Search Committee Process

Search Committee Kick-Off

Click here for downloadable Search Process Checklist (PDF)

Optional search committee training can be found here.

  • Occurs prior to position closing or full consideration date: Involves the Search Committee, the Talent Acquisition and/or the Search Advocate Liaison, and the Hiring Manager (optional).
  • Overview of roles, required documents, and OSU procedures/state law updates. 
  • Review the standard Hiring Matrix (created by HR), determine where the various criteria will be measured and determine the importance of each criteria.
  • Discuss each criteria to confirm understanding by all members of the search committee.
  • Establish timelines for various aspects of the search process. (ie.application review meeting, phone interview time blocks & campus interview time blocks)

Search Committee Meetings

  • Prior to the first meeting, the Search Chair should confirm with Talent Acquisition, the SA, and the HM that the pool has a pool that is large enough and sufficiently diverse to continue. If not, take additional actions, which may delay the review of applicants.
  • HR to indicate candidates with Veteran status and ensure proper consideration.
  • Search committee to disclose any known candidates or conflicts of interest. No information outside the application is eligible for consideration at this stage.
  • Candidates may be reviewed by individual search committee members prior to the first meeting (using the Hiring Matrix), or a group review may occur at the meeting. Final consideration must be completed as a group with all committee members present ie. no splitting of application review amongst committee members, regardless of pool size. This is to prevent individual bias and ensure equal treatment & consensus amongst committee.
    • Step 1: Gain confirmation of candidate who do not meet minimum qualifications. Search Chair to complete Applicant Disposition Worksheet (ADW) on these candidates with clear reasons for not meeting minimums.
    • Step 2: Using the preferred qualifications, discuss candidates and determine if any candidate should be removed from further consideration from the pool. Use PQ’s to narrow the pool and establish most qualified candidates. All veterans who meet minimum qualifications must be advanced to the first interview stage. Determine candidates to be recommended for invitation to phone/video conference interview (typically 4-6). Discuss questions to be asked in the next interview to help best determine candidate qualifications for the position.
  • Search Advocate and/or Talent Acquisition to approve questions for phone/video conference interview, including a diversity question. If you are interested in sample questions, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner.
  • Search Chair to update ADW and submit to TA and HM. Search chair to discuss and gain approval from HM for acceptable candidates to be advanced to phone/video conference interview stage. Talent Acquisition must also review and approve the updated ADW before scheduling interviews.
  • Search Coordinator/Talent Acquisition to set up phone/video conference interviews, based on pre-established timeline.
    • Academic Faculty Searches: Rachel Kenney
    • Professional Searches: Anthony Parker-Hoang

Zoom Interviews

  • All search committee members should be present to the extent possible.
  • Each committee member should record answers to the questions for future reference. These notes should be turned in to the Search Chair and then to Talent Acquisition at the end of the search process for archiving. Do not throw out!
  • Upon completion of final phone interview, search committee to discuss 1) candidates that they would like to recommend for campus interviews, 2) questions to ask at the next interview, elements of the campus interview.
  • Search Advocate and/or Talent Acquisition to approve interview questions for campus visit.
  • Search Chair to update ADW and submit to TA. Search chair to discuss and gain approval from HM for acceptable candidates to be advanced to campus interview stage. Talent Acquisition must review and approve the updated ADW before scheduling interviews occurs.
  • For academic faculty, HM presents recommended on campus finalists to Corvallis units, as appropriate.
  • When approved, Search Coordinator to set up campus visit logistics based on pre-established timeline.
  • Reference checks may be conducted at this phase of the process by either the hiring manager or search chair, on all remaining candidates. Alternatively, the committee may decide to wait until after final interviews have been completed and just check references on the candidate they intend to offer the position to. Regardless of timing, make sure to get approval from the finalist before reaching out to their references.
  • If CHC or MVR screening are applicable to the position, hiring manager may request that all finalists begin this process in order to be pro-active with hiring timelines. Work with Talent Acquisition Consultant to initiate.

Campus Interviews

  • These typically include: a meeting with the search committee, a meeting with the hiring manager, a campus tour. For faculty searches, these will also include a teaching demonstration. For Tenure Track faculty, there is a meeting with the OSU-Cascades Chancellor & Dean and often an additional interview with the Corvallis home unit, including a research presentation. For out of area candidates, there may be a consideration to offer a real estate tour. Other elements may be added to this framework, however, all candidate should be offered a similar experience- regardless if they are an internal or external candidate. For instance, if one candidate is offered a real estate tour, all should be offered that same opportunity, though they don’t have to accept the offer.
  • If there is a teaching/research presentation, feedback forms should be provided to all faculty, staff, and students who attend. (Template can be found on Faculty Handbook website). These forms should be collected following the presentations and be used as additional input for the committee to discuss as part of forming strengths/weaknesses assessments for finalists.

Final Steps

  • After the conclusion of the campus interviews, the search committee should:
    • 1)    Determine if the candidates are acceptable or acceptable (and why)
    • 2)    Complete a written unranked strengths and weaknesses assessment of all on-campus finalists to present to hiring manager and discuss the candidates with the HM.
  • Search Chair collects and submits final ADW, hiring decision matrix, interview notes from all committee members, presentation evaluation forms (when applicable), strengths/weaknesses assessment & diversity statement to Talent Acquisition for review and archiving.
  • The HM will use the provided information to negotiate an offer with a candidate and finalize the offer with HR.