UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
BEST PRACTICE POLICY FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF STAFF
INDEX
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INTRODUCTION
VACANCY CATEGORIES AND SERVICING OFFICERS
2.1
Academic Vacancies
2.2
PASS Vacancies
2.3
Short-term temporary secretarial and administrative staff
2.4
Special appointments
ROLE OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
3.1
Role of the Central Staff Recruitment and Selection Office
3.2
Role of the HR Advisors/Officers
3.3
Role of the Appointments Office
BUDGET ALLOCATION
4.1
Recruitment Advertising
4.2
Recruitment and Selection Processes
4.3
Relocation of Candidates
4.4
Verification of Qualifications and Credit/Criminal Checks
LABOUR LEGISLATION
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AT UCT
6.1
UCT’s Employment Equity Policy
6.2
Decision to appoint
6.3
Role of the Employment Equity Representative
COMMENCING THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS
7.1
Documentation required
7.2
Deadlines for recruitment requests
FIRST MEETING OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE (SEARCH MEETING)
8.1
Decisions taken at search meeting
8.2
Advertising strategies
8.3
Timeframes
ADVERTISING
9.1
Forms for applicants
APPLICATIONS
10.1
Access to Applications
10.2
Rules and conditions for applicants
10.3
Grading of applications
10.4
Telephonic interviews
REFEREES
SECOND MEETING (PRELIMINARY MEETING) TO AGREE ON SHORTLIST
CHAIR’S CIRCULARS
CANDIDATE ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVIEWS
14.1
Candidate assessments
14.2
Interview Dates
14.3
Questions/interview structure
SELECTION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
FEEDBACK TO UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES
16.1
Internal candidates
16.2
External candidates
SELECTION COMMITTEE RECORDS
OFFER PROCESS
INDUCTION
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1. INTRODUCTION
This policy document binds all selection committees and shall be read in conjunction with the
terms of reference of the selection committee and the formal Recruitment Policies for Selection
Committees. These formal policies may be found at http://hr.uct.ac.za.
2.
VACANCY CATEGORIES AND SERVICING OFFICERS
2.1. Academic Vacancies
UCT’s HR Staff Recruitment and Selection Office services selection committees for
academic posts at the levels of Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor
(including research officers at equivalent levels), where the appointment is for a period
of more than two years.
Short-term contract academic appointments are administered in the faculties,
departments or research units, with advice provided by the relevant HR Advisor/Officer.
2.2
PASS staff vacancies
UCT’s HR Staff Recruitment and Selection Office services selection committees for
PASS staff posts in payclasses 9 to 13 (including Technical and Scientific staff) where the
appointment is for a period of more than two years.
Permanent posts in payclasses 1 to 8 and short-term contract PASS appointments are
administered in and by the faculties/departments/research units, with advice provided by
the relevant HR Advisor/Officer.
2.3
Short-term temporary secretarial and administrative staff
Candidates may be sourced through UCT’s preferred providers of temporary staff. Terms
and conditions and contact details of the preferred providers may be obtained from the
relevant HR Advisor/Officer.
2.4
Special Appointments
Separate policies and procedures covering the following appointments may be found at
http://hr.uct.ac.za:
Vice-Chancellor; Deputy Vice-Chancellors; Deans; Executive
Directors; Registrar; Visiting and Honorary appointments; Adjunct appointments; Senior
Research Scholars; Wardens of Residences; Appointments Without Advertisement.
3. ROLE OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
The HR Department’s primary function in relation to recruitment is to advise and assist the
selection committee in the recruitment and selection process. The role of HR will depend on the
payclass/rank and category of post to be filled, as in 2 above.
3.1
Role of the HR Staff Recruitment and Selection Office
The Recruitment Advisors will provide advice on recruitment policies and procedures,
employment equity and legislation, best practice recruitment strategies and competency
based methodologies.
In addition, the office will provide the following administrative services:
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editing and placement of advertisements (the full advertising procedures may be found
at http://hr.uct.ac.za).
co-ordinating and arranging meetings of the selection committee, and preparation of
relevant documentation.
providing information to prospective applicants.
co-ordinating and acknowledging receipt of applications.
ensuring that candidates complete the necessary personal data forms, including
declarations of any legal proceedings or other factors which might reasonably
adversely affect the selection committee’s decision.
standard internet checks on candidates.
reference checking.
providing applicant grading templates for grading sub-committees.
arranging telephonic/video interviews.
arranging travel, transport and accommodation for out-of-town candidates.
arranging travel, transport and accommodation for out-of-town guest members on
selection committees (for the account of the relevant faculty/department/research unit).
co-ordinating competency based assessments for candidates for PASS posts
(academic candidates usually present a seminar prior to interview, which is coordinated by the relevant faculty).
preparing a report on the recruitment and selection process.
preparing the recommendation of the selection committee.
informing unsuccessful candidates.
informing candidates of any delay in the selection process.
forwarding the approved recommendation to the Appointments Office for preparation of
the offer and for verification of qualifications and credit/criminal checks.
