CEC2HigherEd

The Typical University Hiring Process

The process below details a typical hiring process for a senior administrator at a University, such as the Assistant Vice President for Facilities.   While the process may vary somewhat from institution to institution, it will generally consist of the steps below. 

Step 1:  Application:  Submit your resume and cover letter to the recruiting firm running the search or on the University’s employment web site.

Step 2:  Initial Screening:  The recruiting firm or University’s Human Resources department screens applications to identify qualified candidates.

Step 3:  Initial Interview:  The recruiting firm or University’s Human Resources department conducts phone interviews to identify the top 5-10 candidates.

Step 4:  (Optional):  Face-to-Face Interview:  The recruiting firm may conduct face-to-face interviews to identify the top 3-4 candidates to invite to campus.

Step 5:  On-Campus Interview:  The University’s will invite 3-4 candidates to campus for a full day of interviews and meetings with University leaders and staff. 

Step 6:  (Optional):  Second On-Campus Interview: The University may invite the top two candidates back to campus for a second set of interviews and presentations with University leaders and Facilities staff. 

Step 7:  Selection and Job Offer: University selects top candidate, and the selecting official (usually the Executive Vice President or equivalent position) makes a job offer.   This will generally be done on campus.  The candidates spouse may be invited to campus as well.