Office of Human Resource Services
ADMINISTRATIVE/PROFESSIONAL EXEMPT EMPLOYEE SEARCH GUIDE
The Administrative/Professional Exempt Employee Search Guide was developed to assist hiring
authorities and search committees in their efforts to select qualified candidates for employment as an
Administrative/Professional Exempt (non-State Classified, non-Faculty) employee with the University of
Northern Colorado. Please understand that this is only a guide.
Administrative/Professional Exempt staff is defined as all non-classified employees in the
divisions of Administration, Student Affairs, University Affairs, President’s Office, the Board of Trustees
Office, and in the division of Academic Affairs, all non-classified employees without academic rank and
those non-classified employees with academic rank serving as dean or a member of the dean’s staff, as
vice president or a member of the vice president’s staff, as a director of a member or a directors staff.
The contract/appointment status of administrative/professional exempt staff employee is of two types:
Definite Term and Indefinite Term . If the position was a State Classified position or newly created
position and the hiring authority wants it to be an Administrative/Professional Exempt position, it must
be approved by the State Department of Personnel prior to beginning the selection process as such.
Other resource links and explanations are noted next to the steps in the Administrative
/Professional Exempt Search Procedures and Check List (Coming soon) for documents located on
the Human Resource Services website to provide further information, clarification, samples, and forms
that are necessary for a successful search. Some steps may be adjusted depending on the type of
search selected by the hiring authority. As always, the Human Resource Services (HRS) staff is available
to answer questions and assist you in the search process. Below is a general overview for the hiring
authority and committees involved in the search process.
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Coordinator and Committee Representatives:
The University of Northern Colorado is committed to equal employment opportunity and a diversified
workforce and to ensuring that no one is excluded from consideration for employment because of race,
age, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation, or disability.
Therefore, all employment-related actions shall be based solely on valid, nondiscriminatory criteria and
requirements with a goal of employing those individuals who best meet the needs of the University and
the department.
To accomplish this, the University utilizes Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity (AA/EO) coordinators
to monitor and approve processes used to recruit and select candidates. The search committee will
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select an AA/EO representative who will serve as a liaison between the search Committee and the
Human Resource Services AA/EO specialist during the search process. The charge to the search
committee will discuss the specific role the AA/EO coordinator will assume during the process. AA/EO
coordinator is an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Search and Screen Committee and should be
informed in advance of all meetings and sent copies of all minutes of the meetings. The AA/EO
coordinator will be responsible for checking with the AA/EO office to identify affected class applicants
and will advise the search chair.
The HRS AA/EO specialist is responsible for items such as:
 Once returned, compiling the returned data form information, completing a diversity report based
on that information, and forwarding the information to the committee AA/EO coordinator as
requested.
 Screening the Position Authorization Form (PAF), Vacancy Announcement Form (VAF),
evaluation forms, interview questions, and candidate pool for diversity.
 Making recommendations to expand the search if the hiring pool is not diverse enough.
 Reviewing the search and hiring processes with hiring authority and search committee to ensure
they were fair and balanced.
 Storing all search materials for the allotted time required.
The committee AA/EO coordinator is responsible for items such as:
 Ensuring that the responsible committee administrative staff acknowledges s receipt of the
candidate’s application and ensures the AA/EO form has been received.
 Screening any candidates to be eliminated (before they are notified), and final candidates to be
invited to campus for interviews (before they are notified) to ensure diversity in the pool.
 Making recommendations to expand the search if the hiring pool is not diverse enough before
final candidates are submitted to hiring authority.
 Reviewing the search and hiring processes with hiring authority and search committee to ensure
they were fair and balanced.
 Conducting exit interviews of finalist to ensure all candidates received fair treatment during the
interview process.
The Hiring Authority’s Role:
In most instances, the department manager is the hiring authority. The hiring authority will make
important decisions regarding the nature of the position, current and/or expected duties, the qualifications
needed for the job, and the personal dynamics involved in the department. These initial decisions will
impact the quality of the applicants received and at what speed the position can be filled. Communication
with the incumbent (if possible) and the HRS department is important to initiating a smooth hiring process.
The Position
Important questions to consider are:
 Does a vacancy on the staffing pattern actually exist?
 Are funds available to fill the position?
 Have the necessary approvals to fill the position been obtained?
 Is there a current position description (PDQ) available? Does the information need to be
updated? Are the essential functions of the job identified?
 What are the competencies a qualified individual must possess and demonstrate?
 Are there diversity considerations which should be addressed?
 Is succession planning an issue?
Time Constraints
Hiring authorities have several options in deciding the type of search. Criteria to consider when
determining the type of search are:
 the time period in which the position needs to be filled;
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the extensiveness of the search required;
specific hard-to-find qualifications;
promotional candidates within the department; and
the extent to which outside selection input is required or desired in selecting finalist for
the position.
