e-Recruitment
A Recruiting Line Manager’s Guide
Introduction
QMUL has invested in the StepStone I-Grasp e-recruitment system and is deploying the
new e-enabled process throughout QMUL. As at February 2011, the new system is fully
deployed across the School of Medicine and Dentistry and Student Campus Services.
These departments combined, account for 70% of the University’s recruitment
requirements.
The key driver for the system’s introduction is to streamline the University’s recruitment
processes to deliver improved candidate quality and experience at a reduced cost, in a
speedier and more efficient manner. The system is designed to handle every stage of the
recruitment process, from job initiation and authorisation through to candidate sourcing,
management, long-listing, selection and offer.
The system does not completely replace the need for face-to-face communication, as
remains a vital aspect of any recruitment process. However, it succeeds in automating the
majority of the current, administration-heavy, paper-based processes.
In April 2011, the College will be launching a new centralised recruitment service. Headed
up by Natalie Dent, the team will extend the roll out of e-recruitment to the remainder of
Professional Services and all academic departments. The objective is to complete the roll
out across QMUL by September 2011.
If you have any questions do not hesitate in contacting me.
Yours sincerely
Ben Kemp
e-HR Project Manager
b.kemp@qmul.ac.uk
February 2011
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Index of Contents
1
Vacancy Initiation
2
Vacancy Authorisation
3
Advertising and Sourcing Candidates
4
Managing Applications and Shortlisting
5
Interviews, Assessment and References
6
Offers and Contracts
7
My User Area
Abbreviations
CRB
Criminal Records Bureau check
IM
Institute Manager (SMD)
ISA
Independent Safeguarding Authority
JD
Job Description
PS
Person Specification
RLM
Recruiting Line Manager
RT
Recruitment Team
SCS
Student and Campus Services
SET
School Executive Team (SMD)
SMD
School of Medicine and Dentistry
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Process Stage 1 – Vacancy Initiation
1.1
Planning & Preparation
The staff member responsible for the recruitment is referred to in I-Grasp as the Recruiting
Line Manager (RLM).
Before initiating the e-recruitment process, the RLM must ensure they comply with existing
QMUL Recruitment and Selection guidance, including:

For posts with clinical duties: a JD with NHS and (where required) Royal College approval;
For other posts: an existing JD for replacements posts or graded job profile for new posts
[NB: Grading of new posts must be confirmed with HR before vacancies can be placed on
the e-recruitment system];

Correct panel composition, ensuring all panel members are appropriately trained;

