Merit-Based Recruitment
Merit-based recruitment is an integral part of the UTS recruitment policy. It is in the interest of the University and the work area to follow a merit-based recruitment as it leads to the appointment of the best candidate for the position, ensures openness and transparency, and allows greater confidence in the outcome of the selection process.
Information in this section provides an overview of some of the key principles and issues relating to merit-based recruitment. Contact the Equity & Diversity Unit for more detailed information, advice and support on merit-based recruitment and selection processes.
What is merit-based recruitment?
Developing selection criteria
- Qualifications
- Experience
- Direct or indirect discrimination
- Abilities/skills
- Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
- Targeted recruitment
- EO requirements
Advertising the position
Composition of the selection panel
Shortlisting
Interview questions
The decision-making process
Referees' reports
Post-interview counselling
What is merit-based recruitment?
- Merit-based recruitment incorporates the principles of equal opportunity to ensure that the most capable person is selected for a position on the basis of merit.
- Merit-based recruitment refers to the right of every individual to be given scrupulously fair consideration for any job for which they are skilled and qualified.
Discrimination against a person or a group identified under legislation is unlawful in all aspects of recruitment and employment at UTS. The merit principle aims to ensure that the best person for the job is employed, and that their suitability for a job is assessed on the basis of their
- abilities
- skills
- experience
- standard of work performance in relation to the selection criteria
Equal Opportunity principles aim to ensure that individuals have the chance to compete with others for positions, and not be denied employment opportunities because of attitudes, procedures, restrictive job requirements or physical barriers which discriminate against them.
Developing selection criteria
Keep the University's commitment to equity and diversity in mind when framing criteria for positions. Consider the following:
Qualifications
- Are the qualifications (essential or desirable) too restrictive ?
- Could the qualification requirements unnecessarily exclude people who could perform well in the position ?
- What alternative qualifications could be relevant ? Do the qualifications merely reflect those of the present incumbent or colleagues ?
- Could relevant work experience be deemed as equivalent to a particular qualification ?
Tip: Qualifications should only be included as an essential requirement for a general staff position when they are an award requirement for that job, e.g. solicitor, plumber.
Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Experience
- Is the experience (essential or desirable) required unnecessarily specialised or extensive ?
- What other experience could be relevant or transferable ?
Tip: Focus on the quality of the experience, not the quantity of experience. Specifying the number of years experience required may constitute indirect age discrimination.
Tip: Experience working in a university environment is not normally an appropriate essential requirement.Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Direct or indirect discrimination?
Does the criterion directly or indirectly discriminate against particular groups in the community ?
For example, a requirement that candidates have extensive industrial experience in a non-traditional field for women will limit the number of eligible women candidates in the applicant pool.Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Abilities/skills
Have the full range of personal abilities / skills required in the position been considered ?
For example:
- Initiative
- effective oral and written communication skills
- ability to meet deadlines and prioritise work
- teamwork
Tip: It is important to think carefully about the relevant personal abilities / skills you are looking for. The more thought you put into developing the selection criteria, the better the outcome of the selection process. It is often a good idea to run draft selection criteria past other staff, e.g. members of the selection panel, specialist staff in the Equity & Diversity Unit, for their feedback and input.
Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
In the diverse environment at UTS, the ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, cross-cultural communication / teaching skills, and / or knowledge of a community language other than English may appropriately be included as essential or desirable requirements for a range of positions.
Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Targeted Recruitment
It is unlawful to specify that a position must be filled by a person from a particular group, unless this is a genuine occupational requirement for a position or the position is part of an approved affirmative action program aiming to redress the under-representation of EEO groups in employment. For further information contact the Equity & Diversity Unit.
Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Equal Opportunity Requirements
It is strongly advised that an appropriate Equal Opportunity criterion setting out the required awareness / knowledge of equal opportunity principles and practices be included in the essential requirements for a position wherever relevant.
| Type of position | Essential EO Criterion |
|---|---|
| 1. Non-supervisory | Nil. However, knowledge of Equal Opportunity may be included as a desirable requirement. |
| 2.Supervisory (line supervisor) | Understanding of and ability to apply Equal Opportunity policies |
| 3.Supervisory / Managerial / Technical / Professional / (middle managers) | Sound knowledge of, and willingness to implement, Equal Opportunity policies |
| Senior managerial positions, specialist positions | Commitment and capacity to develop and implement equal opportunity policies |
Tip: Many positions in the University involve interaction with students. These positions should include a requirement for knowledge of Equal Opportunity (EO), not Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), which refers to employment aspects only.
Return to Developing Selection Criteria
Advertising the position
The aim of advertising vacancies is to ensure a diverse pool of applicants for consideration. Advertisements should aim to attract the maximum number of eligible candidates for the position. The type of publication the ad is placed in may also impact on the diversity of the pool.
Targeted advertising strategies are encouraged on equity grounds in areas where members of EEO groups are under-represented.
For example, including a statement in your ad encouraging applications from women, Indigenous Australians, people with a disability or people who speak a first language other than English, when such groups are under-represented in a particular work area.
Another strategy to encourage applications from a diverse range of people is to send information about the vacancy to relevant organisations or community groups. Contact the Equity & Diversity Unit for advice and assistance in recruiting for diversity.
Composition of the selection panel
The composition of a selection panel is an important factor affecting the fairness and equity of the selection process. A selection panel composed of persons of identical social, cultural, educational and / or employment backgrounds may be limited in its ability to fairly assess the qualities of applicants from diverse backgrounds.
Equitable gender representation
UTS has a policy relating to minimum gender representation on all selection panels. This policy stipulates that
- all selection committees with five members or fewer must have at least one male and one female member
- selection panels with more than five members must have at least 20% representation of either gender.
Other diversity considerations
In addition to these requirements, where a position requires understanding of, or skills relating to, a particular group, or where candidates from a particular group are to be interviewed (eg. people who speak a first language other than English, Indigenous Australians, people with a disability), the Chair is strongly encouraged to include a representative from that group as a member of the committee. Ensuring that the selection committee is made up of members from diverse backgrounds assists the committee to adequately assess the relative merits of applicants.
Members of selection committees must:
- Be equally involved in all aspects of the process: shortlisting, interviewing and reporting
- Have no personal relationships with applicants. Members must disclose to the Chair of the panel any conflict of interest, eg. close personal friendship or hostility, which might influence their objectivity.
- Have an understanding of merit-based recruitment and selection principles.
Shortlisting
The selection panel, during the shortlisting process, should be careful not to directly or indirectly discriminate against applicants. Be careful not to exclude:
- applicants with overseas qualifications or experience, on the basis of assumptions that these are not comparable to Australian experience
- People with a disability, on the basis of assumptions about their inability to perform the inherent requirements of the position
- Parents, on the basis of assumptions about child-care arrangements or willingness to work non-standard hours
- Applicants with relevant experience gained in unpaid activities such as voluntary or community-based work
- Applicants who may appear to be "over-qualified", on the basis of assumptions that they will get "bored" or "move on"
Interview questions
-
All interview questions should relate directly to the essential and desirable criteria for the position and special requirements of the position (e.g. inter-campus work).
Tip: Discuss appropriate questions at the short-listing stage to ensure all key criteria are covered and that all selection panel members have an opportunity to have input.
- Questions should be as short, clear and unambiguous as possible. The aim should be that applicants do most of the talking, not the panel.
Tip: Longer, more complicated questions, e.g. scenarios, may be written down and given to candidates.
Tip: For more junior positions, it may allay interview nerves and lead to a fairer outcome if applicants have the opportunity to read questions for 10-15 minutes prior to the interview.
- Candidates should be asked the same set of questions, to ensure consistency and to assist in making a fair comparison on the basis of merit. However, it is acceptable to probe / ask follow-up questions of a candidate if a particular issue or concern emerges in the course of the interview.