3.2
Role of the HR Advisors/Officers
Where the recruitment and selection process is decentralised, the relevant HR
Advisor/Officer will provide advice to the line manager on the recruitment policies and
procedures, employment equity and legislation, best practice recruitment strategies
and competency based methodologies.
In addition, the faculty’s or the PASS
department’s HR Advisor/Officer may be appointed as a member of a PASS selection
committee with full voting rights, or as an assessor member without voting rights, at
the discretion of the Dean/Executive Director/Head of PASS department.
3.3
Role of the Appointments Office
The Appointments Office provides the following services:
 preparation of letters of offer/contracts for all appointees (other than tutors).
 verification of qualifications and credit/criminal checks on recommended
candidates.
 applications for work permits.
 relocation of candidates where applicable.
 advice to prospective and new appointees on remuneration and benefits.
4. BUDGETS
4.1
Recruitment Advertising
The central advertising budget will cover costs of advertising for all vacancy categories
which are funded from the university’s general operating budget (GOB). Any non-
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GOB, research-funded or externally-funded vacancies will be advertised at a cost to
the relevant faculty/department/research unit.
Posts will be advertised in a weekly composite banner advertisement in the media,
with a web link to the UCT vacancies page. Any advertising requests over and above
the composite advertising will be for the account of the relevant
faculty/department/research unit. Journal websites only will be used and any requests
for advertising in print journals will be for the account of the
faculty/department/research unit.
The full advertising procedures may be found at http://hr.uct.ac.za
4.2
Recruitment and Selection Processes
4.2.1
Centralised Recruitment
The central recruitment budget will cover the following costs pertaining to the
recruitment and selection processes which are administered in the central
Recruitment and Selection Office:
 Telephonic/video conferencing with candidates.
 Air travel, transport, accommodation and subsistence for a maximum of
two candidates (per position). Any travel costs over and above this will be
met by the central budget only by agreement with the selection committee.
 Candidate assessments.
 Catering for selection committee meetings.
 Operational costs linked to the process.
Where guest members from outside Cape Town are invited to serve on
selection committees, the relevant faculty/department/research unit will cover
all travel and accommodation costs for the guest member.
4.2.2
Decentralised Recruitment
Where the recruitment and selection process is decentralised, the central
advertising budget will cover costs of advertising for all vacancy categories
which are funded from the university’s general operating budget (GOB). Any
non-GOB, research-funded or externally-funded vacancies will be advertised at
a cost to the relevant faculty/department/research unit.
4.3
Relocation of Candidates
The central relocation budget will cover all relocation costs for new appointees in the
following categories:
 Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor (including Research
Officers at the same levels), where the appointment is for a period of three years
or more.
 PASS posts in payclasses 9 to 13 (including Technical and Scientific staff), where
the appointment is for a period of three years or more.
4.4.
Verification of Qualifications and Credit/Criminal Checks
All costs related to verifications of qualifications and credit/criminal checks on
recommended candidates will be covered by the central appointments budget.
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5.
LABOUR LEGISLATION
In terms of labour legislation, applicants for jobs have the same rights as employees. An
employer may not discriminate against an applicant on the grounds of: exercising any right
conferred by the Labour Relations Act (freedom of association, the right to join or not join a trade
union and to participate in legal trade union activities); pregnancy; race, gender, sex, ethnic or
social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, disability, religion, conscience, belief,
political opinion, culture, language, marital status or family responsibility. Job applicants have the
right to challenge unfair discrimination. However, in the event of an applicant challenging the
outcome of a selection process, he/she would have to show prima facie evidence of “unfair”
discrimination. Labour legislation recognises the necessity for affirmative action, such that underrepresented sections of the population may be given certain preferential treatment.
The above issues are critically important and must be borne in mind when deciding on the criteria
for selection, the wording of advertisements, questions to ask at interviews, and when making the
final selection.
6. EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AT UCT
6.1
UCT’s Employment Equity Policy
UCT’s Employment Equity Policy may be found at http://hr.uct.ac.za/policies/ee.php.
Effective staff recruitment and selection is critical if the university is to achieve its
strategic transformation objectives which include changing the staff profile.
