hiring department chooses to conduct telephone interviews as a screening

process, it must apply consistently to all the applicants (including internal applicants) whom the department

is interested in for the position.

To allow for a more efficient hiring process, finalists interviews can be conducted in-person or virtually,

with the exception of senior roles. However, all candidates in the round must be interviewed in the same

format – meaning, if the decision is made to conduct finalists’ interviews virtually, then all finalists are to

be interviewed virtually. A hybrid approach is not permitted without permission from Talent Acquisition

Center and the Office of Institutional Equity. Such permission may be provided in limited circumstances

based on state or federal law travel restrictions, unexpected flight cancellations, or pandemic-related

reasons.

Virtual interviews offer distinct advantages, including lower cost, reduced travel, and scheduling flexibility,

but are not meant to replace in-person interactions.

Regardless of the format chosen (In-Person, Phone, Zoom, WebEx, Skype, etc.), interview questions must

be structured in the same order and allow an equal amount of time for each candidate to respond. In

accordance with Federal and State laws and University policies, interview questions must be job-related

and not pertain to a protected status, such as Race, Gender, Age, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Identity,

Disability, or Veterans Status.

For senior roles, interviews may start as virtual, but finalists must be brought to campus for in-person

interviews before making an offer. Senior roles are identified as Assistant Vice President (AVP) and above

or Vice Provosts and Associate Deans and above. In-person finalists’ interviews may be less than three;

however, there must have been at least two virtual rounds beforehand, with the most recent round having

at least three people. Any exception to this must be approved by Talent Acquisition prior to the final

selection.

The current location of a candidate should not influence the ranking of finalists. Departments establish

their own policies regarding the payment of any travel expenses for interviewees. The hiring department

must apply those policies consistently for all interviewees in each search.

Results of interviews as well as non-selection rationales for all applicants must be entered in Workday and

will be reviewed as part of the offer approval process. HR Talent Acquisition highly recommends changing

the applicant status once a decision is made in real time and notify those applicants not moving forward in

the process and no longer under consideration.

References

The “Employment Reference Check” form is a general guideline for reference checks. The hiring

department will decide at time of creating a job requisition whether they will conduct the employment

reference checks electronically in Workday or manually. If the hiring manager decides to call the reference

to complete the employment reference form, documentation of the completed reference checks must be

uploaded into Workday under the selected candidate’s profile. This form can be located on Human

Resources website under (A – Z Index).

The hiring official may perform reference checks on all the finalists, successful interviewees or just the

selected candidate. However, at least two employment reference checks must be completed on the selected

candidate. The hiring official also has the option to request a Letter of recommendation and add additional

reference questions to the approved UCF employment references. In order of requirement:

1. Employment references must be obtained from current or previous supervisors/managers who can

provide job-related information about the candidate.

2. If item #1 is not possible, references may be obtained from someone in a supervisory/managerial

chain of command position who has had a working/reporting relationship with the candidate.

3. If the department is unable to secure item #1 or item #2, please contact Talent Acquisition.

Persons contacted for reference checks should be advised that their comments will be used in making the

selection decision and will become public record.

If the selected candidate is an internal candidate, references are not required. Please initiated a Workday

Help case to Talent Acquisition with your intent to hire an internal candidate. Talent Acquisition will

review the internal candidate’s performance evaluation for good standing. Talent Acquisition will advise

the hiring department of the internal candidate’s status.

Background checks

The kNEXT (Knights Experience Team) will complete a criminal background check on the selected

candidate when the candidate is moved to the background check. The hiring official may request that a

background check be run prior to final selection. The purpose of any background check is to determine

whether criminal history is such that it would preclude a candidate from being hired. A criminal history is

not necessarily a bar to employment. The criminal history of a finalist will be carefully considered by

Human Resources against his/her qualifications for the position, taking into consideration the needs of the

university and the requirements of the position.

Candidate Selection Procedures

Procedures to complete the hiring process

Once a selection is made, the hiring official should complete, or ensure the search committee has completed,

at least two reference checks on the selected candidate. The hiring department’s Primary Recruiter will

need to obtain at least a copy of the original transcript of the highest degree earned from the selectee.

Change the status of all the applicants in Workday to reflect the selected candidate, and non-selection

rationale should be entered for all remaining applicants.

