1. RECRUITMENT PANEL ORIENTATION
Presented by
Oregon Coast Community College
Office of Human Resources

2. PANEL RECRUITMENT COMPOSITION & ROLES
Hiring Supervisor
Established the Panel and SME
Introductory Meeting
Coordinate recruitment activities
Conducts reference checks on finalists
Gathers and submits all documentation from the process
Forwards finalists for final hiring decision
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Review candidates using established rubrics
Participates in interviews
Identify finalists for further consideration
Maintain confidentiality of the screening and selection process
Panel Members
Packet Pages 1-3
The screening plan includes development of preferred qualifications, supplemental questions and interview questions.
In addition to the standard recruitment sources provided by Staff Employment, the committee may also identify additional resources for recruitment (professional publications, organizations, list serves, etc.)
The committee must use appropriate methods to screen candidates. Forms are available from the Staff Employment office.

3. THE 3 PRINCIPLES OF SCREENING COMMITTEES
Confidentiality
Same Treatment
Open Disclosure
Packet Pages 4&5
I will not read this packet to you, please refer to pages 4 & 5 for a more complete description

4. CONFIDENTIALITY
Means that the panel recruitment members will only discuss:
The applicant pool
The screening plan
The recommendation process
Refer to Page 4
Confidentiality: In reference to the screening process, confidentiality means that screening committee members will discuss the applicant pool, the screening plan, and the selection process only among themselves and the appropriate Human Resource and Affirmative Action officials.

5. CONFIDENTIALITY
All discussions will occur in a place where the discussion will not be overheard or misinterpreted by someone outside the screening committee.
Maintaining silence on panel activities as this will protect the integrity of the panel recruitment process.
All discussions will occur in a place where the discussion will not be overheard or misinterpreted by someone outside the screening committee. As a team, each committee member must respect the rights of the applicants as well as those of the other committee members. This is accomplished by refraining from discussing anything to do with the screening process outside of the committee. Maintaining silence on screening committee issues will protect the integrity of the screening committee.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY Do you have a finalist yet?
Are you close to making a decision?
Do you have any tips for my interview?
I didn’t get the job. What did I do wrong?
I’m better than the person selected, why didn’t I get the job?
I can’t talk to you about any of this. If you have questions, please contact HR.
Maintaining silence on screening committee issues will protect the integrity of the screening committee.
This is difficult to do if you know people who are applying and if they know you’re on the committee.
If a candidate questions you about the position (before or after it has been posted) let them know that as a committee member you are unable to share any information. (Example: “I’m sorry, but I can’t talk to you about any of this. If you have questions, go to the chair.”)
How many people applied for the job?
Can you put in a good word for me?
How’s it going?

7. Confidentiality of the screening committee information is forever
Confidentiality of the screening committee information is forever. It does not cease once a person is hired.
Whether service on a panel occurred ten years ago or ten days ago the need to retain confidentiality still exists.
Confidentiality of the screening committee information is forever. It does not cease once a person is hired. Whether service on a committee occurred ten years ago or ten days ago the need to retain confidentiality still exists.

8. SAME TREATMENT
The purpose of Same Treatment is to give each candidate equal consideration in the screening process.
Committee members cannot discuss the interview and selection process with applicants on an individual basis.
All candidates need to be treated equally, and if one applicant is given information that other candidates are not provided, the equality of the process has been negated.

9. SAME TREATMENT How to help ensure Same Treatment?
Interview questions are developed ahead of time. Do not deviate. Appropriate follow up questions are okay
May provide the questions to the candidates ahead of time (usually 15 minutes – just before their interview).
Do not assume work related information or background, if you need to know about something, ask everyone!
Ask everyone the same questions, even if it feels redundant to information already provided.
If a candidate provides information that you did not receive from others, you do not need to call the others back and ask them a question.
Discuss in the committee how you will deal with follow-up questions
Some only allow the chair to ask
Some do not allow follow up questions
Some keep it very short to clarify what was just presented by the candidate

10. OPEN DISCLOSURE What is Open Disclosure?
If a panel member, SME or hiring supervisor has present or past involvement with an applicant in any way, it is important that they disclose that to the other committee members.
All panel members, SME and hiring supervisors are required to sign a Screening Committee Disclosure form.
Refer to Page 5, 6 and 7
The Relative/Household Member Disclosure form coincides with the State of Oregon Ethics Guidelines.
All committee members are now required to sign a Relative/Household Member Disclosure form.
The Screening Committee Chair will provide copies of the form and collect signed versions from each committee member.

