Staff Hiring Policy

Each hiring department is responsible for identifying their need to hire for a position.

Job and Salary Evaluations and Re-Evaluations

  • For new positions, the hiring department writes a new job description with assistance from Human Resources (HR) as needed. The job description and salary grade must be reviewed and approved by Compensation.
  • For existing positions that have not been reviewed in the past two years, the job description and salary grade must be reviewed and approved by Compensation.
  • For existing positions that have been reviewed in the past two years but have significant updates/changes to the job description, the hiring department updates the job description with assistance from Human Resources (HR) as needed. The updated job description and salary grade must be reviewed and approved by Compensation.
  • Resources: Job Description Template, Job Aid to Complete a Job Description

Job Descriptions

Expect approximately 7–10 business days from receipt of all necessary information for a job evaluation to be completed based on a job description submission. Please contact compensation@usfca.edu if you have any questions in the interim.

Having a clear understanding of the position’s responsibilities and required skills will help to identify what is required for an individual to be successful in the job. In collaboration with HR, the hiring department determines the following aspects of the job description:

  • Job Summary: What are the primary functions of and reason for the job? The summary should clearly and concisely address the scope and complexity of the position and its impact to the department and the University.
  • Job Responsibilities: What are the specific expectations of the position? What duties will need to be performed successfully on a daily, weekly, monthly or a regular basis?
  • Minimum Qualifications: What specific skills, training, or abilities will be required to perform any of the responsibilities of the position? Or are there preferred skills, training and abilities that are nice to have to successfully perform the duties of the position?
  • Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: What work habits and behaviors are important to the position? What specific knowledge, skills and experience are needed to perform the work? Should the applicant have had certain training or on the job experience? If so what specific training, experience, or education is required or preferred? How many years of experience is required? Can experience be substituted for education, if so how much experience and for what education can it be substituted?

Positions within the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPE) have specific job descriptions, requirements, and salary ranges as listed on the Compensation Information for OPE employees web page.

Create a Position

Once the job description and salary is reviewed and approved for the position, the hiring department is notified in USFWorks and must create the position to complete the job evaluation process. For detailed instructions on how to create a position in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page.

Create a Job Requisition

Once the position is approved, the hiring department can create a job requisition in USFWorks. For detailed instructions on how to create a job requisition in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page. 

Each job requisition requires approval in the following order via USFWorks:

  • Hiring department’s Budget Officer
  • Hiring department’s Vice President/Provost
  • Office of Budget and Planning
  • Office of Contracts and Grants (for grant-funded positions only)
  • Human Resources (for final review and posting)

The submission of a job requisition by the hiring department for approval and the posting of the position on Careers at USF confirms that all details of the position are final. Changes to the position are not allowed following the submission of a job requisition. Any exceptions must be requested in writing by the hiring department’s Business Officer and must be sent to HR immediately. The hiring department will be documented for all such requests. HR prioritizes those job requisitions that are submitted in a timely manner and according to this policy, and therefore there will be an indeterminate delay in processing the exception.

Internal Applicants

All job requisitions are posted on Careers at USF, including positions that only accept internal applicants (i.e. current USF employees) because all applicants for the position, including internal applicants, must complete an online application. Additionally, job requisitions for internal applicants must be posted on the USFWorks internal career site, which is accessible through the Find Jobs task. 

To ensure that only applications from internal applicants are received for internal job requisitions, hiring departments must select the option for “Internally Only" when creating the job requisition. The job title must also indicate that it is for internal applicants only: for example, “Program Assistant V, Chemistry (Internal Applicants Only).” For detailed instructions on how to create job requisitions for internal applicants only in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page. 

How Long to Post 

All job requisitions must be posted for a minimum of 5 business days before they can be closed or before an offer can be extended. Offers can be made only after the posting close date and all timely applicants have received consideration. Hiring departments may choose to post for more than 5 business days or until the position is filled.

Union positions must follow posting requirements as stipulated in their collective bargaining agreement.

Exceptions to Posting Job Requisitions

All job requisitions must be posted unless specifically exempted by the Provost and the Associate Vice President of Human Resources. The following are examples of positions that do not need to be posted:

  • Promotion: Promoting an employee to a higher grade within a designated career or position ladder where no vacancy is created by the promotion.
  • Lateral Moves: Changing positions within a department where there is no change in grade, reporting relationship, or headcount.
  • Reorganizations: Realigning duties due to reorganization without an increase in headcount.
  • Positions with No Significant Changes: Employees whose positions remain substantially the same following reorganizations.
  • Assignment of Additional Duties: Employees who have been assigned additional responsibilities as a result of organizational work changes.