Recruitment should not be seen as an ad hoc activity undertaken occasionally when a
post happens to fall vacant. Every faculty and PASS Department must have a staffing
plan and employment equity plan, which they update regularly and with reference to
which they develop short and long-term recruitment strategies that are linked to the
employment equity plan. The employment equity plan must be used as a guide during
the recruitment process to identify which sub-group(s) within the designated groups
best meets the equity objectives of the faculty/department/research unit.
6.2
Decision to Appoint
Selection Committees may be faced with a situation where two or more candidates are
deemed appointable and must decide how much consideration needs to be given to
equity relative to other criteria. While there is no policy in this regard, selection
committees are expected to apply their minds to this important decision. Above all, the
candidates must meet the minimum criteria for the position and in the case of two or
more candidates achieving this; the selection committee must take into account the
impact of the appointment in terms of the short and long term equity targets of the
faculty/department/research unit. Where an equity candidate meets the minimum
criteria, but may require some development into the position, consideration should be
given to the timeframe for this development. It should also be borne in mind that all
candidates may require some form of development, irrespective of their employment
equity status.
6.3
Role of the Employment Equity Representative
Employment equity representatives have the same role as other selection committee
members, but their role extends to ensuring that awareness is raised and dialogued on
both the short and long term employment equity objectives of the
department/faculty/research unit during every phase of the selection process. If an
alternate employment equity representative joins the selection committee process at
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any stage, it is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that he or she is updated on the
process.
An employment equity representative should have attended an internal recruitment
and employment equity workshop which is presented by the HR Department, and
should do so annually where possible. It is the responsibility of the Dean/Executive
Director/Head of PASS department to provide employment equity representatives with
the faculty’s/department’s employment equity plan and targets, and to ensure that
opportunities are created for them to attend the workshops on an annual cycle.
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8.
COMMENCING THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS
7.1
Documentation Required
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Relevant approvals to fill the post.
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Draft advertisement.
o Job description. (Where an academic post does not have a job description,
the advertisement will carry the faculty/department/research unit’s website
link and it is therefore of critical importance that these websites are
maintained.)
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Standard checklist for preparatory meeting with HR.
7.2
Deadlines for Recruitment Requests
Where the recruitment process is administered centrally, requests for commencement
of recruitment processes should reach the Staff Recruitment and Selection Office one
week prior, for any initial action. End of year recruitment requests should reach the
office timeously, and requests for academic recruitment received after 30 September
may be held over for processing in January.
FIRST MEETING OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE (SEARCH MEETING)
8.1
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Decisions Taken at Search Meeting
Prior to any advertising of the post, the selection committee meets as a search
committee to discuss a number of issues relating to the filling of the vacancy. The
Chair will be provided with a checklist of issues to be covered, which include:
Confirmation of composition of selection committee and any recusals if any member of
the selection committee is intending applying for the position.
Confirmation of the confidential nature of the recruitment and selection process.
Confirmation of post details.
Tabling and discussion on faculty’s/department’s/research unit’s equity plan and
targets.
Confirmation of wording in advertisement and job description.
Confirmation of relevant equity sentence in advertisement.
Appropriate search methods.
Closing date for applications.
Agreement on electronic access to applications and printing of CV’s.
Agreement on composition of grading sub-committee.
Discussion on whether pre-employment medical is required for posts in hazardous
environments, which legislatively requires this.
Discussion on verification of qualifications and credit/criminal checks.
Timeframe for the recruitment and selection process.
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8.2
Advertising Strategies
A number of media options will be tabled at the search meeting and members of the
committee will be invited to make further suggestions on appropriate search methods.
When wording the advertisement, the selection committee is to make a clear
distinction between “desired” and “necessary” attributes in a successful candidate. In
addition, only under exceptional and defined circumstances should close knowledge of
UCT, as a specific institution, be required or regarded as a definitive quality in an
applicant.
8.3
9.
Timeframes
The timeframe for the recruitment and selection process will be recorded at the outset
of the process. The Chair, Head of Department/Line Manager and employment equity
representative will agree on future meeting dates and other members of the committee
are expected to make themselves available for all meetings.
ADVERTISING
The post will be advertised as agreed at the search meeting, and in accordance with the
recruitment advertising policy and procedures, which may be found at http://hr.uct.ac.za
9.1
Forms for applicants
All advertisements will carry web blinks to forms and information for applicants:
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Guidelines for submission of documentation.
Personal data form, which includes declaration of any past, current or pending criminal
or disciplinary proceedings, and any other factor which might reasonably adversely
affect the committee’s decision.
Summary sheet of qualifications and experience.
Rules and conditions which hold when applying for a post at UCT, including
timeframes for selection processes.
10. APPLICATIONS
10.1
Access to Applications
Where possible, applications will be made available to selection committee members
electronically.