Draft advertisement using appropriate template1 and provisional interview date. Please
ensure this is the current style advert with i-grasp (e-recruitment) instructions.
1.2
Authorisation
All required financial and managerial authorisations will now be obtained through the erecruitment system2. There will no longer be the need to raise paper-based vacancy
authorisation forms (VAFs - Vacancy Authorisation Forms) requiring manual signature(s).
1.3
Accessing the System
The QMUL e-recruitment system can be accessed at https://ig24.i-grasp.com/qmul/, where
a log-on is required using a username and unique password3. Once logged on, the screen
will automatically default to your Current Work page.
 Click on My Details on the left hand
side of your screen to update your
personal / contact details.
 Check that your email address has
been entered correctly and update it if
required.
 Click Save to keep any of the
changes you made.
 Change your password by clicking on
the Password page on the right hand
side of your screen. Remember, it is
case sensitive.
1
SMD only: an SMD advert template can be downloaded here. Applications should be completed ONLINE.
2
SMD only: posts requiring NHS and/or SET approval will still need to go through these stages prior to being initiated
on the e-recruitment system.
3
Your username and password will have been provided to you via separate email. If you have not received this,
please contact your recruitment team
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The Current Work page displays your current recruitment activity – i.e. all vacancies with
which you are linked. If you are not currently linked to any vacancies, this screen will show No
Records Found.
Positions. Displays all draft, request approval or
live positions in which you are involved.
Applications. Displays all applications for all
positions in which you are involved.
Interviews. Displays any of your interviews
taking place in the next 7 days and interviews
that have taken place and require your action.
Offers. Displays details of any offers made to
applicants for positions in which you are involved.
Approvals. Displays details of positions requiring
your authorisation
Reference Checks. not currently in use
News. Displays messages from the recruitment
team. If any unread messages, label appears as
New News and reverts back to News once all
messages have been read.
1.4
Adding a new position (recruiting a post)
Click Add under the Positions section
on the left hand navigation bar.
The RLM completes the Position
Details page in full4. You will be
unable to progress further until all
mandatory fields (marked *) are
completed. [See screenshot and
detailed instructions overleaf.]
NB: you will be ‘timed out’ of the
system after a period of inactivity, and
any unsaved information lost. So
remember to Save (Position Status
Draft) at the bottom of the page as
you go along and when you have
finished.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Insert Job Title: (consistent with JD and advert).
Insert RLM’s Contact Email (internal use only).
Select Career Family from drop down menu.
Select Region, Sector, Org 1, Org 2 and Org 3
(SMD Org 1 & 2 are identical) where post is based.
5. Select Contract Type and Duration (if indefinite,
Duration = n/a).
6. Select SMD or SCS template for JD Template.
4
SCS Business Support will complete the Position Details page for
Student
Campus
Services
vacancies.
7. all
Select
‘All’&for
Advertising
Sources.
8. Select Reason for FTC (if indefinite = n/a).
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9. Select F/T or P/T, and indicate the number of
Hours/PAs Per Week.
e-Recruitment
-410. Indicate number of Weeks Per Year (full time,
permanent post = 52 weeks)
11. Select Grade and Max Spine Point for which funding
Additional Position Notes (APN)
Insert here explanatory notes relating to fields above, plus any other relevant information which
authorisers and/or recruitment team need to know, e.g.: “Approved by SET – meeting date xxth xxx
2010”
 Name of the Grant holder
 Name(s) of non-HEFCE funding source(s), e.g. grant awarding bodies, NHS, commercial
sources
 Multiple funding sources, including % splits, e.g. “HEFCE 50%, Research Grant 50%”
 Details of additional funding elements, e.g. APAs, on-call payments, market supplements,
honoraria (NB: financial approval will also be required for these)
 Details of short listing panel members. For external members please supply e-mail address
 Details of those Interview Panel members (if known at this stage) who will required access to iGrasp. (For external members please supply email address)
 Name(s) of external print and online media where advert should appear
 As a default, all job advertisements will be published on the QMUL internal and external
websites, JobCentre Plus, and Jobs.ac.uk. All clinical academic posts will also be advertised on
the MSC/DSC job board clinicalacademicjobs.org.
1.5
Additional supporting documents
Once the Position Details page has been saved, a reference number is automatically
allocated and two additional boxes will appear at the bottom of the screen:


Additional File – note this appears under the published job description
Internal Related Documents
DO NOT add any documents to these boxes, as they cannot subsequently be changed or
removed. Once content of all documentation has been finalised (e.g. advert), they will be
transferred here by the RT.
After saving this page, additional menu choices will appear on the right hand side of the
screen. Click on Notes to go to the page where RLMs need to upload supporting
documents.

RLMs should only load documents onto the Notes page, not the Position Details page.

Once a document is uploaded to i-Grasp it cannot be edited within the system. If a
document requires editing, it must first be saved locally and any changes made before
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re-uploading the document to the system. (Users will need to contact the RT to remove
documents. However new documents can be uploaded at any time.)

