Hiring Tips and Tricks

Job Announcements and Planning

1. When writing the duties and qualifications for job announcements, follow these best practices:

   • • Use less jargon, acronyms and overly-complex information. 

     • Use plain language.

     • Think about a wide range of abilities and audiences who will be reading your announcement and meet their needs.

2. Be thoughtful about the number of supplemental questions; too many questions on top of a detailed application can be very taxing on the candidate.

3. Prepare for your recruitment by confirming any Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and your main interview panel prior to the announcement being posted. 

   • • Place calendar holds while the announcement is live to ensure there are no scheduling conflicts later.

Interviewing

1. Solicit an interview panel volunteer for any CoWINS covered positions.

   1. • Refer to the Interview Process and Practice document

2. Use a diverse hiring committee with panel members from different teams and/or organization levels.

   1. • Refer to this Inclusive Hiring Practices Guide

3. Give realistic job previews during the interviews. Don’t add “fluff” when describing the position. 

   1. • Example: If a position has strict hours, in office time or travel requirements, mention them in the interview. If the position often encounters disgruntled customers, be honest about that.

Keep Candidates Engaged

1. When offering a job, let the candidate know that working at the State of Colorado is not just salary, but provide information on medical benefits, time off and leave, work life balance, and career growth.

2. Some parts of the hiring timeline can be lengthy with a lot of idle time for candidates (such as during the background check and after an offer has been signed). During these times, keep your candidates engaged throughout the process.

   1. • Email check ins to your finalist while you’re waiting for the background check results

      • Offer the candidate resources to explore such as the State of Colorado’s Benefits page.

      • As a hiring manager, refer to the People Leader Best Practices for Onboarding and the Onboarding Checklist.

      • Before your hire starts, communicate expectations for the first day.

3. Ensure the new hire’s first day is ready with all the required documents and technology.

4. On a new hire’s first day, think of fun ways to welcome them and refer to the NEO resource page for more information.