Recruitment Toolkit

The REP is designed to ensure that adequate recruitment and outreach steps are taken to attract and recruit a pool of qualified applicants. Each job requisition requires a completed REP to be uploaded in Workday.

Recruitment Efforts Plan

A recruitment strategy meeting is the initial meeting in which the Hiring Manager and HR discuss the goals that should be met during the recruitment process. HR professionals and Hiring Managers should partner throughout the process to make informed and intentional staffing decisions.  

Recruitment Strategy Meetings for Successful Recruitments

All job postings must meet required minimum posting periods as designated by the Office of Human Resources.   

Minimum Job Posting Periods  

Open recruitment for specific Academic Staff, Faculty, Limited, and University Staff vacancies is not required when certain criteria are met. Waivers are used in situations when there is a business need to hire an otherwise qualified applicant, for example, temporary, acting or interim appointments to fill a vacancy or when an employee goes on leave.

Recruitment Waiver Reasons

Referral Priority is a service provided by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to help support eligible employees find new employment after a layoff or, in some cases, nonrenewal. Employees enrolled in Referral Priority (RP) receive expedited consideration of their job application and are eligible to bypass the full recruitment process.

Referral Priority Guide

Human Resources and Hiring Managers are in a position to influence change in recruitment practices. These resources are meant to help purposefully develop and prioritize job criteria. The criteria will be used in selecting Search and Screen (S&S) committee members, developing rubrics for screening, developing interview questions, and building talent pools.

• • Developing Job Criteria

• Best Practices for Writing Job Postings

• Internal Recruitment Process and Justification

• Advertising Salaries and Total Compensation: Best Practices
• Job Posting Best Practices for Permanent Residency and H1-B Sponsorship
• Business Title Guidelines
• Reuse of Applicant Pool

Featured Career Pages (FCP)

A Featured Career Page is an opportunity for units to showcase a job group, job category, high-volume hiring need, or niche recruitment for a defined period. These pages receive extra clicks due to their placement on the employment website.

Featured career pages

The website add-on provides a simple way for schools, colleges, and divisions to curate a list of real-time job openings on their website.

Website add-ons for promoting UW job postings

To support these efforts, Outreach & Sourcing Specialists serve as key connectors between campus units and community partners. Units can contact them directly to:

• learn more about available partnerships and outreach opportunities
• explore tailored recruitment strategies aligned with their hiring needs
• request support in promoting job openings through community channels

Additionally, Outreach & Sourcing Specialists may proactively reach out to campus units when relevant opportunities arise.

To begin a conversation or request support:

• Contact Talent Pathways at uwjobs@wisc.edu
• Connect with your TA Specialist
• Subscribe to Bridges, a quarterly newsletter that facilitates regular exchanges with community members to understand and explore opportunities on campus: explore.wisc.edu/bridges

Together, we can create opportunities to honor the richness of our community and strengthen the UW-Madison workforce.

LinkedIn Enterprise is centrally funded by the Office of Human Resources and is at no cost to units. Benefits of the Enterprise account include:

• Recruiter seats: a way to find, connect with, and manage candidates for open positions. See below (link to LinkedIn Recruiter in Sourcing Strategies)
• Automatic job postings: if your unit has a LinkedIn page, your jobs will be posted automatically to the page. The page will be affiliated with UW-Madison’s main LinkedIn page.
• Increased job exposure and advertising opportunities: all jobs are given search result priority with no additional action steps needed by units.

The jobs website is automatically integrated with and/or scraped by several vendors. This page provides information on additional community organizations and other paid advertising opportunities to supplement your outreach efforts.

Advertising and Job Board Integrations

Indeed scrapes the jobs.wisc.edu website; however, there may be times when a job needs better visibility to attract candidates. This KB provides steps to take to sponsor your job on Indeed.com.

Sponsor a Job on Indeed

The “Launch Your Career” call to action (CTA) enables the Talent Acquisition team to build a talent community, individuals who have shown interest in working for UW-Madison, without applying for a specific position. When filling out this brief form, visitors can choose the area(s) of interest (job group(s)) they are most interested in. Potential candidates from this network can be shared with hiring units for a particular position or job group as a supplemental option for recruitment efforts.

Launch Your Career
Call-to-Action

LinkedIn Recruiter seats allow for:

• Candidate outreach, leading to better quality and more robust applicant pools and a positive candidate experience
• Collaboration with teammates on outreach and candidate management within Projects
• AI-Assisted searches to quickly find qualified talent for all levels of positions
• Creation of a talent community of potential candidates for future hiring needs

To sign up for a Recruiter account, fill out the Google form: https://forms.gle/c5mBGZpmUEFoMd7f9

An Outreach & Sourcing Specialist will follow up with information on training and resources to ensure you get the most out of this powerful recruitment tool. All LinkedIn recruiters receive ongoing emails that support best practices and can be accessed through a Google Group.

LinkedIn Recruiters can access additional resources, courses, and webinars on demand via the Enterprise Learning Hub.

Building Talent Pipelines in LinkedIn Recruiter

Handshake is a free tool and the primary platform for engaging with current students and early-career professionals.