The hiring authority can elect to conduct a direct appointment or independent review, or convene
a screening committee or a search committee when selecting applicants to interview. In the case
where the hiring authority is in dire need to fill a position immediately, but needs time to review
the above criteria, s/he might consider using a university aide or a technical/professional
employee in the interim.
University aides and technical/professional employees may work on a temporary basis based on
certain criteria. Please review the University Aid and Technical /Professional Employee Hiring
Procedures for more information regarding criteria and requirements when utilizing these types of
employees.
Communicating with HRS & committees
Communicating wants and needs are crucial in planning the recruitment process. Throughout the
process of selecting a new employee, hiring authorities will work closely with the HRS-AA/EO
representative and possibly a selection committee to develop and implement the most efficient
and effective hiring plan to attract and hire the most qualified and productive person for the job.
Identifying the best recruitment strategy to attract qualified individuals requires thorough review of
your options. Important issues to consider are:
 options for filling the vacancy;
 the geographic location;
 current labor market;
 any unique aspects of the position; and
 the best avenues to advertise the position based on the above.
Knowing the process and who the responsible party is at each step will ensure better follow-up
and will eliminate wasted time.
If a committee is used, either screening or search, determine to what extent it will be utilized it in
the process. The hiring authority recruits committee members that will usually consist of 3-5
people (depending on the type of committee). Search committees should have five members,
one of which will be the chair person, and an AA/EO member that reviews diversity and equal
employment processes during the selection process. The hiring authority will determine whether
s/he or the committee will decide selection criteria, recruiting strategies, interview questions, etc.
After the hiring authority has determined the committee’s role, s/he will meet with the members
and communicate those duties and the expectations. The hiring authority should also
communicate with the HRS representative to update her in the process and responsible parties
involved.
Once these criteria are finalized and the vacancy position announcement has been completed,
the HRS representative can advertise the position, receive the applicant information, collect and
review demographic information, and forward the requested applicant information to the hiring
authority or search committee as determined by the hiring process.
The Interview
The hiring authority may have selected the candidates or they may have been referred by the
screening or search committee. The hiring authority will usually make the final selection, but
might wish to include a team of employees in the interview process who will be working with the
individual selected for further input. Hiring decisions based on team interviews often result in
hiring highly qualified employees who are readily accepted by their peers or subordinates. The
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hiring authority is responsible for scheduling the interview and venue, and communicating with
the HRS representative for any special needs regarding the interview process.
The interview process is your opportunity to ask questions and assess the candidate to assist in
determining if s/he is the “best fit” for the position. Research has shown that a well-structured
interview process typically produces more effective hiring decisions. It is also important to
remember that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) it is illegal to refuse to hire a
qualified individual on the basis of a disability if, with or without reasonable accommodations, the
person can perform the essential functions of the job. Remember to ask yourself, “How does the
question I am asking relate to the job?”, before you ask it during an interview. The HRS
department can assist you with interview questions or you can refer to the sample interview
questions on the HRS website.
Making the Selection
After interviewing the candidates, discuss the findings with the staff or others involved to get their
assessments and expose any biases. This is a good time to double check the information
received through reference checking. When the final selection is made, the hiring authority must
obtain final approval from the department chair, and inform the HRS department and appropriate
contract administrator so an employment letter and background check can be completed.
Once the candidate has accepted the position and background check is approved, the hiring
authority must complete:
 any final hiring paperwork,
 communicate with those not selected,
 coordinate with the appropriate contract originator,
 inform the campus community, and
 schedule a time for the new-hire to attend orientation with the HRS department.
In addition, it is important to review the hiring process with the HRS department and the
committee that was convened to evaluate the effectiveness of the search and quality of the hire.
The Follow-up:
Just because the position has been filled does not mean the hiring process is completed. It is
imperative that the new employee:
 is provided information on the University guidelines and expectations,
 is given necessary tools required for the position (e.g. keys, computer access, phone
access, parking information, P-card, etc),
 is given an orientation to the position and the University,
 completes a performance plan,
 is trained and given preliminary feedback and evaluation in a timely manner.
All of this helps the new employee make a smooth transition to the University and will help keep
the new-hire a long-term, productive employee.
The Committee’s Role:
If the hiring authority has decided to convene a committee during the process, s/he must decide to what
extent the committee will be used. Committee duties will vary by search depending on the desires of the
hiring authority.
Screening Committees:
Screening Committees typically review the applicant information that is submitted from the
vacancy announcement. The committees may choose the important criteria or be instructed by
the hiring authority as to the necessary requirements. Once the committee reviews the
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information and ranks the applicants, the committee chair will forward the top three candidates (or
more if requested) to the hiring authority to select the final candidates and invite them to
interview.
