Douglas County Schools

HUMAN RESOURCES

PROCEDURAL GUIDE

FOR

CLASSIFIED STAFF

Hiring Process

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Overview

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Posting Positions

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Request to Hire

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Reference Checks

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Paper Screening

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Evaluating the Paper Work

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Interviewing – General

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Interview Tips

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Interview Profile/Structure

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Questioning Techniques

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Helpful Hints

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Phone Inquiry Reference Check Form

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Classified Hiring Procedure Flow Chart

Hiring Process

Overview

With the shift from centralized to site-based management, it becomes the responsibility of site

administrators or supervisors to take on the liability and accountability associated with fair,

equitable, and quality hiring standards and practices.

This section is intended to provide site-based administrators and supervisors with important

information and procedures which will help ensure that the above requirements are met.

Common sense backed by research suggests that our efforts in finding the most qualified

applicant for the position saves enormously in hours of training, remediation, and the potential

costs associated with termination. In the same vein, adhering to policies and regulations

established by Federal and State law, as well as District policy and the negotiated contract, can

prevent headaches associated with lawsuits and grievances.

Posting Positions

In the past, the practice of posting positions by the District was strictly governed by adherence to

the negotiated contract/classified handbook and was a practice generally perceived by

administrators and supervisors as bureaucratic and a roadblock to efficient and timely hiring. In

compliance with not only Federal and State requirements regarding equal employment practices,

but in keeping with guidelines of Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the Equal

Employment Act of 1972 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1972, we have become less

liberal in our willingness to forgo the posting of generic positions and, in most cases, exceed the

requirements as outlined in the above mentioned guidelines.

The intent of posting our vacant positions is not intended to hamstring administrators and

supervisors, but is intended to protect them from potential legal action as a result of inconsistent

practices, as well as, to ensure that an adequate and qualified pool of applicants can be generated

for their consideration.

When a vacancy occurs, we require that you fill out a Personnel Requisition Form. This form

will be used to set in motion the posting and eventual selection process.

The standard postings were created from specific information extracted from the classified job

descriptions. When completing the Personnel Requisition Form, select the title of the position to

be filled from one of the job descriptions. With the standardization of the postings, it is

unnecessary to complete the “Brief job description” section of the Personnel Requisition Form.

If you are creating a new classified position that does not have a current job description, please

call Human Resources for a copy of the Job Description Form. A new job description must be

written and approved before the posting can occur in this incidence.

Request to Hire

When you have decided whom you wish to hire for a position, the administrator will need to

provide Human Resources with copies of the following in order to initiate the hiring process:

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Interview Report Form (EEOC Form)

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Three (3) Reference Check/Phone Inquiry Forms

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Questions Asked in Interview

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Recommendation for Hire Form

Reference Checks

Colorado law mandates that certain questions be asked as part of the hiring process. A minimum

three

reference checks must be made. One of these must be a

supervisor

who has evaluated

the performance of the candidate.

In some circumstances, it may be difficult to obtain three reference checks for classified

employees. Be creative. If an employee has not been in the workforce for many years, ask for

references from an organization he/she performed volunteer work, or a neighbor for whom the

applicant provided childcare periodically.

A thorough reference check on an applicant includes two or three individuals who are familiar

with the quality of the applicant’s work. Work-related references should be checked for at least

the past five years of an applicant’s work history.

The reason for conducting reference checks is to verify and validate that the applicant possesses

the skills and knowledge to succeed in the position for which he/she is being considered. The

best references are those who have directly supervised the applicant. In almost all cases, the

person most familiar with an applicant’s performance is the direct supervisor. Individuals who

work with the applicant are also good sources for references. These people are in a position to

observe if the applicant is an outstanding worker, possesses positive personal attributes, and

fosters a sense of sharing and collegiality. Conversely, if a former co-worker was a poor

performer, the others around him/her will know from firsthand experience.

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The Phone Reference Check Form developed by the District is designed to provide a

minimal means to ensure and document that references have been checked and the

appropriate legal questions have been asked.

Paper Screening

The purpose of paper screening is to help us identify two important issues regarding applicants:

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What they know

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What they are able to do

Of importance to the process of selecting quality candidates is the identification of the general

base of knowledge and skills one must possess in order to be considered as a potential employee

in the Douglas County School District.

In addition, qualified applicants must also be perceived as supportive of, and able to adhere to, the

District’s

Core Values and Mission.

Evaluating The Paper Work

We require a prospective classified employee to submit only an application, but our cover letter,

recommends the inclusion of a resume and three letters of reference.

In an effort to glean substantive information from these documents, we need to focus our

attention on the following:

Communication:

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Well-written

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Clear/concise/complete

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Attractive presentation

Experience:

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Up-to-date

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Gaps in employment

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Frequency of change/reasons for change

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Variety

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Actual work in the classroom/school setting

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Related experiences

Abilities:

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Breadth of knowledge and skills

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Understanding of learning and learning styles

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Teaching strategies/techniques

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Delivery models

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Knowledge of assessment strategies and usage

Letters of recommendation:

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Up-to-date

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Quality (“the best”, “exceptional”, etc.)

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Content

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Strengths related to our expectations

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Areas for growth

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Examples

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Variety

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Colleagues

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Supervisors

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Friends/community/parents/students

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Number (minimum of three)

Interviewing

Planning Prior to the Interview

It is important that you plan for the interview process. A clear and concise picture of the

interview process and your anticipated outcomes will provide you with an enhanced opportunity

to secure the “most qualified” person for the position.

Use the following guidelines in planning your interview process.

Decide What You Want To Know

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Work from job descriptions and your own knowledge base.

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Decide what is “essential” vs. “would be great if”.

