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Source and Screen

Sourcing applicants

During the intake conversation, you and your Talent Acquisition Partner will develop a strategy to attract a diverse and qualified applicant pool. The strategy may include active sourcing of candidates. If so, the Talent Acquisition team will engage in an effort to solicit interest from passive candidates to supplement the applicant pool. If you are interested in additional sourcing support, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner to discuss options. 

All candidates sourced directly must be invited to apply to the job opening on the career site. Only job seekers that apply and meet the minimum qualifications will be considered. 

Screening applicants

Screening is the process of reviewing candidate resumes against minimum qualifications and the target profile of a job opening. You and your Talent Acquisition Partner will determine roles and responsibilities for candidate screening during the intake conversation. 

Reviewing resumes

Understanding strategies for effectively screening resumes (and cover letters, when available) can maximize the time spent phone screening and interviewing candidates. The following questions will help you determine which candidates merit additional consideration:

When screening resumes, it is also important to be aware of strategies for addressing unconscious bias.

Candidate dispositioning

As a federal contractor, Northwestern employees participating in the screening process must abide by the recordkeeping requirements set by the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance (OFCCP). As candidates are considered and move through the hiring process, their status must be tracked in myHR Staff eRecruit — this is called dispositioning. This can be managed in one of two ways:

Determining transfer and rehire eligibility

Prior to being interviewed, internal applicants, temporary workers and former employees must be evaluated to determine their eligibility for transfer or rehire. Your Talent Acquisition Partner will help you determine eligibility. 

More information about transfer eligibility for internal employees can be found in the Staff Handbook.

Staff members who leave Northwestern in good standing and who return to a regular staff position within six months are reinstated without loss of prior service or benefits status. Northwestern also considers re-employment of former staff members who have been gone more than six months when the prior employment record and the current qualifications warrant consideration.