Benefited Applicant Screening Process

This guide will cover:

  • Screening candidates, creating a matrix, submitting the matrix for review to advance the candidate to the Interview Phases
  • Communicating with candidates throughout the search process
  • The process of interviewing, updating the matrix, selecting a candidate, and requesting to advance the candidate to the Offer Phase
  • Drafting an offer and finalizing the hire

Although this guide provides steps of the systematic process, the Human Resources Recruiters are available for questions and guidance at any point in the process recruit@uwyo.edu (307-766-2377).

Step One

Access the Job Requisition

  • Sign into WyoCloud from WyoWeb. 
  • From the Home page, navigate to My Team, then click the Hiring icon.

Step Two

Access List of Applicants

From the Job Requisitions page, locate the requisition for which you are screening.

  • Click on the hyperlink to the Requisition Title.

  • From the Requisition Overview screen, click on the number for Screen (Requires Approval) – To be Reviewed by Hiring Manager. This will display the list of applicants that should be included in the screening matrix.

Step Three

Screening Applicants

Screen all applicants in the Screen (Requires Approval), To be Reviewed by Hiring Manager status. Be sure to review the Questionnaires and Attachments carefully for relevant applicant information.

  • Click on Applicant’s name to review their application.

  • Applicant details are provided in the application blocks down the middle of the page. Expand each section by clicking on the expand/collapse arrow. Other application information can be viewed by using the navigation on the left.
    • Please note the Questions tab includes answers to the required UW application questions such as veteran status and conviction-related information.
      • NOTE: Applicants cannot be screened out based on the answers to these questions. If you have questions/concerns, contact your HR Recruiting (recruit@uwyo.edu; 307-766-2377).  If a top candidate does disclose a conviction or policy violation, please let your HR Recruiting know.  Convictions and policy violations require a background check (if job related) and further review and approval up the chain of command.  This is facilitated by HR, so please work with HR Recruiting.  The employee may not start working until this is completed.

  • To view required attachments, click on the Attachments tab. These attachments can include the cover letter, resume/CV, and other supplemental documents.
    • NOTE: It is best to select List under the View drop-down. This way you can easily see all attachments and download them to share with the search committee.

  • When you finish reviewing a candidate, you can navigate to the next candidate by clicking the Next button at the top of the page.  You can also click Previous to review the previous candidate.

Step Four

Complete the Screening Evaluations Tab in the Matrix

Once the job posting closes or reaches its minimum posting date, a Recruiter will send an applicant list within a matrix template with instructions on how to proceed.  For details on how to complete the matrix, refer to the Matrix Instructions in the Hiring Toolkit. The matrix is a tool that will help you keep track of all the applicants through the duration of your search.

  • After reviewing all applicants, you will need to complete the Screening Evaluations sheet in the matrix as provided to you by the HR Recruiting Team. 
  • The matrix will include the Minimum and Desired Qualifications as listed in the job posting and the Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair must provide scoring and a thorough written evaluation of each candidate, indicating whether each candidate has been identified for an interview.
  • Candidates that do not meet ALL minimum qualifications must not be interviewed.

Step Five

Screening Matrix Review

A completed Screening Matrix is required prior to scheduling any interviews with candidates. This is to ensure an objective evaluation has been completed for each applicant.

  • Once you have completed the Screening Evaluations tab within the matrix, email it to recruit@uwyo.edu for review.
  • Searches may move forward scheduling first round interviews after emailing the interview matrix to HR Recruiting.

After reviewing the matrix, a Recruiter may make recommended updates, edits and/or ask you to include additional candidates to interview within a reasonable time frame.

  • NOTE: DO NOT PROGRESS OR CHANGE THE STATUS OF ANY CANDIDATES – CONFER WITH YOUR HR RECRUITING AT EACH STEP AND THEY WILL ADVANCE ALL CANDIDATES ACCORDINGLY.
  • Applicants not selected for interview should remain in Screen (Requires Approval), To be Reviewed by Hiring Manager status and a Recruiter will move them to Rejected by Employer and send a rejection correspondence based on the justification listed in the matrix.

Step Six

Conduct First Round Interviews and Update the Matrix

After you send the Screening Matrix to HR Recruiting, the selected candidates will appear with a Phase/State of Interview, Interview to be Scheduled.

