mATRIX sCORING
For all benefited positions, once the job closes for posting or has met the minimum required posting time, a Staffing Partner will send you a final applicant list with instructions and a sample matrix template prefilled with applicants that you can use to begin screening all applications received. A Staffing Partner has already noted the minimum and desired qualifications from your job advertisement in the "Screening Evaluations" sheet, with instructions on reviewing and scoring each criteria.
Please note that candidates that do not meet posted minimum qualifications should not be interviewed.
Human Resources' recommended rubric for scoring is a 0-5 scale outlined below:
|
5 |
Shows extensive evidence/experience in resume |
| 4 | Shows considerable evidence/experience in resume |
| 3 | Shows moderate evidence/experience in resume |
| 2 | Shows some evidence/experience in resume |
| 1 | Shows minimal evidence/experience in resume |
| 0 | Shows no evidence/experience in resume |
| *N/A | Will be determined during interviews |
Matrix NEXT STEPS
- Once you have completed the 'Screening Evaluations' tab on the matrix document and
selected candidates to interview, please provide your matrix to recruit@uwyo.edu for review. Search committees may start scheduling first round interviews after
emailing the interview matrix to HR Recruiting. We request 1-2 business days to complete
the review of your submitted materials. After reviewing the matrix, a Staffing Partner
may make recommended updates, edits, and/or ask you to include additional candidates
to interview within a reasonable time frame.
Note - do not progress or change the status of any candidates within WyoCloud - confer with HR Recruiting at each step, and they will adjust the status of all applicants accordingly.
Applicants not selected for interview will be moved by a Recruiter to 'Rejected by Employer' and will receive a rejection correspondence based on the justification listed in the matrix. - Once your interviews are completed, you'll complete the 'Interview Evaluations' tab
on the matrix document. Once complete, provide the information to recruit@uwyo.edu for review and approval to continue with your second round interviews.
If you plan only one round of interviews, please work with the Staffing Partners to modify the matrix document to reflect that action - you'll proceed with Skill Survey Reference Checks and the final candidate selection process as normal at this point. - Once your second round or additional interviews are finished, you'll complete the 'Final Information' tab within the matrix document. Please provide the completed matrix to recruit@uwyo.edu for review. After a comprehensive review, you will be provided with approval from HR to proceed with the final candidate selection process. Reference checks using Skill Survey must be completed by this point or prior to a verbal offer to the top candidate.
- Once all the above tasks are completed, reviewed, and approved by the appropriate offices, the department may start offer negotiations with the top candidate. Please work closely with HR Staffing and Employment Partners during this process, as well as Classification and Compensation, and reference appropriate Quick Reference Guides for guidance.
Top Candidate(s) Next Steps
Congratulations! By this point in the search, you should have determined your top candidate(s) and are most likely ready to negotiate salary.
Before giving a verbal offer:
- Talk with your supervisor and your area Business Manager/Accountant to confirm the salary that is budgeted and approved.
- Make sure your unit has notified the VP/Appointing Authority, since they also need to review and approve the salary.
For Academic positions (except Postdoctoral Research Assistants):
- Work with your Director of Business Operations/Business Manager to complete the Academic Appointment Details form and submit it to Academic Affairs for approval.
- For Faculty positions, check with Academic Affairs if the proposed salary is higher than the amount listed in the original job requisition.
As we move to the new pay matrix, most staff and administrative new hires are expected to start near the minimum of the pay range. Higher starting salaries may be offered to candidates who have strong, relevant experience in most of the job duties. Salaries above the market rate should be rare and used only for critical business needs or exceptional candidates with extensive experience.
Before giving a verbal offer for any salary above the 2nd quartile of the pay grade, you must consult with Classification and Compensation at ccomp@uwyo.edu. They will review the candidate’s qualifications, whether the request is appropriate, and how it fits with internal equity.
Frequently asked Questions
The matrix documents the process used by the search committee and Human Resources to review and evaluate job applicants based on objective criteria as published in the job advertisement. Think of this document like a gradebook with the applicants as students. The advertisement is the syllabus, telling applicants what the department is looking for, what to submit in order to be “graded,” and the minimum criteria upon which they will be “graded.” The criteria are like assignments, which are combined in an overall grade. The matrix helps document each step of the search process, helps to keep the search organized, and details objective, defensible information should a search ever come into question.
