Interviewing Candidates

Prior to interviewing candidates for the position, it is recommended that the manager form a selection panel and selection matrix. A selection panel is a team who conducts interviews and recommends top candidates for the position. A selection matrix is a tool to help objectively compare an applicant’s qualifications to the position’s required qualifications and functions. Guidance on forming a selection panel and selection matrix can be found here.

Managers should aim to keep interviews as consistent as possible across different candidates. This means asking the same questions and keeping a consistent interview format (remote vs in person) for each candidate. Below are some additional resources on forming interview questions and best interview practices.

• Interview Question Bank - by competency

• Interviewing Basics

• Interviewing Dos and Don'ts

Hiring Preference

Some candidates may be designated as having a hiring preference in Workday. These candidates are entitled to a preference in employment over other applicants for the same position who do not have greater qualificationsif they are deemed equally qualified. Below are the types of hiring preferences:

• Veteran’s Employment Preference

• Former Foster Child

• Special Hiring Preference

Reference Checks

Before making an offer to a candidate, it is important required to conduct reference checks. Similar to interviews, managers should keep reference checks as consistent as possible. It is best practice to contact at least two previous employers for each finalist and to ask the same questions in each reference check. Please review these Reference Check Questions for examples of questions to ask during a reference check. Additional guidance for conducting reference checks can be found here.

Dean’s Direct Reports

All positions reporting to the dean require prior approval from the Provost Office before extending any commitments. Commitments include creating new positions, backfill requisitions, salary adjustments, hire/transfers, etc. For new hires, selection information needs to be sent to the Provost Office for review and approval. Email hr-evpp@austin.utexas.edu for approval.

Ready for Hire

COE-HR requires the completion of All units except for academic departments, MCPER and National Deaf Center should complete the Hiring Manager’s checklist only if we are the ones supporting the hiring process. The checklist is required for COE HR to initiate the offer letter and submit the background check request. The new employee cannot start until the background check has cleared. If your unit is not directly supported by COE-HRdoes not use the hiring manager’s checklist, communicate with your HR Partner on the next steps for the hire.

COE Hiring Manager's Checklist

Submit the COE Hiring Manager's Checklist after recruitment efforts have been completed and a candidate has been selected for the position.

Initiate PowerForm

Supplementary documentation for additional candidates

You can use the links below for the additional candidates interviewed if you have more than the checklist allows:

• Additional Candidates Interviewed (Word)

• Additional Candidates Interviewed (online-fillable PDF)

Once the COE Hiring Manager’s Checklist has been submitted, COE-HR will draft the offer letter and initiate the background check. The new employee cannot start until the background check has cleared.

COE onboarding for faculty, staff, and UTemps (not student employees)

Managers (or appropriate delegate) for all COE units except MCPER, National Deaf Center, and IPSI , and CCCSE should complete the COE Employee Onboarding Form. For details on the onboarding process for your unit, please click the appropriate link below:

• MCPER and National Deaf Center Employees

• IPSI and CCCSE Employees

• All other COE units

MCPER and National Deaf Center employees

Follow local procedures.

IPSI and CCCSE employees

Information Technology

Note: IT support for IPSI and CCCSE is provided by Technology Resources (TRECS). For assistance, submit a TRECS Incident Form via ServiceNow.

Actions for New Employee:

• Register for Duo

• Claim Outlook mailbox

Action for Manager:

As far in advance of the employee’s first day as possible, submit a TRECS Customer Onboarding request via the ServiceNow online system.

Office of Communications

Action for Manager:

Email both coecommunications@austin.utexas.edu and coewebteam@austin.utexas.edu the information listed below about the new employee. They will set up a head shot appointment and add the new employee to the web site.

All other COE units

The direct supervisor (or appropriate delegate) should complete the Employee Onboarding Form following the guidance below.

1. Before beginning the form, gather all needed information:

Employee information:

• First and last name

• EID

• Employee type (T/TT or NTT faculty, staff, UTemp)

• Percent time appointment (for faculty, determines eligibility in Technology Life Cycle program)

• Primary department/office

• Secondary department/office, if applicable

• Job title

• Start date

• UT email address, if available. Ask employee if they have been notified by ITS of new UT email address.

• Personal email address, if UT email address is not available

• Office assignment (building and room number)

Technology and software needs:

• If using existing device, UT inventory tag and item location

• If a new device is needed, description and specs.

• Specific software needs beyond the standard suite.

  • Standard suite is Office365 applications, common web browsers, VPN client, anti-virus software, and Acrobat Reader.

  • Standard suite does not include Acrobat Pro, FileMaker Pro, Windows emulation software, or mainframe client – these must be specifically requested if needed.

  • If using existing device, location and phone number.

Office telephone:

• If using existing device, location and phone number.

• If a new device is needed, type:

  • Any basic, any business, or other. See list of options.

Outlook mailbox and calendar designations, if any:

• Names and type of access needed ( e.g., COE_ITO calendar, KHE Staff All mailbox).

Electronic door locks, if any:

• If employee will need to unlock/lock any ITO-managed programmable electronic door locks for individual rooms, gyms, or labs, list room numbers. (This does not include building entry locks, which are managed by Facilities.)

Transfer of Sponsored Research Agreements, if applicable (usually faculty)

• Does the faculty member have any sponsored research agreements (e.g., grants, data use agreements, confidentiality agreements, etc.) that will need to be transferred to UT Austin in anticipation of their start date?

2. Complete and submit Employee Onboarding Form (EID login and authentication required)                      

3. The form will route to multiple college offices to initiate processes within each. Once submitted, the form will route to the following college offices:

College of Education Research Administration (COERA)

COERA will be notified if a faculty member has any sponsored research agreements (grants, data use agreements, confidentiality agreements, etc) that will need to be transferred to UT Austin in anticipation of their start date. COERA staff will reach out to the faculty member directly with additional follow-up questions depending on the type of agreement, sponsor, project period, documentation required, etc.

Facilities Services

Facilities Services will be notified of new hire to:

• Add employee to education_szb@utlists.utexas.edu UT List (SZB building occupants)

• Authorize (faculty and staff) to access COE Facilities resource (wiki) pages

• Authorize employee for Sanchez and/or Belmont EPSS (Electronic Physical Security System; formerly BACS) access. (Note that an employee must first have a UT ID card with a proximity sensor before they can be authorized in the EPSS system.)

Note: The form cannot be used to make building key requests. Keys should be requested outside of this process, here: Sanchez (SZB) Building Key requests

Information Technology Office

A help request will be submitted to track computing device setup for the employee. ITO will also:

• If electronic access to ITO-managed electric door(s) is needed, a separate help request will be submitted on your behalf to the attention of James Cutrone.

• Submit a request on the employee's behalf to change Caller ID and add new or replace UT Voicemail box, as required

• Add the employee to the CoE UT Lists below, as appropriate:

  • education_all (faculty and staff)

  • education_faculty_all

  • education_faculty (t/tt)

  • education_faculty_ntt

  • education_informational

  • education_staff

Office of Communications (OOC)

Office of Instructional Innovation (OI2)

Faculty only: OI2 will contact the new faculty member regarding information about the services their office can provide.

Questions or Issues After Onboarding Form is Submitted

A help request ticket will be automatically created after an onboarding form is submitted. ITO staff will contact the form submitter and/or the employee via the ticket with clarifying questions should the need arise.  The form submitter and/or employee can also reply via the ticket email to provide additional information or ask follow-up questions.

Post-submission follow-up questions for COERA, Facilities Services, OOC, or OI2 should be addressed to those offices directly. Contact for Dean’s Office units is available here.