References and Letters of Recommendation

Introduction

  • Reference Checks and Reference Letters are not the same
  • A Reference Check is when two or more members of the search committee call the candidate's references with a set of common questions
  • Letters of Recommendation are uploaded to the system by the candidate's references, which happens at the Finalist phase by default

Reference Checks Prior to the Finalist Stage

  1. To initiate a reference check prior to or during the Semi-Finalist stage, the Search Committee Chair changes the Applicant status to OPTIONAL - DSC Semi-Finalist Reference Check
  1. The Department Chair will receive notification of this request
  1. To approve the request, the Department Chair changes the Applicant status to Dept Chair S-F Reference Check Approved - HOLD and the Department Chair will receive notification of approval
  1. When checking references at the Semi-Finalist stage, there is no default communication to the candidates. If desired, the Department Chair may choose to email the candidates through the system when the status change is made by toggling the Email Applicant button from "No" to "Yes"
  2. This will open an email box where you may type or paste in your desired communication
  1. You can click on Merge fields to see how to have fields such as name, job number, and position title automatically inserted into the emails 

Reference Checks and Letters of Recommendation at the Finalist Stage

  1. After the Search Committee Chair recommends Finalists to the Dean, and if the Dean approves, the Dean changes the Applicant status to Dean Finalist Approved
  1. This status change generates a notification to the Finalists letting them know that they should make sure their reference information is up to date in the system and that their referents will be receiving an automated message with instructions on how to submit their letters of recommendation
  1. Then the Search Committee Chair changes the Applicant status to DSC Letter of Recommendation Requests
  1. This change in the status automatically generates a system notification to the Candidates' referents; however, you will not see this message or be able to edit the content when the status change is made (this is a CSU-wide system notification)
  1. When the Referent clicks on the link, it will take them to a page with instructions for uploading their Letter of Recommendation
  1. When all three of a Candidate's Letters of Recommendation have been uploaded, a system notification is sent to the department
  2. If 30 days have passed and all the Letters of Recommendation have not been completed, you will receive a link listing which Reference Checks were completed and which expired  

Letters of Recommendation Prior to the Finalist Stage 

Letters of Recommendation can be requested earlier in the process, once the Applicant pool has been approved, through CHRS Recruiting but only with the permission of your college's Dean.

  1. If the Dean approves, the Search Committee Chair changes the Applicant status to DSC Letters of Recommendation Requests
  2. The Applicants will need to be moved back to the prior application status before proceeding through the rest of the evaluation process
  3. Be sure to turn off all internal and external communications when moving them back to the prior status 

Search Committee Review: Viewing Letters of References 

  1. On your dashboard, find the Search committee review widget
  2. Click Jobs requiring panel review 
  1. Identify the row that contains the position you are meant to review
  2. Click View applicants on the line of the applicable job
  3. The View applicants page will open
  1. The View resume/CV and View answers icons are next to the Applicant's name in the Applicant list
  2. Click the View answers icon
  1. A pop-up will open with Applicant answers and links to the Applicants' documents, including the Letters of Recommendation (after they have been submitted)
  1. The Search Committee Chair can also use the Bulk compile and send function to gather documents
    1. Refer to the section Search Committee Review for instructions