Any documents which may later require minor adjustments (for example if HR need to
amend advert for external journals) should be uploaded in editable versions (eg Word,
Excel) to avoid the RLM having to provide a new version each time. Documents which
will not need revision (e.g. copies of SET approval papers) should be uploaded in pdf
format.
Once the candidate documentation has been finalised, it will be uploaded by the RT to the
Position details page only in pdf format to prevent file corruption when accessed by
candidates.
Using the Browse function, Upload files for supporting documents:
Documents that candidates will see:
 Job description (including person
specification) or job profile
 Background details (e.g. relating to
Department/Institute/Centre/Unit etc.) or
other information you wish to be available to
candidates (e.g. research extract). [NB: The
RT will routinely append some ‘standard
documents to posts, e.g. structure diagram,
SMD Academic Performance Standards’ etc.]
5
SMD only: an SMD advert template can be downloaded here
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Internal Documents required for authorisation
or audit purposes (not visible to candidates):
 Draft advert text5
 Business case (including SET approval
documentation, if required)
 Honorary NHS contract approval (e.g. email)
 Funding source confirmation (e.g. grant award
letter, NHS approval)
 List of panel members (if not included in APN
box)
1.6
Request for Approval
After completing the Position Details page and adding all attachments on the Notes page,
the RLM can then submit the vacancy for the necessary levels (‘tiers’) of authorisation.
If the vacancy is not ready to be submitted for authorisation, please ensure the Status is set to Draft
before clicking Save. Once the Position Details have been saved with ‘Request Approval’
status this cannot be changed.
When ready to submit, set the Position Status (located at the bottom of the page) to
Request Approval and then click Save. This will automatically forward it to the RT for the
next stage of the process.
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Process Stage 2 – Vacancy Authorisation
2.1
Recruitment Team (RT)
The system will notify the RT of a new vacancy. The RT will access the system to check the
Position Details and any supporting instructions and documents, in order to facilitate the
electronic authorisation process, i.e.:

check that all details are correctly completed and all required documentation is
attached, liaising with the RLM as necessary (e.g. regarding standard SMD appendices
to be included);

assign the appropriate authorisers6 and interview panel members (if known) as ‘team’
members for the post;

instruct the system to send emails requesting authorisation, in automated tiered
sequence, directly to the authorisers;

monitor the authorisation process and chase if there appears to be undue delay.
The names of the authorisers will be added to the ‘team’ for the vacancy and will be visible at the
bottom of the Positions Details page. This means the RLM will be able to follow authorisation
progress throughout, as the system will record which authorisers have approved (or otherwise) to
date, as well as showing the present authorisation ’tier’ reached.
2.2
Authorisers
Upon receipt of an email, authorisers will access the system as prompted, to approve or
reject the post and add comments if required.
If an authoriser approves the vacancy:
If an authoriser rejects the vacancy:
 an email will be sent to authorisers in the
 an email will automatically be sent to all
next ‘tier’ of the sequence, until all tiers
previous level authorisers notifying them
have been completed.
of this, together with reasons for the
rejection.
Authorisers are asked to notify the RT in advance of any periods of leave, etc,, and to confirm who
should be assigned as an alternate authoriser in their absence.
Only once all authorisers in all tiers have given approval can the RT begin the recruiting
process / advertisement placement (see Process Stage 3, below).
6
For all SMD posts, the first level of authorisation will include the relevant Institute Manager.
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Process Stage 3 – Advertising and Sourcing Candidates
3.1
Whilst the authorisation process is underway, the RT will prepare the vacancy for
advertising. Working with the draft advertisement and JD which have been attached by the
RLM, the RT will (liaising with the RLM as necessary):

Finalise text for online and print advertisements;

Attach additional generic documents for candidates to see (e.g. SMD background
information, SMD Academic Performance Standards);

Agree with the RLM any ‘screening’ or application questions to be used to ‘filter’
candidates. Some of these are routinely required for all/most vacancies (e.g. Data
Protection, criminal convictions, immigration requirements) but questions can also be
tailored to specific posts (e.g. minimum qualifications, competencies required);

Set up online and offline advertising media and sourcing channels, e.g. job boards,
journals, newspapers, specialist agencies;

Finalise the advertising (‘Publish’) start and end dates (co-ordinated to fit with any
external publishing deadlines, etc);

