Scheduling Interviews

During the entire interview process, not only will you be evaluating the candidates, but the candidates will also be evaluating the University of Richmond as an employer. It is important that any contact with candidates be professional, welcoming, and organized, leaving them with the best impression of UR as possible. Scheduling interviews efficiently saves you time and promotes positive experiences for both candidates and hiring teams.

Here are a few ways recruiters and hiring managers can schedule job interviews more efficiently:

Prior to Contacting the Candidates

To reduce the time you spend on administrative tasks during the hiring process, coordinate well beforehand. Arrange a quick meeting with your hiring team to discuss how to schedule interviews before you start receiving applications or immediately after selecting your tier 1 and tier 2 candidates.

For example, you could ask your hiring team to:

  • Let you know if they’re busy during particular days or times. This will help you prioritize other days for scheduling interviews, increasing the chance that your hiring team will accept times you propose.
  • Provide you with a few convenient time slots in advance. For example, hiring managers may know that they can make some time for interviews on Thursday afternoons or on particular dates.
  • Share their work calendars with you (e.g. through Outlook.) That way, you can check their scheduled meetings to avoid overlaps with your interview invites.
  • Review the calendars for each member of the search committee, or ask that they set aside a number of time slots on their calendars. It is a good idea to set aside a few more time slots than the number of interviews being scheduled so that you can be flexible when scheduling with candidates.
  • Ensure that you have meeting locations available. The room(s) should be handicap accessible and in a location free from interruptions. If you are conducting a phone interview, please make sure that the room has a speakerphone for the committee to use. If you plan to conduct a Zoom interview, test the process in advance to ensure the camera adequately accommodates your committee size. See Zoom Interview Tips.

Contacting the Candidates

To promote great candidate experiences, include all necessary information. Please see resources below to assist.

Arranging the Interview via phone

  • Contact the candidate directly introducing yourself by providing your full name, title and which department you are affiliated with at the University of Richmond.
  • Verify that it is a good time to speak to the candidate.
  • Clarify the reason for the call, indicating your request to schedule an interview (in-person, phone or Zoom) for the vacant position.
  • Discuss the interview logistics:
    • Names and titles of those on the search committee.
    • How long the interview will last.
    • If it is a phone, confirm the phone number where the candidate can be reached and explain that the search committee will call the candidate.
    • For an in-person interview, provide location details such as building and room, directions and parking information.
    • For Zoom interview, confirm the email address that you will send the meeting number and password to.
  • Provide the candidate with your contact phone number and email should they need to follow up regarding any details or questions.
  • Again, confirm the candidate’s contact email and phone number.
  • Send a follow-up email to the candidate confirming all interview details. If the candidate is scheduled for an in-person interview, please include a campus map with parking locations marked. If you believe that the candidate may have difficulty finding parking, please explain that they should factor in additional time to locate a parking space and walk to the interview location.

Emailing to Schedule

Your emails to candidates regarding their interview should communicate all of the important details about the interview. The information about the date, time, and estimated duration of the interview needs to be clear to the candidate. When you are scheduling an interview, it’s best to give the candidate all of the relevant details and then suggest a few dates and times for the interview to take place.

See Scheduling Resources for email template.

Leaving a Voicemail for the Candidate

  • Ask to be directed to the candidate’s voicemail if not taken there directly.
  • Provide your full name, title and which department you are affiliated with at University of Richmond, along with contact information.
  • Thank the candidate and state that you look forward to hearing from them soon.
  • Allow at least 24 hours for the candidate to return your call before contacting them again either by phone or email. You should make at least two attempts to contact a candidate. If the candidate does not respond, document that the candidate could not be reached for an interview and move on to the other candidates.

Resources