Note: A copy of the transcript is acceptable for processing; however, an official transcript must be submitted

to the kNEXT (Knights Experience Team) within 30 days of the hire date for domestic transcript. Original

official international transcripts must be submitted to the kNEXT (Knights Experience Team) within 90

days of the hire date and verification with translation and approved accreditation will be required. A list of

the approved agencies is listed under Educational Translations and Evaluations in the A-Z Index on the

Human Resources website. If the official sealed transcript is mailed or electronically sent by school or

clearinghouse directly to the hiring department, the department may open the sealed/emailed transcript,

verify receipt of the highest degree indicated on the application, and add the reviewer’s initials and date

before forwarding the official document to the kNEXT (Knights Experience Team). Official transcripts can

be submitted to the kNEXT (Knights Experience Team) by email, uploading the transcript to the selected

candidate’s profile in Workday or by interoffice mail.

Offer

Submitting an Offer

The offer is typically the first point for initiating an offer process for an applicant by the hiring

department’s HR business center. An offer is required for every hire. Below is the information captured

in an offer letter.

The offer letter contains the following:

• Personal Details

• Job Details

• Position Details

• Offer Details

• Onboarding Details

• Additional documents (i.e., clauses, relocation agreement)

Documentation needed for Talent Acquisition approval

The following additional documentation should be uploaded by the hiring department’s Primary Recruiter

in Workday under the selected candidate’s profile if applicable:

• A copy of the secondary advertising source must be uploaded.

• Copy of official/unofficial transcript. In lieu of uploading the transcripts, it can also be sent

interoffice. Should you receive an electronic transcript the department may verify receipt of and

add the reviewer’s initials and date before uploading the official document.

• If search committee was utilized, search committee meeting notices should be uploaded. For each

notice there should be a corresponding document reflecting the meeting minutes. All applicant

names should be listed under the round they were assigned during the search committee process

• A copy of any waiver(s) or exemption(s) to the hire process that were granted by (OIE) Office of

Institutional Equity or Talent Acquisition.

• Employment of relatives form with the appropriate organizational chart (if applicable).

• A copy of any preliminary compensation analysis (if applicable).

• A copy of telephone employment references (if applicable).

Offer letter should be carefully reviewed prior to submission to ensure that all applicable fields and

documentation needed have been accurately completed. If the offer is submitted incomplete, the offer card

will be sent back or declined and sent to the hiring department for completion before it will be processed.

Salary

Departments are discouraged from providing verbal offers if the salary is going to exceed the 1st quartile

of the assigned salary grade, until the Compensation COE has provided guidance on the appropriate

starting salary. If the intended offer salary is above the 1

quartile of the salary range, the Compensation

COE will need to be engaged to analyze the request. The compensation team will review the requested

salary and determine if the proposed salary creates any parity or equity concerns. The compensation team

will prepare a write up that includes an appropriate starting salary range. The HRBC/Primary Recruiter

should include this range recommendation on the applicant’s profile.

Talent Acquisition will review the checklist to verify that all required items are complete. If checklist

items are met the offer will be extended to the selected candidate.

FAQs

What if the applicant interviewed recently for a same title or similar position?

Occasionally a candidate is considered for two or more identical or nearly identical positions a short time

apart. If an appropriate opportunity was offered for the candidate to interact on campus with the potential

colleagues/supervisors, and the supervisors recently interviewed the candidate appropriately for the other

positions, a repeated interview may not be necessary. Contact Talent Acquisition with any questions prior

to proceeding.

What is the difference when interviewing an internal and external candidate for the same position?

Both internal and external candidates must have the same interview experience. Equal opportunity

guidelines require that each candidate be granted the same opportunity to succeed in the search. However,

tours of campus or briefings by related departments may be skipped for internal candidates.

How many applicants do I need to interview?

The University requires that in-person on campus interviews be conducted for a minimum of three

candidates. When posting multiple vacancies with same position title, work location and work schedule,

the minimum number of interviews will need to be adjusted. The goal is to leave two interviewees in

contention when a selection is made. If two positions are available, four interviewees would be the

minimum. If three are available, five interviewees would be acceptable. The hiring official must contact

Talent Acquisition before proceeding if he/she cannot identify from the pool the minimum number of

finalists necessary to be interviewed.

What to do if an applicant requests information regarding the search process?

