4.3 Personal Contacts

It is highly recommended that the hiring unit and search committee make direct contact with professional colleagues in the field notifying them of the department’s open position and requesting names of potential qualified candidates. Many outstanding candidates are not necessarily looking for new positions and do not apply for advertised positions. A Department Approver or search committee member has to personally ask them to apply. This indicates that the University recognizes and values that person’s professional contributions. It is important to always stress the University’s commitment to diversity and the special efforts it has undertaken to that end.

Some successful personal contact strategies include:

• A personal phone call or e-mail from a colleague or committee member;
• A personalized letter from the director, department head, or search committee chair, or;
• A colleague meeting the candidate(s) at a professional meeting.