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Specific skills.

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Specific knowledge.

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Current instructional strategies/best practices.

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Specific experiences.

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What qualities do successful candidates in this job have?

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When candidates have failed in this job - why?

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Specific Colorado license, authorization, and endorsements.

Relate All To The Job

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What can they do?

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What have they done?

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They must give examples of this!

The Plan

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Have written questions available for each interviewer.

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Plan the circumstances (no interruptions - room layout and seating).

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Timing.

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Materials (notepads, pencils, copies of resumes, etc.).

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Water - coffee.

Tips In Conducting The Interview

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Explain the interview process.

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Give time parameters.

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Set a tone of openness and comfort to get the applicant talking freely.

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Help the applicant relax by discussing school and job experiences.

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Use open-ended questions with follow-up clarifying questions.

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Find out what they know.

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Find out what they can do.

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Have them share examples to prove their knowledge and skills.

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Ask all applicants the same interview questions.

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Give them an idea of when you will be selecting your candidate.

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Let them know you will keep them apprised of where you are in the selection process.

Interview Profile/Structure

Introduction

Interviewer/s and candidate get 3-5 min.

acquainted; candidate put at ease.

Structure

Outline interview procedures with 1 min.

the candidate.

Body

Gather productive information to 20 -30 min.

(assessment) determine if you would recommend

the applicant for consideration. Such

as:

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academic background

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work experience

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special training

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career goals

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response to job-related questions

Wrap-up

Applicant should be given the 5 min.

opportunity to ask questions.

Summary

Encourage the applicant with 2 min.

information regarding next steps to

possible employment and what they

can expect in terms of follow-up.

Questioning Techniques

Open-ended Questions

Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no”. These questions invite the

applicant to express his/her opinions and feelings.

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Describe your working relationship with your last principal or supervisor.

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What will you be doing five years from now?

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What would your last supervisor or principal say about you?

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Give me five (5) one word adjectives that your colleagues would use to describe you

or your work.

Probing Questions

Probing questions are usually not developed before the interview. They are developed during the

interview in order to clarify an answer, obtain additional information, or to pursue an opinion.

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Could you give me examples of how you would implement those strategies?

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Could you further explain why you feel that way?

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Can you think of other situations in which that analogy might apply?

Problem Solving or Situational Questions

Problem solving or situational questions use a typical work-related situation and ask the

applicant to explain how they would go about implementing or handling that situation. When

used, this technique would be directly related to the specific job for which the applicant has

applied.

Direct Questions

Direct questions are answered with short, informative responses, i.e., yes or no.

These responses will be factual, not opinions or feelings of the applicant.

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Can you follow the track we would assign you?

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Where did you receive your undergraduate degree?

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When would you be available to start work?

Helpful Hints

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Do not

discuss salary issues with prospective employees.

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Do not

promise things which have not been discussed and agreed upon with Human

Resources in advance.

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send all necessary paperwork to Human Resources as a complete hiring packet.

Douglas County School District Re. 1

Phone Inquiry Reference Check

APPLICANT’S NAME:

POSITION APPLIED FOR:

NAME OF REFERENCE:

DATE OF INQUIRY:

PHONE #:

NAME OF PERSON MAKING REFERENCE CHECK:

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What is the nature of your association with the applicant?

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How long have you known the applicant?

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If you had to use a few words that you feel would accurately summarize this applicant, what

would you say?

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When providing initial training, what should we focus on and what kind of support will he or

she need to perform successfully in the job?

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How would you compare the applicant’s skills with others performing the same or similar

jobs?

Examples:

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How would you evaluate the applicant’s ability to take suggestions?

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How would you evaluate the applicant’s ability to take criticism?

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To your knowledge, has the applicant been convicted of, pled nolo contendere to, or received

a deferred sentence for a crime involving sexual behavior or unlawful behavior involving

children?

Yes No

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To your knowledge, has the applicant been dismissed by, or resigned from a school district as

a result of an allegation of unlawful behavior involving a child, including sexual behavior,

which was supported by credible evidence?

Yes No

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Do you have any other information that would reflect upon the applicant's fitness for

employment with the Douglas County Schools?

Yes No

If yes, explain.

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Would you rehire this person? Yes No

Legislation recently passed in the State of Colorado requires that we contact previous employers

to obtain the above information before we employ any person to work in a school district in this

state.

It is also important for you to know that, under this same law, any previous employer who makes

a recommendation concerning an applicant is immune from civil liability unless the information

is false and the previous employer knows it to be false or acts with reckless disregard concerning

the veracity of the information, and the school district acts upon the information to its own

detriment or to that of the applicant.

We are required by this same law to keep confidential any information we obtain from previous

employers because of this process.

Classified Hiring Procedure Flow Chart

Send Posting Requisition form to the

Classified Posting Secretary in Human Resources

Deadline: Each Thursday by 5:00 p.m.

Positions posted for seven workdays.

Interview Applicants

Complete Recommendation for Employment Form

Attach: Three Phone Inquiry Reference Check forms

Interview Report form

Interview Questions

If Special Services

New Hire

Send Report for Employment

and attach forms to Special

Services for signature.

If Nutrition Services, O & M,

Warehouse, Security, Transportation

New Hire

Send Report for Employment and

attached forms to the

Human Resources Specialist.

All Others

Send Report for Employment

and attached forms to the

Human Resources Specialist.

Applicant must contact the Risk Management Secretary

To set up a pre-employment physical.

(Employees cannot be on the job before passing physical.)

Once paperwork is received in Human Resources (including physical report when necessary),

The Human Resources Specialist will contact new hire for orientation.

(Orientations are conducted every Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. at the Wilcox building.

Start Employment