Which platform to use

The lists below shows which platform to use depending on the job type:

• Handshake
  • Post-graduate jobs
  • Internships
• UW Student Jobs
  • Part-time
  • Temporary
  • Work-study

Career Services at UW-Madison supports accounts for all UW-Madison students. You can also use Handshake to connect with students from schools across the country.

Create an Employer User Account

• Visit https://app.joinhandshake.com/emp to create an account. You will be able to link your account to UW-Madison’s employer profile.
• A request will be sent to OHR-TA to approve your profile.
• You can also contact hr_communities_of_practice@ohr.wisc.edu to be added to the Recruitment CoP Handshake folder which includes many resources and tools to support your engagement with Handshake.

Post Job Opportunities

A job posting on Handshake can be friendly and informal. Use the posting to share team culture and details that aren’t in the job description. Be clear about skills needed, work hours, location (remote, hybrid, or on-campus), who the role reports to, and key team projects. Include how to apply and offer a way for candidates to ask questions—this helps make the process more accessible.

Attend Career Fairs

Registration to attend in-person or virtual career fairs at UW-Madison or other schools may require the creation of an employer account on Handshake where you can then search for fairs by location, school, and other filters. For information on in-person or virtual career fair registration, go to https://careers.wisc.edu/employers/#fair.

Create Other Events

You can use Handshake to create other events, such as Information Sessions about current job openings. Students and early career professionals can register for sessions to learn more about your job(s) and how to apply. You can track student registration and participation as part of your recruitment outreach.

You can access additional resources in Handshake’s Employer Help Center.

A talent community, also known as a pipeline, is a proactive and strategic approach to sourcing and engaging candidates who are qualified and interested in working for UW-Madison. A talent community is not a static list of names, but a dynamic process of nurturing and developing relationships with potential hires over time. The goal is to create a pool of candidates who are aware of our employer brand, fit the culture and values, and match your current or future hiring needs.

You can use various methods to build your talent pipeline, such as:

• referrals
• social media
• events
• online platforms
• outreach campaigns

A series of customizable images for your unit’s social media posts can be found in the following Adobe Express library.

To access the customizable image library:

1. Launch Adobe Express
2. Select the ‘Your Stuff’ folder from the sidebar menu.
3. Click the Library button and locate the TA – Social Media Template library.

Using the template:

1. Browse the library and choose the template you want to use. Click the design then press the ‘Start a New File’ button.
2. The selected template will open in the Adobe Express editor, allowing you to customize it.
3. The first three layouts are evergreen and can be downloaded as is.
   1. The next three layouts are designed for you to update with a specific job title.
   2. The final three layouts allow you to swap the Talent Acquisition logo with your division or department logo.
4. Once customized, download the image(s).
5. Click the ’Download’ button on the top right and choose the PNG file format. Click ‘Download’ again to finish.

General Post Examples:

• Seeking a new challenge in [Position Department/Field]? Look no further!

  The University of Wisconsin is on the lookout for talented professionals like you. Take the next step in your career and #WorkWithBucky

  Apply now at [Job Link]

• Passionate about [Field/Keyword]?

  The University of Wisconsin is seeking a talented [Position Title] to make an impact. If you’re ready to inspire and innovate, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

  Apply today at jobs.wisc.edu and #WorkWithBucky towards greatness!

• Dreaming of a career that makes a difference?

  The University of Wisconsin is hiring a talented [Position Title] to contribute to our mission of excellence. Join us and #WorkWithBucky to inspire, innovate and create positive change! Apply now at [Job Link]

  #CareerOpportunity #MakeADifference

Topic: Career Growth

• Ready to take your career to the next level?

  The University of Wisconsin is hiring talented individuals who are passionate about personal and professional growth!

  Explore exciting opportunities at jobs.wisc.edu and #WorkWithBucky to unlock your full potential!

• Looking for a place where your skills can shine? Look no further!

  The University of Wisconsin is hiring dedicated individuals who are ready to unleash their full potential. Explore exciting job openings at jobs.wisc.edu and apply today.

  #WorkWithBucky and build a successful career!

Topic: Career Change

• Seeking a fresh start? Ready for a rewarding career change?

  Look no further than the University of Wisconsin! Join our diverse community and make a difference in the lives of students and beyond. Explore available positions at jobs.wisc.edu and embrace a brighter future.

• Ready to rewrite your professional story?

  The University of Wisconsin is actively recruiting individuals like you who are eager to embark on a new professional chapter. Don’t miss this opportunity to #WorkWithBucky and contribute to our prestigious institution.

  Discover your potential at jobs.wisc.edu and take the first step toward your dream career!

For additional examples, contact your Talent Acquisition Specialist.

Sharing jobs on your individual LinkedIn profile helps in expanding the job’s reach and aligns with outreach best practices.   

General Post Examples:

• We are hiring!

  [Department Name] does important work that has an impact across campus. At the same time, employees receive support for their career goals and grow as professionals.

  We believe that collaboration among people who bring different experiences and backgrounds drives innovation and provides employees with opportunities to thrive.

