Best Practices, Reminders, and Resources for UTHSC Employee Searches

Best Practices, Reminders, and Resources for UTHSC Employee Searches

As COVID-19 recedes, the UT Health Science Center has seen a general uptick on the number of employee searches that are underway. Our great work attracts new talent opportunities and interest in UTHSC. Many outstanding colleagues have joined UTHSC. Your leadership and your championing of all that the University has to offer makes a huge difference for potential candidates. To that end, recruiting top talent to UTHSC is everybody’s priority. In the spirit of putting our best foot forward, below are some best practices and reminders as UTHSC employees who participate on, and engage with, searches and search committees within the university.

Participation on UTHSC search committees involves expectations that search committee members will:
- Show up for all meetings and respond to all emails in a timely manner
- Participate in virtual and in-person meetings and interviews with candidates
- Help to solicit potential candidates
- Provide non-biased feedback about candidates based on the job requirements
- Be a positive champion and ambassador for the search and for UTHSC overall – if you are unhappy with UTHSC or actively looking for a position outside the university, please do not agree to be on a search committee
Confidentiality is crucial during the search process:
- Candidate materials are only to be viewed by search committee members
- Candidates' current institutions or colleagues should not be contacted outside of the normal channels and permissions for reference checks – besides not being appropriate, it could interfere with the search, or even be illegal
- Confidentiality should be maintained after the search is over
- Protecting candidates help ensure that top applicants stay in the search and that we have strong candidate pools for future searches
Searches should be conducted expeditiously, and not drag on
Ensuring due process is always followed, especially in a public institution
Being knowledgeable and able to "sell" the city (Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville, etc.), the uniqueness of the environment, and the potential of the opportunity – our About UTHSC web page provides helpful information!