11. OPEN DISCLOSURE Why is open disclosure important?
Prevents misperceptions and misunderstanding later on in the process.
It does not always mean the panel member cannot serve.
Be careful about personal biases – hold each other accountable.
Up front knowledge of such relationships, regardless of how minor, will prevent misperceptions and misunderstanding later on in the process.
Internal candidates almost CANNOT have no one they know on the committee. It is important to be sure to disclose to the committee where you’re coming from.
Personal biases: they’re ok – often pick up on something others may not. Other committee members should hold each other accountable to ensure that there’s not too much “weight” being placed on a personal prejudice.
It is important to remember that maintaining a professional stance in the screening process is not only important but often tricky. Out of curiosity colleagues, friends, students and even family ask questions about the screening process and/or applicants. Often the questions are asked in relationship to other items being discussed and the screening committee member doesn’t recognize what is happening. As a result, screening committee information is referenced unintentionally.

12. Protect the College Protect YOU!
WHY DO WE USE THE 3 RULES?
Protect the Applicant
Protect the College Protect YOU!
Enables the Hiring Supervisor and SME to evaluate each applicant on their merits rather than being influenced by outside sources.
As an equal opportunity employer, this is OOCC’s goal.
Failure to follow any of these rules may lead to disciplinary action.
As we discussed, they are interrelated – The committee has to be careful and able to rely on each other in order to find the best candidate.

13. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Considering both federal and state law, it is unlawful to discriminate against an applicant for any of the following reasons:
Race
Color
Religion
National origin
Sex
Marital status
Family relationship
Age (unless under 18)
Expunged juvenile record
Mental or physical disability
Workers injured on-the-job
In addition, there are laws and practices in place to ensure that the following are treated equally:
Accommodations for Disability
Preference for Veteran status
Refer to pages 8 thru 17
Affirmative Action seeks to eliminate artificial barriers to employment.
It also provides outreach to attract historically underrepresented groups.

14. VETERANS PREFERENCE
By Oregon statute veterans will receive a special consideration in the hiring process.
HR will notify the Hiring Supervisor as to veterans in an application pool.
At OCCC special preference for Veterans means that each self identified Veteran that meets the minimum qualifications will be invited for a phone/zoom interview.
All steps must be documented.
Pages 25-27
Look at transferrable skills more broadly – ie: military training satisfies a requirement for educational credential, military leadership experience qualifies as supervisory experience, etc.
Special consideration may mean elevating the assessment of the transferrable skills one level (ie: a “maybe” becomes a “yes”)
This may mean that additional interviews are conducted in order to comply with the law
If there are any questions, contact Staff Employment for direction

15. WHAT CAN I ASK? Keep the questions job related
Education, experience and training pertinent to the position and how they feels it will be of value.
The reasons for leaving positions.
Explain gaps in employment.
Whether or not the applicant can work the assigned schedule.
Membership in professional organizations related to the job.
What to do if someone brings up a topic that we can’t know about? i.e.
Personal health issues, I need to eat on a regular basis (diabetic), I have medications…
Other personal circumstances that might create a discriminatory (looking) decision – such as “my children are all grown and out of the house”
OCCC conducts background checks, the committee doesn’t need to concern themselves with the issue
The committee members put down pens and DO NOT note the comments. The chair will then re-direct the questioning back to job related issues. Do not discuss this during the de-brief… stick to work related questions and answers.
If the finalist has an issue, it is after the job has been offered and accepted that the hiring manager will then ask if there are any accommodations. Then the manager and OCCC will have further discussion about next steps.

16. BE PREPARED What will you do if:
A candidate comes to the interview in a wheelchair.
During the interview, the candidate says “I have to take my lunch right at noon everyday because of my diabetes.”
You receive a thank you note/ sent to your personal address.
What to do if someone brings up a topic that we can’t know about? i.e.
Personal health issues, I need to eat on a regular basis (diabetic), I have medications…
Other personal circumstances that might create a discriminatory (looking) decision – such as “my children are all grown and out of the house”
PCC conducts background checks, the committee doesn’t need to inquire about criminal or legal history
The committee members put down pens and DO NOT note the comments. The chair will then re-direct the questioning back to job related issues. Do not discuss this during the de-brief… stick to work related questions and answers.
If the finalist has an issue that must be accommodated, it is after the job has been offered and accepted that the hiring manager will then ask if there are any accommodations. Then the manager and HR/staff employment will have further discussion about next steps.

17. QUESTIONS? Contact: Joy Gutknecht HR Manager 541-867-8581
If you need further assistance or have additional questions:
Contact: Joy Gutknecht
HR Manager