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Home › Hiring Guides › Administrative Recruitment and Hiring Guide

Administrative Recruitment and Hiring Guide

Columbia’s Commitment to Equal Opportunity

As an institution and community, Columbia University is committed to the principles of equity and excellence. It actively pursues both, adhering to the belief that equity is the partner of excellence. Its goal is a workforce that reflects the diversity and talent of New York City, the larger metropolitan area, and the nation.

In furtherance of this goal, Columbia has implemented policies and programs that seek to ensure that all employment decisions are based on individual merit, and not on bias or stereotypes, and to remove any barriers which may have limited the opportunities for employment and advancement of qualified members of groups underrepresented in the workforce.

Columbia’s Equal Employment Opportunity, Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Policy (EEO Policy) applies to all its Human Resources decisions, including recruitment, hiring, training, development, promotions, compensation, benefits, transfers, terminations and layoffs. It also applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including work schedules, hours, and physical facilities.

For more information about how Columbia’s commitment to equal opportunity affects its duty to recruit and hire a diverse workforce, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action website.

1. Managing Job Searches

Careful recruitment planning and execution helps managers hire individuals who are well matched for positions.

Excellent employee/job matches result in new employees who help organizations achieve their goals and get satisfaction from their work.

One of a manager’s greatest challenges is managing teams. It is highly unlikely that managers can manage effectively without hiring effectively.

In other words, it’s worth it for hiring managers to manage each search carefully.

The hiring department’s role, with the support of local Human Resources staff when applicable, is to manage the search by following the procedures outlined in this guide and to collaborate with Human Resources as needed.

2. Planning Staffing Needs

Every time a position becomes open, managers should develop a search plan to fill the vacancy. Although there may be a sense of urgency to begin the search for candidates immediately, the questions in this section should be considered and addressed before posting the job vacancy. Strategic planning on the front end is essential to successful outcomes.

3. Salary Considerations

Hiring managers are responsible for offering and agreeing to salaries for new employees which are in accordance with the hiring range for the grade (for officers and non-union support staff) or as agreed to in collective bargaining agreements (for union support staff). Any proposed exceptions must be approved by central Human Resources before a final offer may be extended.

4. Hiring Steps

In general all administrative positions, including senior and executive level positions, must be posted through the Jobs at Columbia (JAC) website. As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, we practice outreach to attract a skilled and diverse pool of qualified applicants.

5. Job Postings

Posting available job openings meets the University’s obligations as an EOAA employer and helps the University to identify and recruit a talented pool of diverse applicants, apply policies and practices consistently, eliminate bias, and market the University as an employer of choice.

6. Interviewing Applicants

The purpose of conducting an interview is to gather information about an applicant, present a realistic description of the position, ensure a fair selection process, establish adequate records in the event that the hiring decision must be justified, and determine whether the candidate would succeed in the position.

7. Finalist Selection & Applicant Pool Reporting

After consulting with the appropriate colleagues, who may include local and central HR and EOAA staff, decide upon a candidate who best fits the job criteria. Refer to the suggested steps in this section before making a firm offer of employment.