10.2
Rules and Conditions for Applicants
Shortlisted candidates are advised of the timeframe for the selection process and are
asked to indicate their availability. If a candidate indicates non-availability on the
date/s of the selection process, the Selection Committee will then have to make a
decision as to whether alternative arrangements can be made bearing in mind that the
selection process must not be compromised.
Should a candidate indicate availability, but on being invited to attend an interview,
indicate non-availability on the prescribed date, the candidate will be advised that the
selection process will continue as scheduled and the selection committee will be
entitled to make a decision. However, if the candidate has a valid reason (illness, etc)
for not being available, the Selection Committee may elect to invite the candidate to
attend the selection process at another time.
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10.3
Grading of Applications
The grading sub-committee will grade the applications against the required
competencies for the post. It will then make a recommendation to the selection
committee.
However, all selection committee members are invited to make
suggestions to the grading sub-committee with respect to the initial grading.
A : Meets requirements, for further consideration and approaching referees.
B : Meets minimum requirements, but no referees to be approached at this stage.
C: not suitable, do not meet the minimum requirements.
HR will provide a grading template for the above purposes. In line with labour
legislation requirements, all reasons for grading of applicants are to be recorded by the
grading sub-committee and kept on file with other process documentation.
10.4
Telephonic Screening
It is strongly recommended that telephonic screening with international/national
candidates be an intrinsic part of the grading procedure to gain more knowledge of the
candidates before inviting to Cape Town for interview. Video conferencing facilities
are available on campus, but the committee should bear in mind that the candidate
would need access to these facilities in his/her country. HR will provide guidelines for
telephonic screening.
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REFEREES
The selection committee may obtain written and/or oral referees’ reports. It cannot contact
referees not specifically mentioned by the applicant as this may infringe on the candidate’s right
to confidentiality. The candidate shall be asked in advance and UCT reserves the right to
contact any referees unless the candidate can convince the Chair that there are cogent
reasons for not doing so. Where such referees are utilised and information from such a referee
is the only reason for a candidate not being seen as the most suitable person for the post, the
candidate should be given the opportunity to respond to the negative input (without divulging
the source of the information unless the referee has given permission for his/her name to be
given).
12.
SECOND MEETING (PRELIMINARY MEETING) TO AGREE ON SHORTLIST
A second meeting of the selection committee is called to consider the proposals from the
grading sub-committee, taking into account all information obtained on the candidates to date.
All selection committee members should have read all the relevant documentation in order to
make informed decisions. The selection committee then agrees on a final shortlist for interview
and suitable candidate assessment methods to be conducted prior to the interviews. The Chair
is to ensure that someone on the selection committee (usually the HOD) takes responsibility for
arranging seminars/pre-interview assessments and hosting out-of-town candidates if
appropriate.
Once the shortlisted candidates are agreed upon, any member of the selection committee who
needs to declare a conflict of interest and has not done so beforehand, should do so at this
stage.
13.
CHAIR’S CIRCULAR
Unless a member of the selection committee raises objection, any issues raised by selection
committee members between meetings requiring comment/agreement by the full committee
may be done electronically via a Chair’s circular.
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14.
CANDIDATE ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVIEWS
14.1 Candidate Assessments
HR will provide selection committees with advice on appropriate assessment
methodologies. All applicants must be assessed using the same techniques, except in
such areas where a technique has been used and the results thereof are valid for a
certain period e.g. some psychometric tests. Care must be taken to ensure that the
techniques used have no cultural or gender bias.
14.2 Questions/Interview Structure
HR will provide the selection committee with a suitable structure for the interviews and
suggested questions as appropriate to the requirements of the job. As in 5 above, it is
critically important to bear in mind the rights of candidates when asking questions at
the interviews and it is the responsibility of the Chair of the selection committee to
ensure that the following are adhered to:
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Questions asked must be related to relevant job competencies.
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The same key questions must be asked of each candidate.
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Each candidate must be asked at interview whether there is anything in his/her
application form that should now, or can relevantly, be supplemented.
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The following questions may be put to all candidates at final interview (the Chair
of the Selection Committee will exercise his/her discretion in deciding whether to
ask these questions at interview, and will have had access to each candidate’s
answers to the parallel questions contained in the application form):-.
(i) Are there any circumstances that the selection committee should be made
aware of which might reasonably influence a decision to appoint you?
(ii) Have you been found guilty of professional misconduct or of any crime which
can reasonably be considered relevant to the appointment in question?
(iii)Are you facing, have you faced, or do you envisage having to face any
disciplinary professional of criminal charges, and if so give us the particulars?