This sometimes takes the form of asking for guidance about improving credentials for the future or asking

why they did not advance in the search. The University advises hiring officials to provide access to the

public record of the search. Verbal discussions of an applicant’s candidacy are discouraged. The procedure

for requesting public documents is available in the (OIE) Office of the Institutional Equity website.

Appendix A-Hiring Process for Candidates with Alternative

Employment Preference or Recall Rights

As stated in the “Search & Screening Procedures” section of this guide (see “What is a search and when is

one required?”), current UCF employees who have been given notice of layoff, or former UCF employees

who have been terminated from the university due to layoff, may have alternative employment preference

or recall rights to an available position and, thus, completion of the search process may not be required.

Difference between Alternative Employment Preference and Recall Rights

Employees who have been given notice of layoff, but who have not yet been terminated, are to be given

preference when they apply for appropriate (equivalent or lower) positions on the same geographic

campus. The alternative employment preference period occurs after notice of layoff, but before

termination.

Employees who have been terminated because of a layoff have the right to be offered employment for

same or similar positions for which they apply on the same geographic campus. The recall rights period

commences after termination and extends for either one year (for USPS and out-of-unit A&P employees),

18 months (for employees covered by the Police Benevolent Association collective bargaining agreement)

or two years for in-unit A&P and faculty.

Eligibility guidelines

Regular USPS, A&P, and Faculty E&G employees who have been given notice of layoff or have been

laid off are eligible for either alternative employee preference and/or recall rights (see above). For more

information on eligibility, please go to UCF Layoff Regulations

Identifying candidates with Alternative Employment Preference or Recall Rights

Departments should post vacancies as usual via Workday from the time recruitment is approved to begin

for a minimum of one week. Note that if an employee with alternative employment preference or recall

rights is selected, after consulting with Talent Acquisition, the search may be concluded at that point and

the online requisition completed as normal in Workday.

Candidates will identify themselves as having alternative employment preference or recall rights via the

online application. Much like the veterans’ preference extended to USPS employees, this information will

be verified by Talent Acquisition (for A&P and USPS positions only) and will be readily visible in

Workday.

As part of the hiring approval process, Talent Acquisition will verify that recall rights and alternative

employment preference were given to those eligible to receive it.

Interview and selection process for candidates with Alternative Employment Preference or

Recall Rights

Hiring officials are required to interview those candidates that have been identified as having alternative

employment preference. Employees with alternative employment preference must meet the minimum

qualifications.

Employees that have been verified to have recall rights must be interviewed and must be hired if they

meet the minimum qualifications of the position.

If several employees who apply meet these criteria, the order of selection should be made first based on

those that have recall rights. If several employees have recall rights, then the employee best suited for the

position should be selected.

If a unit does not select any of the employees with alternative employment preference or recall rights in

its candidate pool, such a decision must be countersigned and supported by the Layoff Committee.

Hiring a candidate with Alternative Employment Preference or Recall Rights

If upon consultation with Talent Acquisition a unit identifies and selects a candidate with alternative

employment preference or recall rights, the unit may discontinue the search at that point and complete the

online requisition as normal in Workday.

Additional questions about Alternative Employment Preference and Recall Rights

Alternative employment preference and recall rights are governed by the UCF Layoff Regulation (for

most USPS and out-of-unit faculty and A&P employees) or Article 13 of the BOT-UFF Collective

Bargaining Agreement (for in-unit faculty and A&P employees).

UCF Layoff Regulation

https://regulations.ucf.edu/docs/notices/3.0123LayoffFINALAug12.pdf

BOT-UFF Collective Bargaining Agreement

http://www.collectivebargaining.ucf.edu/

Additional layoff information specifically addressed to affected employees may be found on Human

Resources’ website under Employee Relations (see “Layoff Q&As”).

https://hr.ucf.edu/files/Layoff_QAs.pdf

Index of Hyperlinks

Human Resources Website

http://hr.ucf.edu

Request for Exemption from Posting form

https://www.oie.ucf.edu/documents/RequestforExemptionfromPostingForm.pdf

UCF Classification and Compensation Project

https://hr.ucf.edu/current-employees/compensation-information/ucf-compensation-project/

Other advertising sources

https://hr.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/Second-Ad-Sources-8.16.21.p df

Employment Reference Check forms

https://hr.ucf.edu/liaisons-and-managers/new-talent-aquisition-system/#docs