DEM Recruitment Toolkit
The Division of Enrollment Management (DEM) strives to recruit a talented workforce that is representative of a diverse variety of backgrounds, experiences, and identities. To achieve this, it is critical that all DEM recruitment processes are inclusive and applicant experiences are welcoming. This toolkit will serve as the hub for standards and resources throughout the recruitment & selection process as well as to provide ways for DEM colleagues to serve as an Ambassador, on a Recruitment Committee, or to refer talent. This toolkit should only be shared with DEM Colleagues.
For questions regarding the toolkit, contact Justin Mumford
Important Links
Recruitment Process
Step 1
Contact your DEM HR Representative or HR Administrator (OAR Only) to request the Position Review & Recruitment Request Form. This form is required to initiate all DEM recruitments except for Student Employee roles.
Step 2
Follow the DEM Recruitment Checklist to navigate all steps to complete a DEM Recruitment process.
Be Involved
Become a DEM Peer Ambassador
Be a resource for someone who wants to learn more about your experiences within DEM, UW–Madison, and/or the Madison community. An Ambassador is designed to be an impartial connection between a current DEM Team member and a prospective candidate.
Serve on a DEM Recruitment Committee
Service on a DEM Recruitment Committee is critical to the overall success of a recruitment process and a great way to connect with DEM colleagues. Anyone interested in serving is encouraged to complete this form so that you can be considered for a future DEM Recruitment Committee.
Refer Talent
Talent Referral Program
Submit referrals to help DEM recruit the most diverse and talented workforce possible. A referral takes 2-3 minutes to complete and will allow for a DEM representative from OVPEM to proactively follow-up with the individual to share more information about the Division, available DEM job opportunities, and answer any questions they may have.
This form should be completed on behalf of a referral – please do not share this form publicly.
The DEM Talent Referral Program is a critical recruitment strategy to ensure a talented and diverse prospective workforce can be more easily connected to DEM opportunities. This program is specifically designed to establish a mechanism for DEM colleagues to regularly identify talent. Referrals are encouraged to be submitted at all points throughout the year, not just at times of current recruitments. DEM also encourages referrals are submitted for all potentially talented individuals regardless of close personal relationship or ties.
Once a referral is submitted, a DEM representative from the OVPEM team will reach out. The goal of the connection is to try to build a personal connection while encouraging the prospective candidate to consider either current or upcoming DEM job opportunities that may be in alignment with their interests or skillset. A few additional details:
- All referrals will be able to stay connected with DEM, if they choose, to receive information of new DEM recruitments for areas of interest to them.
- DEM also anticipates establishing a regular newsletter to share of DEM happenings with referrals as well as eventually hosting events for prospective talent to more easily connect with DEM.
- All referral information is confidential to the OVPEM team and will only be used to help perform outreach for referrals.
- No information from the referral will be used in any way to inform the application review or selection process.
- Do consider submitting a self-referral so you also can receive information regarding upcoming DEM recruitments that may align with your interests.
- Do submit referrals for colleagues that you may have interacted with at conferences and feel would bring great value to DEM.
- Do consider submitting referrals for not only DEM or UW–Madison colleagues but also colleagues positioned within Wisconsin, nationally, and internationally.
- Do consider frequently revisiting whether you have any new referrals you’d like to submit.
- Do submit referrals for those with experiences in other industries or with what may be perceived to be a non traditional background. This program seeks to increase overall talent of applicant pools across all backgrounds and experiences.
- Don’t only submit close acquaintances. We strongly encourage considering all interactions or experiences with colleagues and referring across a wide variety of backgrounds. For example, you may have recently served in a professional association where you met someone for the first time, but had a tremendous experience in working with them.
- Don’t worry if you may not know some of the information – all information you are able to provide will be helpful to ensure the DEM job opportunities that may most interest the individual is able to be shared.
- Don’t share the referral link beyond DEM colleagues. This is only an internal resource to help identify talent.
