Search Firm Guidelines

As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, is it becoming more common within the University to retain search firms to locate qualifies applicants for vacancies in high demand and/or specialized areas. Use of a search firm, however, often makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a hiring authority to document that the recruitment process was in compliance with the university’s AA/EEO policies and procedures and to provide the data needed to fulfill the university’s AA/EEO reporting requirements. The following guidelines were developed to help hiring authorities avoid this problem.

As a federal contractor, the university is required to ensure that recruitment for positions within the university is in compliance with federal laws, orders, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action. To fulfill this requirement, the university has developed policies and procedures governing the recruitment process. It is the responsibility of the hiring authority to ensure that a search conducted by an outside firm complies with Rutgers’ policies and procedures governing recruitment and hiring. This responsibility includes:

• Notifying the search firm of Rutgers AA/EEO Policy
• Instructing the firm to actively seek a diverse pool of candidates who meet all the necessary qualifications
• Replacing a search firm, or supplementing its recruitment efforts, if that search firm fails to produce a representative applicant pool
• Ceasing to use a firm that fails to produce applicant pools with qualified minority and female applicants

In order to evaluate the recruitment process and fulfill Rutgers’ AA/EEO reporting requirements, hiring authorities will need information from the search firm. Any agreement with a search firm should require the firm to provide the following information:

• The name, gender, age, and ethnicity of applicants referred to the hiring authority as most qualified for the position
• The name, gender, age, and ethnicity of applicants who were considered by the search firm, but not referred to the hiring authority
• A description of the “good-faith” efforts made by the search firm to locate qualified minority and female applicants
• Copies of the resumes of all applicants considered for the position, whether or not they were referred to the hiring authority

The first three requirements will provide information needed by the hiring authority to document recruitment efforts. A copy of this information must be attached to each copy of the Recruitment Summary Form (UPF-1). The resumes must be retained in departmental files for two years in compliance with federal AA/EEO record-keeping regulations.

 

Resources To Help You
Office of Employment Equity	732-932-3020, ext. 4030
HR Consultants	732-932-3020, ext. 4040
Hiring Toolkit

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Last Updated: 03/14/2007