It is highly recommended that the Search Committee Chair and/or Hiring Manager use the sample matrix provided by HR. Using this document ensures that the matrix contains all the required elements to appropriately track the search from beginning to end.
To continue the gradebook analogy, it must include information necessary for documenting how a final grade was determined for every student or, in this case, each applicant:
- Full names of all candidates.
- Title, department and position number for the position.
- Please use specific criteria (those published in the job advertisement) as scoring indicators rather than using generic terms like “Criteria 1”.
- For each candidate, identify whether they meet each of the minimum requirements; use ”Y” (yes) or “N” (no). Remember that a candidate must meet all minimum requirements in order to be hired into a position.
- If desired/preferred qualifications are being considered, include numeric scores for this criteria on candidates who meet all minimum qualifications.
- A total score for each candidate who met the noted minimum qualifications and was evaluated on the desired/preferred qualifications.
- Submit a single matrix with total scores or averaged scores (remain consistent throughout the search). Search Committee comments should be summarized. Individual scores and comments from each search committee member should not be included.
There are no specific rules about this, but keeping things simple is usually best. Departments are free to use a scale that best suits their needs, but should include a legend on the matrix to clarify what the scores mean. Many search committees use a 10-point scale because it’s familiar and easy to understand. Other searches use a 3-point scale: 3 means good experience, 2 means some experience, and 1 means little or no experience. No matter what scale is used, it’s best to define the matrix and legend before beginning the review of applicants and consistently use this scale throughout the search. This sets expectations and can help the committee rate applicants consistently. In other words, set up the rubric before starting to grade.
Yes. The best way to do this is to assign a weighting factor (usually 1, 2 or 3 to which you will multiply their score). Just like in grading, making one “assignment”/criterion worth more is the simplest method. Remember that only those candidates who meet all the minimum qualifications should be scored. It doesn't matter how many preferred qualifications someone meets if they don’t meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job ad.
Committee comments should explain the scores and clearly explain how/why a decision was reached. Be specific - rather than saying "incomplete packet," state what was missing; rather than saying "does not meet job needs," explain what specifically they are lacking. Usually a few sentences is sufficient. HR may ask a committee for additional comments in order to best document how decisions were made.
Avoid editorial or personal comments. These are not objective criteria and should not be considered when assessing candidates. Instead, focus on previous experience and qualifications or what the candidates said or did that made them acceptable or unacceptable. Keep the comments focused on the criteria from the posting itself.
Incomplete applications are generally not evaluated even if the candidate meets all the qualifications. However, each search should be taken on a case-by-case basis. Consult with the HR Employment & Staffing Partners concerning incomplete packets. In any instance, all applicants must be considered the same. If a Search Committee decides to screen on complete packets, all those candidates lacking complete packets must be screened out for not meeting the required materials. If a Search Committee decides to NOT screen on complete packets, then all applications should be considered and reviewed to ensure minimum qualifications are met.
This can happen at any point during a search. This should be documented on the matrix, indicating the date and method of withdrawal (e.g. “withdrew by phone/email on January 5, 2025”). The email (or documentation of a phone call) should be maintained along with all other search records. Use similar comments for applicants who don’t respond to attempts for contact (e.g. did not respond to phone calls and emails between January 5 and January 10). Committees should make more than one attempt to contact and should provide a reasonable amount of time for candidates to respond, taking into consideration holidays, weekends, or other mitigating circumstances. Additionally, it is recommended that candidates be provided a clear "respond by" date. Committees need not evaluate applicants after they withdraw or fail to respond.
The HR Employment & Staffing Partners will help facilitate all necessary reviews and approvals needed from within HR. For all benefited searches, an Employment & Staffing Partner will review and approve the matrix at each step of the process (screening, interviews, and final evaluations). For certain searches, additional review will need to take place to approve of the evaluations. Again, the HR Staffing Partners will help facilitate any and all reviews and approvals needed at each step. To submit a matrix for review, attach the excel document to an email, include the requisition number in the subject line, and send to recruit@uwyo.edu.