Recruitment Standards
DEM recruitment standards are incorporated as a part of the DEM Recruitment Request Form and identify required components for all DEM recruitments for full time team members. All recruitment standards should be met before proceeding in the Recruitment process. DEM HR is here to support all Hiring Managers in navigating all recruitment standards as well as answer any questions.
DEM Recruitment Strategies seek to establish standards that enhance the talent and diversity of experiences, backgrounds, and identities represented within DEM applicant pools. The Hiring Manager will be expected to work closely with DEM HR and/or the OAR Recruitment Coordinator (if applicable) to ensure the following recruitment strategy standards are met before a recruitment will be approved.
- Recruitment Efforts Plan (REP) – defines goals, action items, and success measures for engaging talented individuals across a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives within the recruitment process.
- Bias Review – a review of potentially biased language as well as unnecessary barriers should be conducted for all materials within a recruitment to improve access for all applicants. This should include a biased language review of all recruitment materials as well as consideration for unintended barriers in items such as job qualifications.
DEM Recruitment Committees should serve as not just a critical piece of the selection process, but also to support recruitment strategies prior to the review of applications taking place. The Hiring Manager should work closely with the Recruitment Committee Chair to ensure standards are met across the following areas:
- Formation – standards that support the creation of a Recruitment Committee and occur prior to a Recruitment Committee being actively involved in a recruitment.
- Composition – standards that help to consider who should be considered and represented as a part of a Recruitment Committee
- Recruitment Roles – standards to define the roles and responsibilities within a DEM Recruitment process.
Applicant Experience Standards
DEM seeks to ensure an inclusive, welcoming, and responsive experience for all candidates. Everyone within a DEM recruitment plays a vital role to ensure candidate experiences are strong. All Recruitment Committee Chairs should work closely with their committees to ensure the following required applicant experience standards are met. DEM HR is here to support all Hiring Managers in navigating all applicant experience standards as well as answer any questions.
The time between the application deadline and the start of interviews should not exceed 4 weeks.
- This means application review and scheduling of interviews should be completed within 4 weeks of the application deadline.
Provide DEM HR with an anticipated timeline for the full recruitment & selection process prior to the application deadline.
- DEM HR and/or OAR Recruitment Contact will send a communication to all applicants to share the anticipated timeline once the application closes.
Maintain a response time to all applicant inquiries of 2 business days.
Ensure DEM HR and/or the OAR Recruitment Contact (if an OAR Recruitment) is aware of changes to an applicant’s status within 2 business days.
- This includes when an applicant is no longer being considered as well as when applicants are being offered an interview or have accepted a verbal offer.
Ensure the Recruitment Chair can speak to the role and job duties if the applicant has a question.
- If not, there should always be at least one person on the Committee who can reasonably answer job specific questions from the applicant.
Provide clear instructions to the applicant outlining where/how the interview will take place.
- Detail all aspects of an interview including parking locations, directions to the interview location, who to meet and/or any specific directions for virtual platforms.
- If virtual, ensure the applicant has an opportunity to feel comfortable with the virtual platform prior to the interview.
- Refer to Accessibility @UW–Madison for information on accessible virtual and physical spaces.
Identify a point of contact for an applicant on the interview day.
- The point of contact should be a person to welcome a candidate, show them around, and/or lead virtual spaces. This should include both virtual & in-person interviews.
Ask whether there are any additional accommodations that can be provided for the interview.
- To the best of your ability, provide scheduling accommodations for candidate needs such as time/space to pray, use of a breast pump, childcare, etc.
- Here is an example of language to use for accommodations: Given the interview will take longer than an hour, if you have any needs that we should accommodate in your schedule for that day (e.g. time for glucose testing, prayer, breast milk pumping), please let me know and we’ll be sure to arrange your schedule in a way that can accommodate your needs.
- Search Chairs may also have the ability to cover travel expenses for interviews. Contact your unit budget lead and your DEM HR representative for more information.
Incorporate the following for applicants to learn more about DEM when inviting finalists to interview: DEM Careers
- This helps to give the applicant more information about DEM, UW–Madison, and the surrounding Madison community.