  Here is the link to the job posting: [Job Link]

  The deadline to apply is [Date]

  Come join our community! #WorkWithBucky

• We are #hiring! The [Department] within the [Division] at the University of Wisconsin – Madison is seeking to hire a [Title]. Please share this job posting if you know anyone who might be interested! Check out the job posting here: [Job Link]

For a New/Current Employee:

• I cannot believe it has already been two months with UW-Madison’s [Title] at [Department/Division]! Even in a short amount of time, I have made life-long friendships and been able to grow my skills exponentially. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to grow their professional skills, meet some amazing people, and become a Badger!

  Good news – we are hiring! The deadline to apply is [Date].

  Check out our Featured Careers Page to learn more: [Page Link]

Include hashtag keywords within the post content for additional reach:

• Calling all #marketing professionals!
• …currently hiring for #FoodServiceJobs

A best practice when sharing a social post is to @ or mention the Jobs at UW account, @jobsatuw, and use the Work With Bucky hashtag, #WorkWithBucky.

Examples:

• #WorkWithBucky
• #UniversityOfWisconsin
• #UWMadison
• #WeAreHiring
• #JobOpening
• #CareerGrowth
• #JoinOurTeam
• #JoinTheUWteam
• #UWisHiring
• #JobsAtUW
• #CareerDevelopment
• #OpportunityKnocks
• #[Department/Skill/Area]Jobs
• #LaunchYourCareer

Redacted application screening is the practice of removing personally identifiable information from application materials before review that could signal applicant members in a specific group. By removing identifying details, screeners are encouraged to focus on the candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications.

Application redaction is one part of a holistic hiring process to mitigate bias. Bias mitigation strategies implemented throughout the entire recruitment process and a shared understanding of how biases interfere with decision-making can help support a successful hire.

Questions to consider before implementing redaction:

• What biases are we trying to mitigate? Who is impacted by which strategies we implement?
• Do we have a shared understanding of what information we’re choosing to redact and why?
• Do we have the tools or resources to redact efficiently? If not, who can we connect with to find them?
• Application redaction is one step to help interrupt unconscious bias. What other steps in our recruitment process are in place to mitigate bias, such as in the job description, sourcing candidates, and interviewing processes?

Additional information for redacting

Guide to Redacted Application Screening

A rubric is a structure used to evaluate candidates consistently and objectively. It outlines specific criteria and levels for assessing applications or interviews.

Rubrics typically include:

• Evalutation Criteria: key skills, qualifications, or attributes being assessed (e.g. communication skills, technical expertise, leadership potential).
• Rating Scale: A consistent scoring system (like 1–5 or 1–3), where each number represents a level of performance (e.g., 5 = Excellent).
• Descriptors for Each Score
  • Clear descriptions of what performance looks like at each level.
  • Helps reduce subjectivity and ensures consistency across evaluators.
• Weighting (Optional): Some criteria may be more important than others and can be weighted to reflect their importance in the role.

Benefits of Using Rubrics:

• Reduces bias by standardizing evaluations.
• Promotes fairness by ensuring all candidates are judged on the same criteria.
• Improves transparency in decision-making.
• Helps document and support hiring decisions.

Sample rubrics

Interview Example:

Additional resources for rubrics

Application Screening Form

• Best Practices for Employment Interviews
• Best Practices for Employment Interview Questions

• Interview Evaluation Form
• Interview Questions and Notes Sheet
• Interview Summary Tracking Tool

Reference checks must be performed on the chosen finalist(s). Information from references is useful in evaluating a candidate’s skills, training, experience, and ability to perform position duties.

SkillSurvey is integrated with Workday to conduct reference checks.

• MRC Policy and Procedures FAQs
• SkillSurvey Information Page
• Initiate, View, and Record Misconduct Reference Check

Documentation of why a candidate was selected for a position is required. This form is an example of how to do that. Best practice is to retain this form in the recruitment file. 

Hiring reason form

An employment agreement is a formal document sent to the selected candidate. It outlines the key terms of employment and serves as the foundation for the employment relationship.  

Employment agreement templates for faculty and staff are stored in Workday.

Faculty Offers – Staff Code of Ethics 

The following link can be included in Faculty offer letters:

Student Employment Agreements

Student Assistant

• Fellow/Trainee Stipend Adjustment Language

Project/Program Assistant

• PA Annual Exempt
• PA Annual Non-Exempt
• PA Annual Exempt Reappointment
• PA Annual Non-Exempt Reappointment
• PA Academic Exempt
• PA Academic Non-Exempt
• PA Academic Exempt Reappointment
• PA Academic Non-Exempt Reappointment
• PA Reader Grader

Research Assistant

• RA Annual
• RA Academic
• RA Annual Reappointment
• RA Academic Reappointment

Teaching Assistant

• TA Exempt
• TA Non-Exempt

The onboarding process is a culmination of the recruiting cycle. It marks the transition from candidate to employee. This process includes welcoming new employees to your unit, providing orientation, training, and support to help them succeed in their roles. For tools and resources to support effective onboarding, visit the Onboarding Toolkit: https://hr.wisc.edu/hr-professionals/onboarding/