Advertise a Job Requisition

All open job requisitions are posted on Careers at USF, including Union positions. Hiring departments can indicate additional sites for advertising in the comments field of a job requisition.

USF’s goal is to fill positions from the best available applicants in a timely manner. Applicants may include internal applicants (i.e. current USF employees) and external applicants. To recruit external applicants, consider:

  • Employee referrals
  • Professional associations/organizations
  • Internet job sites
  • Other universities
  • Businesses in the specific industry
  • Job fairs
  • Organizations that are “downsizing”
  • Recruitment agencies: the hiring department is responsible for any recruitment agency fees depending on the situation and will work with HR to determine if a recruitment agency is necessary

Sites included in the HR Advertising Bundle: print this list

  • AJCUnet.edu
  • AsiansInHigherEd.com
  • BlacksInHigherEd.com
  • DisabledInHigherEd.com
  • HigherEdJobs.com
  • HispanicsinHigherEd.com
  • Indeed.com
  • LGBTinHigherEd.com
  • NativeAmericansinHigherEd.com
  • usfca.joinhandshake.com
  • VeteransinHigherEd.com
  • WomenAndHigherEd.com

Selection Team/Search Committee

Some positions require the involvement of a selection team or search committee. The hiring department organizes the selection team or search committee for each position and determines the selection process.

The department is also responsible for ensuring that all employees involved in the pre-employment/hiring process complete the HR Hiring Guidelines training available in Workday Learning. The course provides in depth guidance for completing a fair and equitable search.

Each person involved in the selection process should be familiar with the job description and position requirements.

The hiring department is responsible for identifying the search committee members, who should be selected based on their understanding of the duties and requirements of the position in addition to the objectivity and/or perspective they bring to the selection process. Search committee members may include:

  • Department members who understand the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for the position
  • An employee outside the hiring department who has knowledge of the business and the position
  • A member of HR

In selecting your search committee, discuss their availability over the entire proposed search period, noting any extended absences that might delay the search. 

Applications

Viewing resumes, cover letters, submitted documents, and updating statuses in USFWorks is the most efficient way to track job requisition applications. For detailed instructions on how to manage job requisition applications in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page.

Interviews

Referencing the position requirements communicated in the job requisition, the hiring department or search committee reviews submitted applications and develops a list of interviewees. All qualified internal applicants must be interviewed. All interviewees must complete an online application. 

Both internal and external applicants who did not make the shortlist for the interview and who will not be reconsidered at any point during the selection process are to be notified promptly via email from USFWorks.

Because hiring decisions can directly affect the University and the function of the department, a well-structured and thoughtful interviewing process is essential. The selection team is required to complete the HR Hiring Guidelines training available in Workday Learning.

Logistics

A conference room or other private meeting room should be reserved ahead of time for each interview. Ensure that the room will support Zoom interviews and that candidates are provided with the necessary links and phone numbers for the meeting. Set a time limit for the interview and stay within the limit. Explain the agenda at the beginning of the interview, such as: 

  1. Introduce yourself, your role in the department, and your relationship to the job requisition,
  2. Ask questions about education and experience as they relate to the open position,
  3. Ask behavioral questions,
  4. Ask if they have any questions, and
  5. Conclude the interview and thank them for their time and interest in the position.

Interview Questions

During each interview, the hiring department or search committee compares the applicant's relative knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience to the selection criteria communicated in the job requisition. An applicant's current or past behavior is the best predictor of future job performance. Interview questions should be prepared ahead of time, documented in writing, and a mixture of skill-based, behavioral-based, and open-ended questions, including: 

  • what, when, who
  • tell me about
  • give me an example of
  • think of a situation at work when…

Feel free to ask follow-up questions to open-ended questions and tolerate silences (i.e. allow the applicant to think before responding – do not lead their responses). 

Other considerations:

  • All applicants must be asked the same set of interview questions and responses (not perceptions) documented. Never ask a question of a candidate that you would not ask to all candidates.
  • Every question must be job-related.
  • A question must not call attention to the fact that a person is a member of a protected group by law. For a full list of protected groups, please review the equal opportunity and non-discrimination policy.
  • Some questions cannot legally be asked in the interview process. For more information, review the Prohibition on Salary History Inquiries FAQ.
  • To schedule a search committee briefing, please contact HR at humanresources@usfca.edu.

Travel Associated with Job Interview

An applicant's travel and lodging expenses due to an USF interview may be reimbursable. The hiring department may provide assistance and coordination with the Travel and Entertainment Policy located on the ABS Policies web page.

