Belfast Education and Library Board
Governor Training and Development
Programme
Recruitment and Selection of Staff
Linda McGowan
HR Manager
Julie Angus
Senior HR Adviser
(Revised February 2010)
Appointment Process
1.
Does the school need a new post? If so, how will you
fill it?
2. Prepare a job description
3. Prepare a personnel specification
4. Advertise the post
5. Shortlist candidates for interview
6. Prepare for interview
7. The interview itself
8. Select the candidate
9. Finalise the appointment
10. Further issues
Equality of Opportunity
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It is the policy of BELB that all eligible persons will
have equal opportunity for employment and
advancement irrespective of
Perceived religious belief
Political opinion
Gender
Marital status
Disability
Race
Sexual Orientation
Age
There will be no unlawful discrimination – direct or
indirect-against any person in recruitment, training,
promotion or in any other way
Anti Discrimination Legislation
in Northern Ireland
Fair Employment and
Treatment (NI) Order 1998
(as amended) (FETO)
= Religion / Political
Opinion
Sex Discrimination (NI)
Order 1976 (as amended)
Equal Pay Act (NI) 1970 (as
amended)
= Sex
Sex Discrimination (NI)
Order 1976 (as amended)
= Marital / Family Status
Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as
amended)
Disability (NI) Order 2006
= Disability
Race Relations (NI) Order 1997 (as
amended)
= Race / Ethnic Origin
Employment Equality (Sexual
Orientation) Regulations (NI) 2003
= Sexual Orientation
Employment Equality (Age)
Regulations (NI) 2006
Effective 1st October 2006
= Age
Employment Equality (Repeal of
Retirement Age Provisions)
Regulations (NI) 2011
= No longer possible to retire
someone on grounds of age
Discrimination and Victimisation
 Direct Discrimination
Occurs when an employer treats an individual less
favourably than others on any of the prohibited
grounds
 Indirect Discrimination
Can generally be defined as applying a provision,
criterion or practice although applied equally to all,
places a person or a group at a particular disadvantage
which the employer cannot show to be a proportionate
means of achieving a legitimate aim
 Victimisation
means treating a person less favourably than
another because that person has:
asserted their rights under the antidiscrimination legislation
helped another person to do so
given information to the Equality Commission for
Northern Ireland, or because it is suspected that
the person might do any of these things
 Disability-related discrimination
occurs when, for any reason that is related
to a disabled person’s disability, an
employer without justification treats the
disabled person less favourably than others
to whom that reason does not apply
 Disability discrimination
also occurs when an employer fails to
comply with a duty to make reasonable
adjustments in respect of a disabled person
Disability Discrimination Act
“Duty of reasonable adjustment”
The duty applies where any
 Physical feature of premises occupied by the employer
 Arrangements made by or on behalf of the employer
Cause a substantial disadvantage to a disabled person
compared with non-disabled people
Examples of Reasonable
Adjustments
 Making adjustments to premises
 Altering the person`s working hours
 Allocating some of the disabled person`s duties to
another person
 Acquiring or modifying equipment
 Modifying instructions or reference manuals
 Providing a reader or interpreter
 Giving the person additional training
Equality Commission
Codes of Practice
Systematic and objective recruitment
• Advertise your requirements clearly
• Make it clear that applications are welcome from all
• Ensure that all potential candidates are given equal
opportunity to compete and demonstrate their abilities.
This applies to both internal and external appointments
• Ensure no irrelevant requirements are included
Equality Commission
Codes of Practice
Systematic and objective recruitment
• Apply requirements fairly at each stage of the process
• Record factors considered relevant in a particular job
at each stage of the process
• Decide on relative importance to be given to each
• Satisfy yourself that these factors are justifiable,
appropriate to the job and clearly objective
Prepare the job description
This describes the job to be done in terms of its :
 Title
 Purpose
 Duties/ Responsibilities
It shows where the job fits into the overall structure of the school
It tells candidates what is expected of them
It will facilitate any appraisal procedure
It defines tasks , not methods
It is not fixed for all time
It allows Governors to determine the qualities a person must have
in order to do the job effectively
Prepare the Personnel Specification
 This defines the qualities which the person appointed
must have in order to carry out the job effectively
 These qualities are described by a set of criteria
 The criteria let prospective candidates know if they
have the qualifications and skills required
 The criteria determine who will be interviewed and
must be
Legal
Job related
Objective
Measurable
Criteria
 Essential criteria - Describe those qualities which
Governors feel the successful candidate must have.