Tip: If a candidate misunderstands the question it is appropriate to rephrase it.
Tip: At the end of the scheduled questions, invite candidates to provide any other relevant information or to ask questions they may have about the position.
- If there are internal applicants for the position, detailed questions based on existing knowledge of the work area would not be appropriate as they would provide an unfair advantage to the internal candidate/s.
- Questions on family responsibilities, child care arrangements or family plans are inappropriate, could be discriminatory and should not be asked.
- Questions on language background/ethnicity are only appropriate where a knowledge of a particular language or culture is a requirement of the position.
- It may be appropriate to ask a candidate with a disability questions relating to their disability, in the context of ensuring the candidate can perform the inherent requirements of the position or when discussing reasonable accommodation. It is strongly recommended that expert advice is sought from the Equity & Diversity Unit. Selection panels should avoid making assumptions about the impact or potential impact of a disability on the candidate's capacity to undertake the job.
- In addition to formal interview questions, skills tests may be a valuable part of the selection process for many positions, eg. a typing test for positions involving significant word processing, an oral presentation for positions requiring the incumbent to lecture or present information to groups.
Skills tests may provide you with a more balanced view of the candidates' performance against the full range of criteria for the position. It is important that the skills test is appropriately set up, that candidates have consistent time allocation to undertake the test, and that the skills test relates to a genuine requirement of the position. For more information contact the Human Resources Unit.
The decision-making process
The decision-making process requires selection panel members to evaluate all information relevant to the essential / desirable criteria, to select the most suitable candidate on the basis of merit. All members of the panel should have equal input into the final decision. It is particularly important that external members are briefed that their role is not to "rubber stamp" internal decisions.
Tip: It may be helpful to reach consensus around which candidates are appointable / not appointable before ranking appointable candidates.
Tip: The Chair of the panel should provide their ranking last, to encourage full discussion of the relative merits of each candidate.
Differences of opinion should be seen as natural and helpful rather than a hindrance to decision making; differences of opinion will result in a more thorough consideration of all relevant information.
It is important that irrelevant or private information from outside or personal sources should not be introduced (other than information gained through nominated referees' reports).
If the selection panel is unable to reach a unanimous decision, a vote may be taken and a majority decision reached. If any member of the panel is concerned about the fairness or the outcome of the selection process, they may wish to consider lodging a minority report.
Referees' Reports
Referees' reports are a vital part of the selection process and selection panels are strongly encouraged to obtain verbal or written reports from referees. It is normally the role of the Chair to obtain referees' reports, though this role may be delegated to or shared amongst other panel members in appropriate circumstances.
Written referees reports must be obtained for the following categories of staff:
- All academic positions
- General staff positions at Level 9 and above
- Executive Remuneration Scheme (ERS) positions.
For more junior positions, verbal referees' reports are usually more helpful.
Referees' reports, whether verbal or written, are strictly confidential and should not be discussed with candidates.
For both verbal or written references, the referee should be asked to comment on the candidate's suitability in relation to the essential and desirable requirements of the positions.
It is not appropriate to approach any person other than the nominated referees. If the selection panel is concerned that the nominated referees are not appropriate or will not be able to address specific concerns that may emerge, the candidate may be contacted and asked to nominate additional or alternate referees.
Tip: When the selection panel is having trouble reaching a consensus decision, it may be helpful to postpone the final ranking until after referees' reports have been obtained.
Post-interview counselling
The Chair of the selection panel is strongly encouraged to contact each unsuccessful candidate interviewed, to advise them of the outcome of their application and to offer feedback. Although this may be time consuming it is an important part of the merit-based recruitment process, ensuring that the selection process is seen as fair and transparent.
Feedback should relate to the criteria for the position, and not to any extraneous information. It is not appropriate to disclose information about other applicants or to enter into a debate about the relative merits of candidates.
