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I think being transparent and fair about the whole process is really important so there are a few things I always do. I've hired a lot of people during my career and this approach has always served me well.

1) create an application form that has all the boxes/questions you need answered rather than ask for covering letters and CVs. It makes it easier to compare like-with-like, and you avoid the issue of receiving enormous CVs with lots of irrelevant information. At the end of the day, it's probably not their fault that their CV looks weird - someone else probably gave them bad advice. I also prefer to receive applications by email, so the lack of actual signature is totally insignificant for me.

2) I produce a very clear job spec when the post is advertised and say explicitly, especially if it's an entry-level post, that the statement or letter describing suitability for the role should explain, using examples, how they meet the essential and desirable criteria. If they don't have all the essential then it's an automatic no.

3) From there I separate into "meets criteria" or "does not meet criteria". At that stage, I'll filter the remaining ones for depth of experience, unless it's an internship or a position which is intended to give experience; then someone with less experience may actually get the post.

4) If I still have too many to interview after the essential/desirable weed, I will rank them according to how well they tick the 'essential' and 'desirable' and invite the top 4 or 6 for interview. I usually use a 1, 2, or 3 (sufficient, very good, outstanding).

5) If they get to interview stage, I will usually ask them to prepare a presentation or complete a task on-site which will be very closely tied to the types of things they will need to do as part of the job. If the task isn't related to what they'll be doing it's both unfair and a waste of time. That way I can see whether the paper matches what's been written - not to catch someone out, but I've found that some people look good on paper but can't perform, or don't really know how to talk about their ideas, or work quickly and effectively, or their concept of what's 'finished' or 'important' is vastly different from mine.

6) I develop a set of interview questions closely related to the essential and desirable criteria and stick to them so that I can compare like-with-like and to make sure the whole process is fair. I also try to interview with at least one other person, sometimes from my organisation, sometimes from outside it, but someone who knows it and me really well. At the end of the day you need to pick someone you think you'll work well with and hopefully it's someone with whom you're excited about working.

Hope that helps someone!

Dr Dominique Bouchard

On 23 Apr 2016, at 07:03, Michael Rebman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Michelle and others,

I am also interested in learning about this topic, as I was formerly in Kim's position and may soon be involved in the selection of summer and part-time staff. One thing I am wondering, when you say a cover letter is not signed, do you specifically look for cover letters that are printed, signed, and scanned? Or do you prefer cover letters that have printed name and title at bottom, as expected for formal or business correspondence?

Michael R.

On Fri, Apr 22, 2016 at 1:07 PM, Kim Ornellas <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hello All,

This is a very interesting discussion on many levels for me. First, I wrote my Master's thesis on the topic of New Employee Onboarding for museums, and second I am looking for work and have been writing many cover letters and putting many custom resumes together.

I have a few questions for HR managers, especially those who have already weighed in. During your hiring process, beyond the spelling errors, experience levels, and stocking pet peeves, how do you establish selecting someone who might be a good fit for the museum and the position, or a strong applicant? Is there a particular quality you are looking for that you see on paper? How can you tell?

Do you have a plan for developing culture within your institution? If so, how is this expressed in your hiring process? Do you have a method for letting applicants know where you are in the process? How do you build a positive reputation with applicants who are denied?

These are just a few questions I am always thinking about.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and consider my questions.

Kim

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