Talent Acquisition
Hiring Process Steps: Wage
The full life cycle of a candidate from job opening to hire can be a daunting process. To help you navigate this cycle, please select the chronological process below that is where you are at. If you are just beginning, please select step 1!
Before the Search Begins
Before the search begins, determine the need that exists within your department/unit and review compensation, classification, and wage to ensure they are accurate and up-to-date prior to posting the position.
Job Description
After your initial review of the needed position, your next step will be to ensure that there is a valid job description in place to in order to post a job ad. For Wage and Classified positions, this is found in the Employee Work Profile (EWP).
When reviewing a job description, consider the following:
- Does this position already exist?
- What is the position's purpose and overall contribution to Mason?
- What are the essential and marginal functions of the position?
- What is the appropriate salary range for this position?
- If this position already exists, what is/was the pay range for the previous employee(s) holding this position?
- If this position doesn’t exist, please determine your department’s budget for the position and expected pay range.
Also, consider identifying or describing the physical elements required for the position, equipment use and working conditions.
- Does the position require supervisory skills? If so, how many will report to this position?
- What education and/or experience are needed to successfully accomplish the essential functions of the job?
- How might military experience equate?
- What licenses or certifications, if any, are required?
After finalizing the different components of your job description, the Initiator for the position will input into the applicant tracking system (ATS) and submit to the Department Approver by updating the status in the ATS. Should anything need to modified, the Department Approver will make final edits prior to moving the status to HR Review.
For assistance on retrieving or creating a position’s job description, please contact HR’s Classification and Compensation (Class & Comp) team at workplan@gmu.edu or visit the Classification and Compensation website for guidance.
Tip: We encourage job descriptions be reviewed annually to ensure they are accurate and true to Mason’s mission. For example, veteran candidates, who understand how their skills and experience can translate to the civilian workforce, are more likely to apply to our opportunities. As a position evolves over time, the job description will often evolve with it. Up-to-date job descriptions ensures that Mason attracts the most qualified candidates based on current data, both internal to Mason and the external market. In this spirit, please work with the Class & Comp team regarding position creation, modification, and annual review of your department’s job descriptions.
Job Compensation
The next step prior to advertising your vacancy is to evaluate and finalize your compensation. This step is initiated within the ATS through the HR Review stage and will cue Class & Comp to review the compensation based on pay equity within GMU and market analysis specific to the position.
Note: The pay range will be provided by Class & Comp within the job posting under the Notes tab. This data is only viewable by Mason employees and not the general public. For Wage positions, the pay rate should be provided for public review within the ad. For Classified positions, the Initiator may either provide the accepted pay range for the external ad or advertise it as “commensurate with experience”. For any Faculty positions (Administrative Professional or Instructional), it is strongly recommended that the position be listed as “commensurate with experience”. Pay data can be provided by candidates during the application process by electing to answer a prescreening question providing their minimum salary requirements. For additional guidance on how to utilize this pay data, please reach out to HR’s Class & Comp or Talent Acquisition team.
After compensation is confirmed, the position must be staged for HR Advertising Review within eWork. This moves the job opening into a critical stage of sourcing candidates. Your department may have an excellent job opportunity, but without a proper sourcing strategy, you may not attract the best candidates to apply. Attracting the top talent and developing a strong list of candidates is an important step to finding the best fit for your department/unit and Mason.
Job Ad
The first step in a successful sourcing strategy is to create a compelling job ad. A well-written job ad is an advertisement that markets the job opening and draws interest in the position.
A job ad must include a job description, minimum qualifications to be considered, and a closing date for at least initial consideration. In addition, the ad should disclose pay ranges for wage positions along with language stating “commensurate with experience” for most job ads unless the pay rate is fixed. Wage and Student Wage positions can be closed at any time but are encouraged to remain open for a minimum of two weeks (or the equivalent of 10 business days).
Note: If compensation is disclosed for faculty job ads, please add “commensurate with experience” after the range.
Example: “$18-22/hr, commensurate with experience”
Tip: Consider posting prescreening questions when drafting the job ad in eWork. While more work, incorporating voluntary job-relevant questions based on qualification requirements for the position, minimum salary requirements, relocation requirements, etc., can provide valuable data about a candidate upfront that can help you evaluate candidates more quickly, establish a candidate matrix, and save valuable time in the search process.
Example: “Minimum hourly pay requirements”
For assistance on creating a compelling job ad, feel free to contact the Talent Acquisition (TA) Department at jobs@gmu.edu. A Talent Acquisition specialist can assist in developing a strategic ad campaign with language that is relevant to your needs and a coordinated advertising campaign. They can help you develop a target campaign specific to your hiring grade, labor category, and niche market.
Budget
What is your department’s realistic budget to source for a candidate? Do you have a flexible timeline to attract and retain a qualified candidate? If you're on a tight timeline, you may require more upfront advertising to attract candidates quickly. If you have flexibility and can afford a longer search, you can leverage a more balanced and calculated approach to see whom you attract. For many job openings at Mason, free advertising can be leveraged with minimal advertising expenses if a strategic and proactive plan is put in place.
Advertising Options and Resources
Job ads can be posted in various advertising mediums from print and online to social. While some positions may only need free advertising sites and posting on Mason-affiliated sites such as HERC and Higher Ed Jobs, others may require a much more thought out marketing plan to draw the appropriate level of interest. In certain competitive markets such as Information Technology, STEM fields, and healthcare, it is strongly suggested that paid targeted advertising be used. If you are unsure of what a strategic ad campaign that will generate the best chances of success will look like, consult with the TA department to determine your marketing goals and what a realistic campaign will consist of based on your unique needs. From there, you can determine budgeted cost and approximate time-to-fill.
