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Identifying

Initial Screening

The initial screening interview is an important tool used to narrow a pool of applicants to those most qualified. The initial screening interview allows hiring managers to:

  • Separate those candidates who have the minimum qualifications for the position from those who do not.
  • Generate a short list of qualified candidates who seem best suited to fill the vacancy.
  • Evaluate each applicant (using a Colby HR Interview Evaluation Form-Exempt or Colby HR Interview Evaluation Form-Non-Exempt) in relation to the qualifications for the position.
  • Conduct phone or virtual interviews with candidates to determine who best matches the qualifications in order to narrow the pool for on-campus interviews. If you are conducting screenings remotely, please refer to Colby ITS’s Choosing a Web Video Conferencing Platform to find the platform that will work best for you.
    • Review salary expectations and information with each candidate during the phone interview
    • Give the candidate specific follow-up plans

On-Campus Interviews

On-Campus interviews should be conducted for the top (most qualified) candidates only, as determined by the screening process.

  • For full-time, exempt positions
    • Travel arrangements must be booked through the College’s travel agency, Direct Travel, by the hiring department.
    • If travel arrangements include airfare, a two-week advance request must be provided to book reasonably priced flights with the travel agency.
    • The department is responsible for all interview expenses.
    • If extenuating circumstances do not allow two-week notice, the hiring department will be charged any difference in cost.
  • The department is responsible for the interview schedule and must provide HR a copy of the interview itineraries of all candidates.
  • At the conclusion of the interviews when ready to making a hiring decision the hiring manager must submit the hiring justification.
  • Use the forms and information on the Selecting the Right Candidate page to help you make a final decision.

When interviewing candidates, be sure to ask questions related only to job performance and to request the same information from all candidates; we encourage you to use the Conducting a Professional Interview – A Guide for Staff Search Committees.