Selection Process

At the conclusion of the interview process, the selection committee should reach a consensus decision. When making a hiring decision, the selection committee should consider the following:

  • Competencies and technical skills of the applicant
  • Performance from previous evaluations and/or references from the applicant's current manager, colleagues, customers, etc.

If an applicant is not selected, the committee should re-evaluate the hiring strategy.

Verbal offers can be made only after all timely applicants have received consideration. Each hiring department reviews their applicants, conducts reference checks, makes the hiring decisions, and formulates the verbal offer for the selected applicant.

If an internal applicant is selected, start dates usually occur two weeks from the date that the offer is accepted. To determine a date, the hiring department should balance their needs with the employee’s and current manager’s needs. If an external applicant is selected, start dates vary and may need to be negotiated with the applicant to accommodate the needs of both the candidate and the University.

Verbal offers may be extended for the following employment categories:

  • Non-Exempt (hourly) or Exempt (salary)
  • Full-time or Part-time
  • Adjunct Faculty
  • Additional Pay (for a set project and time period)

Be prepared to discuss the details of the offer, including:

  • Position Title
  • Compensation (non-exempt/hourly or exempt/salary)
  • Desired start date
  • Reporting relationships (direct and dotted-line)
  • Relocation (if applicable)

Once an applicant accepts the offer, it is important to keep the decision confidential until the hiring department notifies all of the applicants who were involved in the interview process.

If the selected applicant declines the offer, the selection committee should determine another qualified applicant to hire. If no applicant is available, the committee should re-evaluate the hiring strategy.

Employment Visas

Offers involving visa sponsorship are conditional pending approval of all required immigration documents. The hiring department is responsible for costs related to immigration. Please review the visa policy for more information.

Relocation

If relocation or moving reimbursement is necessary, the hiring department may provide assistance and coordination as outlined in the moving reimbursement policy located on the ABS policies web page.

Vacation

Any questions about the staff vacation policy may be sent to the Associate Vice President of Human Resources and the hiring Vice President/Dean.

Once a verbal offer is made, the hiring department creates an offer in USFWorks. For detailed instructions on how to create an offer in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page.

Offer Letters

Offer letters will be created by HR for full-time, part-time, exempt, and non-exempt staff positions accepted by an internal or external applicant. Offer letters for USFFA Faculty and Librarians are created by the Provost’s Office. USFWorks automates the process of electronically delivering the finalized Offer Letter to the selected applicant.

Notification to Non-Selected Applicants

Non-selected applicants should be notified after the selected applicant has accepted the offer but prior to any public announcement of the position is made. All interviewed internal applicants should be notified directly. Once the selected applicant accepts the offer, they are referred to as a "new-hire" in USFWorks.

Announcing Personnel Moves

After all the non-selected applicants are notified, hiring departments are responsible for announcing personnel changes to:

  • The immediate work group and hiring department
  • Other related departments in the function, as appropriate
  • The pre-hire's major internal and external contacts.

In addition, the hiring department may issue an announcement that includes the new-hire's:

  • Full name (nickname or preferred first name acceptable)
  • Position title
  • Effective start date
  • Department
  • Reporting relationship
  • Prior experience (brief)

Once the offer has been accepted, the new-hire will receive an email with a temporary username and password for USFWorks.

New-Hire Tasks

New-hires must complete their new-hire tasks in their temporary USFWorks account and bring additional Form I-9 supporting documentation to HR on their first day of employment. For more information, please review the following:

When hiring a temporary worker, please refer to Hiring Temporary Staff at USF web page.

A promotion is an employee move from their current position to a higher position or rank within the same department, whether the position is an existing position, vacant position, or a new position. Approved promotions are not required to be posted on Careers at USF.

Promoting an Employee

  1. Send the job description to HR Compensation for review, approval, and salary range assignment. Job descriptions that have been reviewed within two years do not need to complete this step.
  2. Contact the Director of Employment in HR for approval by providing job title, salary, and Compensation's approval.
  3. Create a job requisition in USF Works. For detailed instructions on how to create a job requisition in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page.
  4. Create an offer within USF Works. For detailed instructions on how to create an offer in USFWorks, please visit the USFWorks training web page.

Transitioning Promoted Employees

Converting Temporary Workers to a USF Employee

Hiring departments that wish to hire temporary staff or contractors must obtain pre-approval from HR prior to making an offer. In addition, some vendors may charge a fee when their employee is hired by a client, and HR can determine acceptable fee amounts.

Move from Full-Time Employee to Part-Time Employee

Prior to moving an employee to part-time status, the hiring department or Dean/Director of the hiring department should determine whether or not the move is in line with their department needs and the needs of the University. If the decision is made for the employee to move to part-time status, the position must be re-evaluated per this policy and related procedures followed accordingly.