Recruitment of researchers and technical and administrative staff (TA)

Content: 

• Needs analysis
• Redeployment investigation and preferential right to re-employment
• Timeline

When a need for work resources is identified, for example due to an increase in tasks, new research funding, the need to replace someone who leaves or the lack of a certain skill, it is time to start a recruitment process.

To simplify the recruitment process, there is a checklist that describes many of the practical things that need to be done. Use this as a complement to the induction process.

Needs analysis

The first step is for the hiring manager, with the support of his/her HR function, to conduct a needs analysis of current and future staffing needs using the needs analysis template. Examine whether the need can be met with the human resources already available within the organization or whether a new position needs to be advertised. If there is a need to advertise a new position, there should be financial conditions for this in both the short and long term. 

Use the needs analysis template to analyze the needs and conditions for recruitment.

Ny mall för behovsanalys

When a recruitment involves international cooperation with other universities, funders or other partners, the regulations regarding global responsibility should also be considered by completing the checklist for global responsible engagement.

Go to the checklist for global responsible engagement (Staff pages)

Redeployment investigation and preferential right to re-employment

Prior to each recruitment, the employer shall consider the staff on the list for preferential right to re-employment as well as the possible redeployment of staff within the organisation. (find out more)

The HR officer supports this work by considering possible redeployments and staff with preferential right to re-employment.

At the start of a recruitment procedure, a recruitment team should be formed composed of a recruiting manager, HR officer and possibly a professional specialist who can assess the applicants’ specific skills. The recruitment team works together on the job description, interviews, and selection process. Remember to address any conflicts of interest that may arise during the recruitment procedure.

 Timeline 

It is hard to say how long a recruitment will take as it completely depends on how easy or difficult it is to find suitable candidates as well as on how much time is allocated to preparing for the recruitment. For international recruitment, time must also be allowed for potential residence permits, relocation and so on. It is important to allocate sufficient time for a recruitment. If sufficient time is dedicated to the needs analysis and person specification as well as to the selection procedure and interview, it usually leads to a shorter recruitment process.

Use the timeline to structure and plan the recruitment procedure as well as to have a clear overview of who is doing what and when.

Content:

• Job description
• Vacancy announcement
• Selection questions
• Vacancy channels

Job description

The next step in the recruitment process is that the recruiting organization produces a job description as a basis for the vacancy announcement. The job description should be based on the needs analysis and the university’s requirement profile template should always be used. 

The requirement profile must contain clear information about:

• the organisation the employee is to be a part of
• the work duties that the employee is to undertake.
• the areas of responsibility that the employee will have.
• the requirements regarding education, experience, knowledge, and other skills.

Consider whether it might be useful to include more than the recruitment team when producing the job description. For example, it may be valuable to get input from specialists, colleagues, trade unions or others affected by the recruitment before advertising.  Based on the needs analysis, the recruitment group write the job description with the help of the template.

Job description template (Word 82 kB, new tab) 

Vacancy announcement 

It is based on the vacancy announcement that the choice of candidate will be justified, and any appeal will be measured (read more about appeals). It is therefore important to clearly define the qualification requirements against which the candidates’ skills will be measured. To avoid the risk of discrimination, it is also important to consider whether the requirements are objectively justified and based on the job tasks.

The vacancy announcement should be based on the job description and should be designed in a clear and measurable way. A well-written and clear vacancy announcement increases the chance of getting the right candidates and a manageable search field.

The vacancy announcement shall always:

• be advertised on the University’s and Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) websites.
• be advertised for a minimum of two weeks.
• be advertised in Swedish.
• for appointments that include research, be advertised in English via Euraxess.

The vacancy announcement should:

• have an English translation.

The vacancy announcement is created in the recruitment system by the HR officer in consultation with the recruiting manager. The HR officer is responsible for ensuring that the vacancy announcement follows the university’s templates and regulations and that it is written in a way that appeals to the applicants.

Selection questions

In the recruitment system, it is possible to use selection questions, which can facilitate the work of selection at a later stage. There are also examples of ready-made vacancy announcements that can be used as a starting point. Contact your HR officer for support regarding selection questions and how to design the vacancy announcement.

Vacancy channels 

Once the vacancy proposals has been finalized, it is important to consider how it will be disseminated. What is the target group and how and where can it best be reached? 
Several vacancy channels can be accessed via the recruitment system, other sites should be used via our contracted advertising agency.

Contact your HR support to get help with which vacancy channels might be appropriate

Content:

• Selection procedure
• International staff
• Interviews
• Tests and work samples
• Reference checking
• Compile

Selection procedure

The selection of candidates is to be based on the qualifications mentioned in the vacancy announcement. This is to clearly see which candidates fulfil the specified requirements, but also to make an objective, equal and non-discriminatory selection.

