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Search Committee Resources

Welcome to the search committee resource page! As Whitworth University employees, we take great pride in contributing to our shared mission by building a just and inclusive community and selecting exceptional people to join our employee community. This resource page is designed to provide you with best practices, valuable tools and guidance to conduct a successful search, ensuring an equitable and effective process to select new hires who will make meaningful contributions to Whitworth's mission.

As a university dedicated to equipping our diverse students with an education of the mind and heart, we recognize that the individuals we invite into our community play a pivotal role in shaping this transformative experience. Our search committees play a crucial part in evaluating, identifying and selecting candidates who align with our mission, possess the necessary skills and qualifications to be successful, have demonstrated experience in intercultural competencies, and have a genuine passion for Christian higher education.

Throughout this resource page, you'll find an outline and checklists for the various stages involved in the hiring process. These resources will help you build a diverse committee, draft a compelling job posting, equitably evaluate candidates and conduct thoughtful interviews. There are also tools on how to have courageous conversations to make informed decisions when retaining or rejecting candidates.

At Whitworth, we believe our Christ-centered work in justice, equity, diversity and inclusion is not just a goal but a fundamental aspect of our Christian identity. This identity guides our hiring practices, and this resource page offers guidance on how search committees can actively implement tools and practices that will aid in reducing bias and stereotypes.

Whether you have served on past search committees or are new to the process, this resource page aims to provide the information and tools necessary to facilitate a successful and enriching hiring process. Thank you for your dedication to Whitworth's mission and for your contribution to the growth and vitality of our campus community.

  • Before the Search

    Planning well in advance of the need to fill an open position is a crucial step in the search and selection process. Taking time before a hiring need arises to think strategically about the future of your respective areas will help build well-structured, equitable and efficient search processes. This step sets the foundation for successful recruitment, equitable processes, and ensuring that you identify and attract the best candidates to join Whitworth. In this guide, you will find best practices and resources to create a plan for your department and areas to build a search that aligns with Whitworth's goals and values.

    Best Practices

    Resources

  • Writing the Position Description

    Welcome to the process of crafting a compelling and inclusive position description or position posting. Whitworth uses these two terms interchangeably, and the one document serves for both the description and the posting. At the recruitment stage, you are encouraged to be creative in how you accurately describe what a candidate can expect to do in the position at Whitworth. A well-crafted position description is not only a valuable tool for attracting qualified candidates but also serves as a clear roadmap for successful candidates once they join your team and department.

    Best Practices

    Resources

  • Search Committee Composition

    When it comes to selecting search committee members to serve on the committee, it's essential to find colleagues with a diverse set of skills and expertise to support the group's function. Assembling a search committee is an opportunity to bring together a diverse group of faculty, staff and students from various backgrounds who will bring essential voices and expertise to the committee. Their collective insights and experiences will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in identifying the best candidates to work at Whitworth.

    Most search committees will have 3-6 members. Check out the best practices for more information!

    Best Practices

    Resources

  • Recruiting, Advertising & Building a Pool

    Recruiting and advertising a job opening is a team effort with the search chair/hiring manager, HR, the Equity Advocate and the search committee. There are best practices that can significantly improve our chances of attracting the best candidates. These practices not only help streamline the hiring process but also ensure that we find the most qualified people for the job. It's crucial to employ effective strategies that make the most of resources while maximizing results. So, let's dive into some key tips for a successful job recruitment and advertising campaign.

    Best Practices

  • Evaluating Applications

    This is the step in the process where the real work begins! The search committee begins to evaluate applications based on the qualifications outlined in the job posting. In this step, it is important that the committee has finalized the criteria matrix and identified a rubric the group will use to help evaluate applications using consistent criteria. The best practices and resources aim to provide the committee with insights and tools to equitably evaluate candidates to find the strengths within each person. Build in pauses as you review and evaluate candidates, always remembering that behind each application is a real person with a desire to serve at Whitworth. To do our best in evaluating candidates, we have to explore our biases, identify which ones are ours, and use tools and best practices to continually work to reduce how our biases influence our decision-making.

    Best Practices

    Resources

  • Conducting Interviews

    The process of interviewing candidates for a position at Whitworth is important in order for the search committee to make informed hiring decisions. A well-structured and meticulously executed interview process is the cornerstone of successful talent acquisition. It not only ensures that the search committee selects the best candidate for the role but it also reflects positively on Whitworth's culture and reputation.

    In this step, you will find the best practices for a search committee to conduct interviews effectively. We will explore the aspects of the interview process, from pre-interview preparation to post-interview evaluation, offering actionable tools and resources that can help the committee make well-informed and equitable decisions that benefit both Whitworth and the candidates.

    Best Practices

    Resources

  • Campus Visits

    Inviting finalists to visit campus and participate in a campus interview plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of Whitworth. This step in the search process will take creativity, effective coordination and intentional communication. Campus visits play a key part in the search process; having candidates come to campus offers the opportunity to not only assess their qualifications but also to gauge their potential to make meaningful contributions to students' lives and our mission. Candidates will also be interviewing Whitworth as they consider our community as their vocational and professional home. 

    This part of the guide will explore the best practices every search committee should adopt when hosting campus interviews. These practices have been crafted to help committees make informed, unbiased and effective hiring decisions while also creating a welcoming and collaborative environment for candidates. 

    Best Practices

    Campus Visits