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Check whether any information arising from the referee’s reports/reference checks
needs to be pursued with a candidate and discuss how to deal with this
information to ensure (i) fairness to other applicants and (ii) fairness to the
individual concerned.
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Candidates should be given an opportunity to respond to any information of an
adverse nature. Whether verified or not, this information may not be relied upon
unless the candidate is given the opportunity to respond.
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The selection committee may not make any commitments to applicants as regards
salary and conditions of service. Candidates should be requested to reserve these
questions for HR, should they be offered the appointment.
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The selection committee should be mindful of the need to ensure that candidates
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with disabilities will not be unfairly discriminated against in the selection process.
The selection committee must seek the advice of the Organisational Health
Manager or the Disability Unit, depending on the nature of the disability of the
candidates.
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15.
The interview is also an opportunity for the candidates to select the University as
an employer. It is therefore important that each member of the selection
committee conducts him/herself appropriately to enhance the image of UCT.
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATION
The selection committee must make every effort to reach a decision by consensus. Failing
this, a recommendation requires at least two thirds support from the members present (50%
of the full membership constitutes a quorum) and eligible to vote, in terms of the formal
selection committee policies.
The recommendation of the selection committee involves:
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looking at and discussing all the evidence collected (from all selection techniques) for
each candidate.
recommending an appropriate probationary period for an academic appointee.
recommending the appointee to the NAPP/Emerging Researchers programmes, if
appropriate.
recording in writing the reasons for recommending the candidate and why any persons
interviewed were not recommended.
where appropriate, recommending a second choice.
ensuring that the current/previous line manager of a UCT/ex-UCT candidate is
approached for a reference (with the permission of the candidate), prior to making any
offer.
if the recommended candidate will be working in an environment where a pre-employment
medical is legislatively required, the Head of Department/Line Manager will contact UCT’s
Occupational Health Manager to arrange this prior to any offer being made.
nominating an induction officer for the successful candidate.
Once the selection committee has identified its preferred candidate, and approval has been
obtained from the delegated authority, the Dean/Executive Director has the right to advise the
candidate that an offer will be forthcoming and to specify an acceptance period after receipt of the
formal offer from HR.
16.
FEEDBACK TO UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES
Feedback to unsuccessful candidates should focus on the requirements of the post and which
requirements were not met.
16.1
Internal candidates
Candidates who are in the department where the vacancy has arisen, are to be
provided with immediate feedback, whether the feedback is that they were not
shortlisted for interview, or unsuccessful after the interview process.
The feedback should be given by the Head of Department/Line Manager and should be
seen as an opportunity for development. All oral feedback should be followed up in
writing, for the record.
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16.2
17.
External Candidates
Apart from a standard regret letter from HR (where appropriate), it is not necessary to
provide external candidates with oral/written feedback unless this is requested.
SELECTION COMMITTEE RECORDS
All recruitment and selection processes must have a record and the Chair of the selection
committee shall ensure that such a record is compiled. Where the HR Staff Recruitment &
Selection Office services a selection committee, it will provide a report on the process. Where
recruitment and selection is decentralised, the Chair shall ensure that someone is given the
task of producing the report.
The Chair will sign off the report of the process and due to the confidential nature of selection
committee discussions, the report will not ordinarily be circulated to members of the selection
committee. However, all members of the selection committee may request access to the
records and any member of the Committee has the right to ask that their concerns are
documented in the report.
In the case of an objection to the process followed by the selection committee being lodged
with the Executive Director, Human Resources (for PASS posts) or the ViceChancellor/Deputy Vice-Chancellor (for academic posts), no offer of appointment will be made
until the procedural issues have been resolved.
18.
OFFER PROCESS
The selection committee’s recommendation, with relevant sign-off, is forwarded to the HR
Appointments Office for:
 preparation of letter of offer.
 verification of qualifications and credit/criminal checks as recommended by the
selection committee.
 Work permit application, where applicable.
 relocation of candidate, where applicable.
 advice to new appointee on remuneration and benefits.
Each letter of offer of employment must contain the following declaration, which must be
made by the candidate when accepting the appointment:
“I accept that if it is subsequently ascertained that I have negligently or wilfully withheld
any information that might affect my appointment, this constitutes serious misconduct
which may give rise to the University’s right to institute a disciplinary process which may
result in my dismissal.”
19.
INDUCTION
The Head of Department or nominee is responsible for the new staff member’s induction.
Once the new staff member commences work he/she should be introduced to UCT and
his/her new job by means of an induction programme. Induction checklists are provided by
the HR Department to all Heads of Departments, and to the new staff member.
Approved by Council EXCO 4 November 2009
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