Selecting Candidates to Interview

The search committee identifies candidates who will be considered further for the position based on the position requirements, candidates' qualifications, and diversity objectives, and forwards the list of finalists recommended for interviews to the hiring official for review.

The committee must also check references and review letters of recommendation. Remember that all questions asked and issues raised from references must be job-related and similar for all candidates. Some inquiries are not permitted because they request or allow use of information that may lead to unfair, biased decisions. See the Interview Do's and Don'ts for more information on illegal questions.

Efforts to include qualified women and minorities in the final pool are especially encouraged for job categories, titles, and departments or units with historical underrepresentation of certain groups. The committee should consider reopening or intensifying the search if the pool does not reflect the estimated availability of underrepresented applicants for the job category.

The hiring official reviews the candidates recommended for interviews, ensuring that diversity objectives can be met by interviewing those candidates. If not, he or she may ask for reviews of others in the pool.