The focus should be on merit and skills, and candidates who meet the requirements of the advertisement will be selected in the first instance. It is good if the whole recruitment team (recruiting manager, HR officer and possible specialist) reads and assesses the applications.

In the recruitment system there are many different ways to sort and rate the candidates, or the selection matrix can help. Contact your HR officers for support for your selection procedure.

Selection matrix template (Word 14 kB, new tab)

International staff 

When appointing international staff, the individual may require a residence permit to work in Sweden. Extra time for applying for a residence permit should then be included in the process. Extra time for applying for a residence permit should then be included in the process. It is important that the documentation submitted to the Migration Agency is complete and correct, otherwise there is a risk that the processing time will be even longer.

Keep in mind that it is illegal to employ a person from a third country before they have a valid and correct residence permit!
Updated information, templates and checklists on residence permits and appointing international staff can be found here (in Swedish) 

Interviews 

The aim of the job interview is to assess the candidate’s education, experience, knowledge, and competences (ability, skills, and approach) in relation to what is described in the vacancy announcement An equally important purpose is to inform the candidate about the workplace and the conditions and expectations of the position. Remember to provide a positive but realistic picture of the workplace and work duties so that the candidate’s expectations match the reality.

Interviews are most effective if they are standardised and structured. This means the questions are predetermined and all candidates are asked the same questions. In this way, we can treat all the candidates equally and avoid discrimination. At Lund University a competence-based interview technique is used. 

Contact your HR officer for support in the design and implementation of the interview.

Interview guide template (Word 126 kB, new tab)

Tests and work samples

A good complement to the interview is to use work psychology tests and work samples. 

Pre-employment psychological tests and work samples are a efficient tools to use as a complement in the recruitment procedure
At Lund University, several testing tools have been procured and your HR officer can provide more information about tests, work samples and other selection instruments.

Read more about tests and work samples

Reference checking

References should always be checked as it is a way of obtaining complementary information on the candidate, confirming information obtained during the interview as well as clarifying any remaining questions. The focus should be on evaluating the qualifications specified in the vacancy announcement. References are only obtained at the final stage of the recruitment process and the candidate should always be informed about which references you are taking.  

Use the reference checking template and contact your HR officer for more information on reference checking.

Reference checking template (Word 18 kB, new tab)

Compile

Be sure to make a structured assessment of the final candidates based on the information obtained during interviews, reference checks and any testing. It is important to consider the extent to which the candidates live up to the advertisement. Feel free to use the assessment matrix. 

Template assessment matrix (Word 58 kB, new tab) 

Content:

• Salary setting
• Statement
• ID and residence permit checks
• Decision on appointment
• Feedback
• Introduction

Salary setting

The department’s salary proposal is submitted by the salary-setting manager, according to the delegation rules at the relevant faculty/equivalent via the HR officer Salaries may NOT be offered to candidates before they are approved by the head of department/equivalent and the faculty/equivalent.  

Salary setting is to take account of:

• the degree of difficulty and responsibility of the position
• the individual’s personal skills
• the significance of the individual’s performance for the results of the organisation
• the salary level at the department/faculty/LU
• market sensitivity (potential competition/risk of defection)

Statement

Before a decision of employment is made the department/equivalent must prepare a statement. The statement is to provide a clear account of how the selection process was conducted and which qualifications were decisive in the choice of candidate. The statement is an important document in case of appeal or report for discrimination and the university’s template for the statement must always be used.

Statement template (Word 82 kB, new tab)

ID and residence permit checks

Before an employment decision is made, an ID check must always be carried out on the person to be employed to verify identity and the right to reside and work in Sweden.

The candidate must therefore provide a copy of a valid ID (passport or international ID card) and potential residence permit. This is handled in the recruitment system by the HR function in consultation with the recruiting manager. 

Decision on appointment

It is important to be aware that oral agreements are valid. Therefore, the recruiting manager and head of department/equivalent must always check with the faculty/equivalent (often via the HR officer) before a final offer of employment and salary can be sent to the candidate. An decision of employment can be appealed, but only by the candidates who applied for the position (read more about appeals).

The decision on appointment is created in Primula by the HR officer in consultation with the recruiting manager.

Feedback

It is important that candidates who do not receive employment at Lund University get a positive impression of Lund University as a workplace. Therefore, all candidates who have been interviewed at Lund University should receive verbal feedback as to why they were not offered the position. Candidates who have not been interviewed are to be notified via the recruitment system.

Introduction

First impressions of the workplace can be crucial to the future work performance and relationships with colleagues. A good introduction to the new workplace creates a sense of well-being and belonging. It allows the new employee to settle in quickly which is a benefit for the organisation both in human and financial terms. 

It is mainly the recruiting organization that is responsible for the new employee’s induction. Use the university’s introduction process with associated templates and support materials when introducing a new employee. 

Introduktion av nya medarbetare vid Lunds universitet