Confirm with the RLM members of the interview panel, and add these people to the
‘team’ for the post on the system so that they will each be able to view and short-list
applicants (once the advertising period has closed).
As a default, all job advertisements will be published on the QMUL internal and external websites,
JobCentre Plus, and Jobs.ac.uk. All clinical academic posts will also be advertised on the
MSC/DSC job board clinicalacademicjobs.org.
3.2
After all the above have been completed (and all authorisations received), the RT will
change the post’s status to Go Live and it will be published for candidates to see.
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Process Stage 4 – Managing Applications and Shortlisting
4.4
Candidates applying
With the vacancy now ‘live’, all applicants will be directed to the e-recruitment system, to
apply via the online process.
Applicants will automatically receive an email notification of their initial registration on the
system, and then email receipts acknowledging each separate job application they make.
The system will also send them email alerts (close to advert closing date) if they have
partially completed an application for a post but not yet submitted it.
4.4
After closing date
Once the closing date has been reached, the RT will change the status of all completed
applications received to Shortlisting, to allow RLMS to view the applications. This cannot
be done before the closing date. If requested and agreed with the RLM, the RT may
undertake an initial ‘filtering’ process using any screening questions which have been set.
Once the closing date has been reached, the vacancy is automatically removed from all sourcing
channels and no further applications can be received.
The RT will email the RLM notifying them that they are now able to access the system to
view applications and will forward instructions on how to complete their shortlisting. The
email will contain a Short-list Assessment Form (Excel) and an Interview Request Form
to be completed (see 4.3), together with a Shortlisting Summary guidance document and
the Interview Record Form for completion after the interview (see section 5).
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4.3
Viewing applications and shortlisting
Log on to the system and click on the
icon next to the relevant vacancy in your
Current Work view. This takes you directly to the active list of applications for that vacancy.
Hover mouse over
Surname to display full
name of applicant
If the ‘people’ icon next to a vacancy appears in red, this means there have been changes to the
applicants since the last time the position was viewed (e.g. change of status, comments added to the
applicant’s record, etc.).
To open individual applicant details, click
for the applicant’s summary
For the applicant’s CV
for the applicant’s covering letter
for the applicant’s answers to any
pre-set screening questions
Documents may be printed once they have been opened. (Choose the print option on
the right-hand side). Documents can only be printed individually.
Panels should shortlist in the usual way – either in a meeting, or shortlisting individually and
returning shortlisting decisions to the panel chair.
After shortlisting discussions have taken place and decisions reached, the RLM returns to
the RT via email one completed composite Short-list Assessment Form (excel),
containing full details of all shortlisting decisions (in accordance with QMUL Recruitment
and Selection guidance), confirmed by the Panel Chair.
The RT will attach the Short-list Assessment Form to the post, and change the status of
each applicant to Pending Interview or Reject. This instructs i-Grasp to automatically
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generate emails, using pre-agreed QMUL templates, informing candidates of their status,
i.e. ‘Short-Listed for Interview’ (including link to book interview on-line) or ‘Rejection’.
4.4
References and interview preparation
References
References will only be requested by RT for the successful candidate(s). If the RLM wants
to obtain them sooner, they may do so themselves if the candidate(s) has consented to this.
The RLM must ensure copies are sent to the RT for uploading to i- Grasp for audit
purposes.
Interviews
The RT will also send an Interview Request Form confirming all interview details to the
RLM. This information is needed for the RT to create interview booking slots on i-Grasp
ready for short-listed candidates to book their interviews directly on-line.
NB: Until this is done, i-Grasp will not allow emails to be sent to short-listed
candidates inviting them for interview.
Practical arrangements for interviews remain the responsibility of the recruiting
Centres/Departments and the information must be forward to the RT as early as possible in
the process returning the Interview Request Form including:

Interview date

Interview times (including breaks if any)

Interview location

Name, location and contact details of person to report to on day of interview

Any additional details the candidates need to know, e.g. tests or presentations they will
be asked to carry out