Diversity Advertising
George Mason University prides itself on its diversity and the value this adds to our school. We provide several resources for ensuring that the hiring process includes a diverse pool of underrepresented candidates, whether to address identified search goals, or as a proactive component of a successful search process. Below is a link to diversity-based organizations, websites, and resources that can be included in a strategic sourcing campaign.
List of Diversity Advertising Resources
In addition, TA has a dedicated Director of Diversity Outreach and a member of the Mid-Atlantic HERC that can provide industry expertise tailored to best practices and industry resources. For more information, contact Dwala Toombs, Director of Diversity Outreach, at dtoombs@gmu.edu.
Advertisements and job announcements make a difference in who applies for our positions. The language and appearance of our ads should be considered as carefully as the job description itself. For guidance on crafting the perfect advertisement, please contact the TA team at jobs@gmu.edu.
ADVERTISEMENT FORMULA: 5 CRUCIAL ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE
- Position Title
- Introductory Paragraph w/ brief description of department. Ex:
- The George Mason University, (Department) is looking for an enthusiastic and energetic person for a….
- Position Summary
- Ex: This position is responsible for…. and will report to…
- Required Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
- Ex: Applicants must have the ability…. ….. or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Preferred Qualifications
- Ex: The following education and/or skill sets are preferred….
Note: All job ads are automatically posted in: HERC, Higher ED, and The Washington Post.
Before the Search
Before the search, your unit or department may determine that you would like to incorporate a search committee to ensure diversity of thought. While this isn’t a requirement for Wage employee searches, you may decide that this position would benefit from the advantages that a search committee provides. If this is the case, we strongly suggest that the Initiator work with the Hiring Authority to follow search committee guidelines. This is best referenced by utilizing the Faculty Hiring Procedures Toolkit.
For additional questions or to register for search committee training, please contact the Organization Development and Learning team at sctrain@gmu.edu.
During the Search Process
During the search process, it is important that the Initiator or department designee of the search reviews each qualified application as well as the supplemental materials for that particular search. If candidates have not met the posting criteria or fail to attach the required materials, the committee reserves the right to not consider the applicant. This method must be applied to all applicants consistently. Creating a system for reviewing applications and resumes will help you improve your chances of including the most relevant candidates in your interview pool.
Once candidates who meet the minimum requirements have been identified, determine if preference to those who are state layoff employees or veterans is applicable. Please contact the Talent Acquisition team at jobs@gmu.edu with any questions.
Determining Viable Candidates
Please see the sample hiring matrix (Excel) to help your committee develop one that is right for your search.
Interview Questions
It is required that search participants ask the same initial questions of all candidates, without exception. Follow-up questions are permissible. Interview questions must be written prior to the commencement of the interview process.
First- and second-round interview questions must be uploaded using the online applicant tracking system. The method of interviewing must be consistent for each applicant. Each candidate must be afforded the same opportunity to interview.
For questions about interviewing or for sample interview questions, please contact the Organizational Development and Learning team at sctrain@gmu.edu.
Interviewing Veterans
Interviewing a veteran or wounded warrior is no different than interviewing any other candidate. Questions relevant to experience or training received while in the military, or questions to determine eligibility for veteran's preference required by law, are acceptable. In addition, the Talent Acquisition team has a dedicated Director of Diversity Outreach who can provide industry expertise tailored to best practices and industry resources.
For more information, please contact Dwala Toombs, Director of Diversity Outreach, at dtoombs@gmu.edu.
After the Search
After the offer letter is extended, all hiring paperwork through the MasonOnBoard must be submitted by the department designee for the Wage candidate. MasonOnBoard is the system of record for hiring paperwork for all employees. Once the new employee begins the completion of the onboarding packet, an appropriate EPAF must be submitted for hiring purposes. Electronic Approval Actions Forms (EPAFs) are the way colleges, units, and departments submit temporary, non-benefitted assignments for employees. Temporary assignments include Non-student wage, Student wage, Work-study, Adjunct, Graduate Assistant, Resident Assistant, and Miscellaneous assignments.
If the newly hired employee is a current Mason employee, then the hiring paperwork through the MasonOnBoard does not have to be submitted by the department designee.
For additional information, please reference the Onboarding and EPAF Manual.
Search Materials
If a competitive search process was utilized, all recruitment notes for wage positions must be kept for a minimum of three (3) years from the date of hire within the department. We strongly encourage departments to also submit the documents electronically to the Talent Acquisition team at jobs@gmu.edu. After the three-year mark, it is recommended that departments send documents to Records Management for confidential destruction.
NOTE: When sending materials to the Talent Acquisition team, accepted file formats include PDF and Word files. Please limit the number of attachments to 10; eWork has a maximum of 10 attachments allowed. It is recommended that departments combine similar search materials into one file.
Example: Combine all Confidentiality Forms into one PDF file and save it as “Confidentiality Forms”
Background Checks
Mason requires background checks on all employees. Background checks include criminal, motor vehicle, and/or financial history and any additional background related to potential job duties.
Background checks are initiated once the employee begins completing their personal information in MasonOnBoard. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of all required background checks, which must be completed before the employee's start date. Please visit the Background Investigation policy page or email bkground@gmu.edu for additional information.
Finalizing the Hiring Process
New employees must complete required paperwork online, including but not limited to: W-4/VA-4, Form I-9, benefit forms, selective service, etc. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires new employees to complete the I-9 no later than the close of business on their third (3rd) day of work. The employee OR a designated representative must visit HR & Payroll to complete section 2 of the Form I-9. International employees should reach out to the International Tax Office at inttax@gmu.edu to schedule an appointment to complete section 2 of their I-9.
Please contact hr@gmu.edu with any questions.