Staff – Regular Exempt Positions

Step 1: Requesting a Job Requisition

1. If you are creating a new position or asking for a classification change, you must complete the Position Description Form and the Classification Request Form. Send completed forms, along with an organization chart, to hrcompensation@utk.edu for classification review. The compensation team will evaluate the information provided and respond to you with the classification recommendation for your new or vacant position.
   If there are no changes to a position description, you may proceed to the next step below.
2. Complete a Position Create/Change e-form in IRIS (ZPPOSITION000) to make the requested changes or to create the new position. It is in this step that you will select ‘yes’ to the Create Requisition question. Attach a job posting that is consistent with the Position Description when submitting the IRIS workflow transaction. Once the position is fully processed through workflow a requisition will populate in Taleo for the recruitment unit to post as a vacant position.

Step 2: The Requisition

1. Once the position is posted, you may view it in Taleo – UT’s applicant tracking system. (You will be asked to log in using your NetID and password.)
2. All regular exempt positions must be advertised for a minimum of seven calendar days. The presence of a well-qualified, diverse applicant pool will determine if the position should be advertised longer.  The position will be advertised on the:

• External Career Site: Both external and internal applicants are encouraged to apply.
• Internal Career Site: Only UT internal applicants* will be considered.
  *NOTE: Internal applicants are considered to be regular and temporary UT faculty and staff currently employed by the University.
• HigherEd Jobs: higheredjobs.com
• Inside Higher Ed: insidehighered.com

For additional advertising resources please connect with your Recruitment Business Partner.

Step 3: The Candidate Pool

Recruitment Business Partners will screen applications based on the minimum education experience as stated in the position description. Applications that meet the required educational qualifications will be made available for the search committee to view in Taleo.

Searches for exempt positions paid by an E account must have their candidate pools reviewed and approved the Equal Opportunity and Accessibility. You are required to connect with the Equal Opportunity and Accessibility as soon as the position is posted. Your primary and secondary interview pools MUST be approved by the Equal Opportunity and Accessibility BEFORE the candidates can be interviewed. Please visit the Equal Opportunity and Accessibility – Staff Exempt Searches – for additional information on conducting a search with the EOA component.

Searches for exempt positions paid by an R account (Grant Funded Account) are not required to have their candidate pools reviewed by the Equal Opportunity and Accessibility.

Each applicant goes through a series of steps and statuses during the hiring process. Recruitment Business Partners can assist you with the proper path for moving candidates through the required steps and statuses.

Step 4: Selection, Vetting and Job Offer

Once a successful candidate has been identified, please execute the following prior to connecting with the candidate to make an unofficial or verbal offer:

1. Initiate the background check by communicating with your Recruitment Business Partner.
2. Contact a minimum of three professional references, and most importantly the most recent supervisor.

Once you have made the formal offer, you will enter the offer in Taleo. The approval for job offers takes place in IRIS and appears in each approver’s inbox.

Please note: All offers are contingent upon successful background and social media checks, and verification of any educational requirements.

Step 5: Onboarding

Once the formal job offer has been extended, the Recruitment Business Partner will send the new employee information about the onboarding process. This email will include instructions regarding any/all required new hire documents that must be completed prior to the first day of employment. Please note: All new hires are required to complete the I-9 form and provide appropriate supporting documentation prior to but no later than the first day of work.