Final (if not previously confirmed) interview panel membership.
Once the shortlisting has been completed and both the Short-list Assessment and Interview
Request Forms have been returned to the RT, the RT will attach the Short-list Assessment
Form to the post, and change the status of each applicant to Pending Interview or Reject.
This instructs i-Grasp to automatically generate emails, using pre-agreed QMUL templates,
informing candidates of their status, i.e. ‘Short-Listed for Interview’, with links to book
interviews on-line, or ‘Rejected’. The draft email inviting candidates to interview is sent to the
RLM for confirmation (and amendment if necessary) by the RT prior to the email being sent
to the candidates.
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Process Stage 5 – Interviews, Assessment and References
5.1
When candidates book their interview slot online, they will be asked if they require any
special arrangements to attend for interview (e.g. disability access, hearing loop, etc.). The
RT will monitor responses and inform the RLM if special arrangements need to be made.
5.2
The system will notify the RLM when short-listed candidates confirm their interview slot.
5.3
After the interviews have been held (in accordance with QMUL Recruitment and Selection
guidance), the RLM will notify the RT of the panel’s selection decisions, by returning one
completed composite Interview Record Form, containing all interview decisions, confirmed
by the Panel Chair. This should be returned to the RT via email (Word or PDF format).
5.4
The RT will attach the Interview Record Form to the post, and change the status of each
interviewed candidate to Pending Reject or Pending Offer. The RT will then begin the
process for making an Offer to the successful candidate(s), including seeking references if
this has not been done at shortlisting stage (see Section 6 below).
5.5
If more than one selection stage is required (e.g. second interview), the above steps need
to be repeated for each stage.
5.6
References
Referee details are requested from candidates during the application stage. References are
then sought post-interview, when the Interview Record Form has been received by the RT.
Candidates are asked to provide their referees’ details as part of the initial application
process.
References for the successful candidate(s) are requested post-interview by the RT via email
(outside of the i-Grasp system). Once received, the RT attaches the documents to the
candidate’s record within i-Grasp and emails copies to the RLM.
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Process Stage 6 – Offers and Contracts
6.1
Verbal Offer
Following QMUL Recruitment and Selection guidance, as soon as possible after completion
of the interview stage(s), the Panel Chair should make an initial verbal offer to the
successful candidate.
6.2
Offer Checklist
Upon receipt of the composite Interview Assessment Form (see 5.3 above), the RT will:

change the selected candidate’s status to Pending Offer;

liaise with the RLM to create the Offer Checklist (which replaces the ‘Request to
Appoint’ form);

assign the appropriate authorisers7 to obtain approval for the offer to be issued;

instruct the system to send emails requesting authorisation, in automated tiered
sequence, directly to the offer authorisers.
6.3
Offer Authorisation and Contract
Upon receipt of an email, authorisers can approve or reject the Offer and add comments (if
required) via a link within the email text. PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THIS E-MAIL.
If authorisation is given:
 an email will be sent to authorisers in the
7
If an authoriser rejects the offer:
 an email will be sent to all previous level
next ‘tier’ of the sequence, until all tiers
authorisers notifying them of this, together
have been completed.
with reasons for the rejection.
For all SMD posts, the first level of authorisation will include the relevant Institute Manager and RLM.
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Once all authorisers in all tiers have given approval, HR can proceed with issuing a
contract. The RT will use the Offer Checklist to draft an Offer Email to be sent to
candidates, after having been approved by the relevant RLM. Once approved, the RT
will instruct the system to send the Offer Email to the candidate. The processes managed
within i-Grasp are now complete and the remainder of the process to issue contracts is
carried out by the Human Resources Department.
HR will issue contract and letter to the successful candidate.
6.4
After Offer/Hire
Once the position has been successfully recruited to, the RT will change the status of the
position to Filled.
The post will then be archived and removed from the RLM’s Current Work view. It is
possible to access the position details again by clicking on Position Find and searching for
it using any of the criteria as shown below.
If the RLM is recruiting for a similar position in the future, the RT can copy the
position. The new position will be issued with a new vacancy number. The RLM will
still need to amend some of the information on the new position details page (i.e.
dates) and upload a new advert and job profile (if the details contained in these have
changed from the originals).
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Process Stage 7 – My User Area
7.1
Personal Details
When an i-Grasp user (e.g. RLM or panel member) has been issued with a password and
login by the RT, it is possible to view/edit personal details by clicking on My Details.

It is also possible to edit the default home view by clicking on Internal Options.
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
A user may change their password to a more memorable one by clicking on Password and
following the instructions.
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