Recruitment for colleges and universities

Planning posts around intake and the semester

Start in January with the number of faculty each programme needs next year, based on sanctioned intake, the student to faculty ratio your regulator expects and known retirements. Advertise in February or March, screen in April and hold selection committees in May, so appointment orders go out before the odd semester. New programmes approved late need a second round in June. Faculty who resign during the even semester can often be replaced from candidates waitlisted in the main round, provided the waitlist was recorded.

Eligibility screening for teaching posts

Screen teaching applications against the eligibility your affiliating university and regulator apply to each post. For assistant professors this typically means a postgraduate degree with a minimum score and NET, SET or a PhD; for associate professors and professors, teaching or research experience with publications. Check the discipline match carefully, because a PhD in one specialisation may not count for a post in another. Record the reason for every rejection, since an unsuccessful candidate or an inspection may ask for it later.

Seminar talks, demo lectures and the selection committee

Shortlisted candidates usually give a seminar on their research and a demo lecture to students or faculty, then face the selection committee. The committee's composition often follows university norms, such as the principal, the HoD, a subject expert and a university nominee, so fix dates only after the nominee confirms. Use one scoring sheet for all candidates, covering subject knowledge, teaching, research and fit with the department's courses, and keep minutes signed by all members.

• Seminar on research work: 20 to 30 minutes
• Demo lecture on a topic from the syllabus
• Interview before the selection committee
• Signed minutes and score sheets kept on file

Visiting faculty, lab staff and project posts

Visiting faculty from industry are engaged by the HoD with the principal's approval, after a short interaction and a check of their experience, and an engagement letter states the courses, the rate and the semester. Lab assistants and technicians take a practical test on the equipment they will handle. Project assistants and research associates are selected by the principal investigator under the funding agency's guidelines, with appointment letters that end with the project. Each route should still leave its record in one place.

How to set it up in ZeniaHR

1. Open a requisition in the Recruitment Hub for every sanctioned post, stating the department, the qualification, the experience needed and the openings.
2. Publish the posts on the public careers page, where candidates apply through the multi-step form and upload a CV that lists publications.
3. Use the resume match score, with its breakdown by skills, experience, role fit and education, as a first sort before HoDs check eligibility by hand.
4. Move candidates through New, Screening, Interview, Offer and Joined, adding screening notes on eligibility and seminar scores.
5. Offer interview slots for the seminar and selection committee, and let shortlisted candidates pick the slot that suits them.
6. Send offers with the online accept or decline page, move accepted candidates into onboarding, and check recruitment analytics for open posts before the semester.

Read more about recruitment in ZeniaHR.

Roles this applies to

Frequently asked questions