  • Human Resources encourages you to use the Successful Selection Behavior-Based Interviewing Model.  The Recruiters will work closely with the Hiring Managers/Assistants for Staff searches to help you develop a score/weighted competency-based interview guide.  Although not required for Academic and Administrative searches, it is highly recommended.  Please reach out to a Recruiter to help you develop this tool.
  • The Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair will schedule interviews outside the system.  After interviews are conducted, the Interview Evaluations tab within the matrix must be completed and submitted to recruit@uwyo.edu for review.
    • Optional: If desired, SkillSurvey Reference checks may be requested at this time. Please email recruit@uwyo.eduto initiate this request.
  • The Interview Evaluations sheet within the matrix will include Competencies/Criteria being evaluated in the interview. The ‘Competency or Criteria #’ columns should be replaced with the competencies or criteria that the candidates were evaluated against during the interview (i.e., Leadership, Safety Awareness, Oral Communication Skills, etc.). The Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair must provide scoring and a thorough written evaluation of each candidate, indicating whether each candidate will move forward to additional interviews and/or reference checks.
    • NOTE: Additional Interviews are optional as determined necessary by the search committee. If no additional interviews will be conducted, note this in the last column.

SkillSurvey References are required prior to moving into any offer phase. Interviews can be conducted while the SkillSurvey References are being completed. The Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair will receive the SkillSurvey Report(s) from HR Recruiting. If no further interviews will be held, skip to Step Eight: Request SkillSurvey Reference Checks.

 

 

 

 

 

Step Seven

Conduct Additional Interviews (As Needed)

Multiple rounds of interviews may be completed.  The hiring matrix should be updated after each round of interviews to reflect each candidates’ progression throughout the interview process and sent to recruit@uwyo.edu.
  • The Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair will schedule the additional interview outside the system. 
    • NOTE: While additional interviews are being conducted, you may request the required SkillSurvey reference checks on this narrowed pool of candidates. Email recruit@uwyo.edu to make this request.

It is recommended that SkillSurvey be completed while additional interviews are being conducted to streamline the reference checks process, so its completion coincides with the completion of the additional interviews. However, the SkillSurvey is only required for the top candidate and may be completed at the conclusion of interviews.

 

 

 

 

  • After interviews are conducted, the Final Information sheet in the matrix must be completed and submitted to your HR Recruiting for review.

  • HR Recruiters will review the results of the Additional Interviews in the matrix and send the request for SkillSurvey references on the top candidate if this has not already been done.

Step Eight

Request SkillSurvey Reference Checks

 References are required prior to moving into any offer phase. Interviews may be conducted while the SkillSurvey References are being completed. The Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair will finalize candidate reference reports and provide an evaluation in the final information sheet within the matrix.

 

 

 

 

Once the candidate pool has been narrowed, you can request candidate reference checks via SkillSurvey if they have not already been requested.  The exact timing of the reference check is at the discretion of the Search Committee. This can be requested via email to  recruit@uwyo.edu  while conducting either first round or additional interviews.

  • After the SkillSurvey Reports are obtained, complete the Final Information sheet within the matrix and submit to HR Recruiting for review.

Step Nine

Pre-Offer

Once the SkillSurvey References are complete, a summary of the Reference Check is provided to the Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair by the Recruiter.  The Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair may disseminate information to Search Committee members as necessary. Note: Prior to the verbal offer, the SkillSurvey Reference check and the Final Information sheet within the matrix must be completed and reviewed by a Recruiter.

 

  • At this time, the Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair should complete the Final Information sheet within the matrix and provide this to HR Recruiting for review. The Final Information sheet should include an evaluation of interviews (if an additional interview was conducted), and a brief evaluation of the reference responses.

Rank all candidates that are acceptable for hire within the final matrix. Be sure to email this final version of the matrix to your recruit@uwyo.edu for review. 

 

 

  • Once the matrix has been reviewed, a Recruiter will progress the top candidate to the Phase/State Verbal Offer, Verbal Offer to be Made.

Step Ten

Verbal Offer

Currently, the Hiring Manager/Assistant/Search Chair is responsible for communicating the verbal offer of employment outside of the system. This action typically occurs over the phone. During this call, a start date, rate of pay and any additional compensation should be discussed and agreed upon.

Please refer to our start date guidelines in the Hiring Toolkit. Start dates should allow time for completion of all required pre-employment checks, creation and approval of the written offer, and time for the candidate to accept the position. They should also coincide with a biweekly Pay Period Begin date. Refer to the Payroll Deadlines document for these dates under the “Time Period Start Date” column.

 

  • If the candidate accepts the verbal offer, notify HR Recruiting.

At this time, a Recruiter will initiate the required background check through Sterling Talent Solutions as well as any other pre-employment checks such as the MVR check.

 

  • If the candidate does not accept the verbal offer, notify HR Recruiting and they will note the withdrawal in the system.  
    • You may move on to the verbal offer for the second ranked candidate.

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