Search Committees:
The role of the search committee will vary based on the scope of charge presented to it from the
hiring authority. Duties assigned might include:
 posting vacancy announcements in special periodicals or websites,
 requesting nominations,
 suggesting advertising venues to attract specialized candidates,
 compiling interview questions,
 determining review criteria and ranking weights,
 conducting telephone or first-round interviews,
 reviewing the diversity mix of the applicants and conducting follow-up interviews with
candidates not chosen to ensure fairness in the process,
 sending rejection letters,
 conducting reference checks, and
 providing a list of final applicants or merely list strengths and weaknesses of the top 3-5
candidates for the hiring authority to review.
Any steps not assigned to the committee will fall back upon the hiring authority to complete.
Regardless of the duties charged to the committee, it is important that open communication
continues between the hiring authority, HRS, and the committee. Specific direction needs to be
given to ensure everyone in the process understands their roles and follows-up in a timely
manner.
Search Committee Chair:
The search committee chair person (Chair) is appointed by the hiring authority or the search
committee and may be called upon to answer questions from the committee, hiring authority, or
applicants. The Chair must know, follow, and advise the committee of the procedures to be used
during the search and ensure that the search is conducted fairly and efficiently. The Chair
should handle all communications from the committee and will be responsible for ensuring that all
steps are completed in a timely fashion.
Miscellaneous Information:
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The AA/EO representative should attend all meetings.
Although committee members may not rank applicants the same, committee members should
be consistent in their rating of qualifications.
No applicants should be notified of their elimination from consideration without approval from
the AA/EO representative.
No offers should be made without the approval of the appointing authority or department
chair.
No candidate should start employment until the background check is completed and
approved.
Human Resource Services’ Role:
Human Resource Services is available as a resource throughout the hiring process. The AA/EO
specialist is a member of the HRS staff and is also responsible for maintaining compliance with Federal,
State, and University regulations with regards to the hiring process. Some of the tasks performed
include:
 posting the vacancy announcement on HigherEdJobs.com and UNC Today;
 collecting and reporting the required demographic information; and
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providing answers to questions, assistance with defining or providing samples of best practices,
and clarification of forms.
 Other HRS professionals meet with new-hires for orientation, explain benefit enrollment, and
collect required data and enter the data into the University’s HRIS system.
The HRS specialists are posted on the HRS website, or contact the Administrative / Professional Exempt
Recruiting Specialist, Josie Sanchez at 1-2829 or Assistant HRS Director, Cathy Puckett at 1-2718 for
further information or clarification.
Important Guidelines:
2-3-411 Conflict of Interest: A University employee shall disclose to his/her immediate supervisor all
facts and circumstances related to any University transactions, activities, contracts or other dealings
which might directly or indirectly involve him/her in a duality or conflict of interest. Such disclosure shall be
made in writing as soon as is reasonable after the conflict or potential conflict comes to the knowledge of
the employee. A duality or conflict of interest shall be deemed to exist at any time when an interest held
by the employee, or relationship maintained, prohibits or inhibits, or potentially prohibits or inhibits, the
employee from exercising independent judgment in the best interests of the University. A duality or
conflict of interest shall exist whenever an employee is a director, president, general manager, or similar
executive officer of, or owns or controls directly or indirectly a substantial interest in, any nongovernmental entity participating in transaction with the University.
The immediate supervisor to whom a report of a duality or conflict of interest or potential duality or conflict
of interest is given shall directly report the matter to the jurisdictional vice president who shall have the
authority to administer the interest of the University in the situation subject to the superintendence and
pre-emption of the President and the BOT. September 10, 2004, Board Approved Constitutions and
Procedures
3-6-104 Affirmative Action. (1) Conflict of Interest: Any relationship between a person involved in the
employment selection process on behalf of the University and a candidate for appointment, which raises
the appearance of undue influence or bias, including without limitation, biological relationship to the third
degree of consanguinity; marital relationships past or present; past or present employment relationships;
past or present professional association, e.g., co-authorship, enterprise/partnership, etc. Affirmative
Action is the commitment to actively enhance the diversity of the workforce through a system of action
oriented procedures. The University of Northern Colorado is committed to take “affirmative” steps to
recruit, hire, and advance minorities and women when they are under represented in the University and
are qualified and available in the labor force.
The University’s commitment to affirmative action includes achievement of relevant objectives as a
University of Northern Colorado part of its management performance evaluation system. This
commitment is also reflected in the University’s affirmative action plan and its attendant procedures for
recruitment and selection of exempt staff and faculty. All procedures dealing with Affirmative Action and
Equal Opportunity Employment are available in the Affirmative Action Office.” March 1, 2004, Title 3
University Regulations
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Satisfactory completion of a background check is required after a
conditional offer of employment has been made.
About this guide:
Some information in this guide was developed by the State of Colorado Workforce & Staffing Consultants from the Division of
Human Resources, Department of Personnel & Administration’s and can be reviewed in its entirety in the Hiring Guide for
Managers of the State of Colorado Personnel System, revised May 1998.
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