Provide an itinerary to all applicants ahead of an interview.
- Ensure at minimum the itinerary includes the names & roles of all who they will be interacting with during their interview.
- If interacting with the full office, indicate that and link them to the office’s meet the team page.
Ensure at least 15 minutes is scheduled in between consecutive interviews to provide the committee a brief break as well as to ensure candidates are not rushed at the end.
- Time between consecutive interviews follows the 5-5-5 rule which allows for 5 minutes to wrap-up/debrief the previous interview, 5 minutes for a brief break, and 5 minutes to get prepared for the next interview.
Ensure all applicants have a chance to ask questions at the conclusion of each interview.
Ensure everyone in an interview space introduces themselves to the candidate.
- If interacting with the full office or a large group setting, provide background as to who is present (individual introductions are not necessary)
- Ensure the correct pronunciation of candidate’s name (and seek clarification if unsure).
Ensure that everyone involved in an interview is prepared and arrives at least 5 minutes early to a scheduled interview.
If offering a virtual interview option, ensure everyone involved in the interview has their camera on, unless there are extenuating circumstances that may prevent that (such as connection issues).
If the interview is longer than 2 hours, ensure all candidate are provided a break period where they have time to themselves (eg. no DEM Team members are present with them).
Support candidates should they need anything during an interview.
- If a candidate is participating in an interview with multiple parts (such as a finalist interview), ensure we ask throughout their time with us if they need anything
Hiring Decision Standards
DEM seeks to be competitive in negotiating to successfully recruit our top candidates. It is required that the Hiring Manager or delegate making the hiring decision follows these standards. DEM HR is here to support all Hiring Managers in navigating all recruitment standards as well as answer any questions.
- Prior to extending an offer, it is required to consult with DEM HR about the pending offer being presented and determine whether a background check should be conducted.
- DEM HR is available to strategize and discuss with candidates total compensation offerings including moving expenses, potential hiring bonus, tuition reimbursement, benefits, remote work, and Wisconsin retirement system.
Conduct a reference call for at least one of the finalists’ listed references.
After DEM HR consultation, provide a verbal offer to the finalist within 1 week of the final interview.
There should always be a verbal offer made via phone prior to a formal written offer being sent.
- As a part of the charge of the Committee, it should be made clear who will be making the final hiring decision as well as making any verbal offer.
Review the language in the Offer Letter with DEM HR prior to an offer letter being sent.
- Offer letter language should be tailored to speak to the applicant’s specific experiences & skills.
Submit referrals utilizing the DEM Talent Referral Form for strong candidates who ultimately were not selected.
Hiring Manager or Recruitment Chair should be willing to follow-up with any finalist who is seeking feedback.
DEM Recruitment Resources
These resources are intended to be fluid. If you have a book, article, video, or other resources that you found helpful in a recruitment & selection process, feel free to share with Justin Mumford so it can be added to this list.
Book & Article Recommendations:
- ‘Debunking the Myth of Job Fit in Higher Education and Student Affairs’ by Brian J. Reese, Vu T. Tran, Elliot N. DeVore, & Gabby Porcaro
- ‘The Value of Belonging at Work‘ by Evan W. Carr, Andrew Reece, Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, and Alexi Robichaux
- ‘If There’s Only One Women in Your Candidate Pool, There’s Statistically No Chance She’ll Be Hired’ by Stefanie K. Johnson, David R. Hekman, and Elsa T. Chan
- ‘Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination’ by Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan
Videos & Resources:
- ‘Interview Dos & Dont’s‘ by UW–Madison School of Education (HR Design)
- ‘Searching for Excellence & Diversity: A Guide for Search Committees‘ by Eve Fine and Jo Handelsman with the UW–Madison Women in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute
- ‘Developing Job Criteria‘ by UW–Madison Office of Human Resources
- ‘Actively Addressing Unconscious Bias in Recruiting’ by Becca Carnahan & Christopher Moore
- ‘How to Reduce Personal Bias When Hiring’ by Ruchika Tulshyan