Once published they cannot be set aside, reduced, or
ignored.
 Preferential criteria - Describe those added qualities
which Governors feel would be an advantage for the
candidate to have.
Advertise the Post
This will usually be the responsibility of the Principal
in conjunction with BELB or CCMS if appropriate
Preparation for Shortlisting Meeting
 Receipt of application forms by Principal
 Principal prepares schedules –
Unnamed
Named
Shortlisting
 Panel must be quorate
 Those involved in the interview process must also have been
involved in the shortlisting process
 Small number of applicants meeting essential criteria will likely
mean an agreement to interview all. Remember it is your
responsibility to check application forms
 Large number of candidates meeting essential criteria will likely
mean creating a shortlist by using preferential criteria or
enhanced criteria eg  Preferential criteria become “essential”
 Either essential or preferential criteria may be enhanced in a
number of ways
 New criteria cannot be introduced
Prepare for Interview
 Issue letters calling applicants for interview
- Include request to provide photographic ID
 Issue requests for references / photographic ID (Child
Protection) DE Circular 2006/06 & 2006/08
 Format and timing of the interview –
Preparation of Questions
Presentation/In tray exercise
Demonstration
Using a Presentation
This may be on a topic already notified
to candidate
It may be on an “unseen” topic
It may be an in-tray exercise
It should be treated in the same way as
a factor when deciding to score
The Interview
 Agree scoring system
 Agree the questions and who asks them
 Keep detailed notes
The Interview
 Chairpersons Role
Welcome / introduce panel / outline structure /
timing / note taking / control process / at end
opportunity for questions / notification of outcome
 Governor trained in Child Protection
Suitability to work with children
Points of concern e.g. gaps in employment history
Check photographic ID
What are you trying to learn about
each candidate from the interview?
 Experience / knowledge
 Attitudes, aims, ambitions
 Interpersonal / communication skills
Questions
 Relate to the criteria for the post
 Be clear and unambiguous
 Be pitched at the right level
 In plain language
 Not contain a number of parts
 Non-discriminatory
 NB candidates must be asked the same core questions, but
probing will depend on their answers
Questions
DO
 Use open questions
 Use probing or supplementary questions
 Use situational questions
 Give the candidate time to answer
 Listen carefully
 Let the candidate do most of the talking
 Be objective
Questions
DON’T
 Use closed questions (only for clarification)
 Use leading questions
 Jump to conclusions
 Be subjective
Marking System
 Standardised system is recommended in codes of
practice
 Job description and personnel specification give the
factors for assessment
 All panel members must agree the system
 The system must be – Justifiable
Legal
Objective
Marking System
Experience and Qualifications
 Agree additional marks for experience above essential
criterion (provided objectively justified)
 Agree the maximum to be awarded
 Agree additional marks for qualifications above the essential
criterion
 Agree what is to be awarded for each e.g.
Certificate/Diploma/Degree/Masters/Doctorate
 Agree the maximum top be awarded
Marking System
The questions are based on factors contained in the personnel
specification / job description
 All questions may be given equal marks
 You may weight the marks according to their importance for that
post
 You could use 1-5 scheme representing answers ranging from
“unsatisfactory” to “excellent”
 You could also agree to mark out of 10 or 20 etc
Ask yourselves –
 Have we agreed and do we understand the system we are to use?
 Can we stand over the system if it is compared to the personnel
specification / job description?
Discussion
The Chairperson should initiate an open and
thorough discussion on each candidate
As a result of discussion panel members may
feel it necessary to amend their scores.
Remember to note the reasons why on your
mark sheet
Your final score is then used to arrive at
your rank order
Reserves
Finalise the Appointment
 Documentation completed
 Passed to appropriate body for processing
Checking / References / Contract / Health
Declaration / Medical / Criminal
Background Check / Proof of Qualifications
Best Defence
To have followed a clearly defined
procedure based on taking decisions
against clearly stated criteria which are
not in themselves discriminatory
To have retained notes and recorded
reasons for decisions taken
To have complied with all relevant
legislation
WEBSITES
www.belb.org.uk
www.deni.gov.uk
www.equalityni.org
CCMS
Holywood Office 02890 426972
Belfast Office 02890 327875
www.onlineccms.com
Contact Details
BELB
Julie Angus – 02890 564133
julie.angus@belb.co.uk
Linda McGowan – 02890 564010
linda.mcgowan@belb.co.uk