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Employment

Classified Positions – Applicant Procedures & Policies

Application Procedure
Anyone interested in applying for a classified or an hourly position, should visit the University Employment Office, Room 167, Whitmore Administration Building and fill out an Application form and Skills Inventory form.

No application form other than the official one provided by the Employment Office can be accepted. You may, if you wish, attach your resume to the application.

Employees who have been laid off are considered to be “on-campus” applicants for a period of time as designated by their collective bargaining agreement or non-unit policy. Non-unit professional staff who are laid off can apply for classified positions but are considered “on-campus” applicants only for a 3-month period following their lay-off date.

In accordance with the University’s “promotion from within” policy, the employee application allows Amherst campus employees to express their interest in a classified job vacancy. Employees can apply for a particular job advertised on the Yellow Sheet by specifying the corresponding Requisition number on the application form. If a requisition number is specified, the application will be considered for that vacancy only.

Employees can also instruct the Employment Office to refer them for any vacancy that occurs within a given job title by writing that title and the shift for that position on their application.

If a position vacancy advertised on the Yellow Sheet has restrictive wording such as Temporary, Part-Time, etc., and/or indicates 2nd or 3rd shift, you must make sure to check off the exact matching items on your application in order to be referred to the hiring department for consideration.

During the time your application is on file, the Employment Office automatically refers it, as appropriate, to any department that advertises a position for a job you’ve expressed interest in.

Applications and Applicant Skills Inventories for on-campus employees remain active for a designated six-month period –January through June, and July through December. If you want to be considered for a vacancy that occurs during these periods, you must fill out a new Application and Skills Inventory. Your application remains active during the six month period unless:

• withdrawn by the applicant at an earlier date.
• submitted for a specific position vacancy.
• applicant receives the position title for which he or she applied.
• applicant receives a position title of equal or higher grade.

Applicant Skills Inventory
In addition to filling out an application form, you also must complete an Applicant Skills Inventory, indicating up to a maximum of forty (40) skills you have acquired through work experience and/or education.

Off-Campus Applicants
Individuals who are not presently working at the Amherst campus can apply for classified/hourly positions by filling out an Application for Employment or “off-campus application.”

Off-campus job applications are valid for six months following the date of completion unless you request that it be withdrawn at an earlier time or you are hired into a position title you applied for.

Classified positions are advertised on the Yellow Sheet; hourly positions appear on the Beige Sheet. If a job is advertised as Temporary, Part-Time, etc., and/or indicates 2nd or 3rd shift, you must check all of these same items off on your application form in order to be referred to the hiring department for consideration.

Applicant Skills Inventory
All applicants for classified/hourly positions should complete an Applicant Skills Inventory. This check-off sheet that allows to report up to forty (40) skills you’ve acquired through work experience and/or education. Your self-reported skills will be printed on the Applicant Profile - a form the Employment Office uses to refer job candidates to hiring departments.

EO/AA Information Request Form
The EO/AA Information Request form is filled out by applicants on a voluntary basis. The data collected is used by the University in meet certain U.S. Department of Labor reporting requirements.

Applicant Testing
The University uses an automated testing system called QWIZ to measure the office and business skills of job applicants for classified positions. The QWIZ system has six (6) self-administered tests that you take on a personal computer (PC) in the Employment Office, Room 167, Whitmore Administration Building. The standard battery of six Primary Skills tests include: Categorizing & Classifying, Editing & Proofing, Filing Names, Filing Numbers, Forms Checking and Math. These tests are designed to assess reasoning, perceptual ability, numerical ability and verbal comprehension.

A Speed Typing Test is required for certain state job titles such as Typist I & II and Stenographer I & II. Applicants for such positions must obtain a minimum score of Average (40 words/minute) before they can be referred to the hiring department.

The exact tests required for a given position or title are based on the job description (Form 30) and the job requirements specified by hiring department on their Position Skills Inventory.

Applicants for clerical/office positions are strongly encouraged to take the tests even though they may not be required for certain positions. Tests are administered by appointment only. Applicants/employees can set up an appointment by calling the Employment Office, 545-1396.

Preliminary Interview Prior to Testing for Off-Campus Applicants
First-time applicants from off-campus need to make an appointment to see an Employment Office interviewer before testing can be scheduled by calling 545-1396.

The interviewer will explain application and employment procedures, and assist you with filling out forms, schedule a time for you to take clerical tests (if applicable), and answer any questions about the employment process. You should bring items as a resume, license (trades/professional) or certification, to the interview.

Department Request for Testing
As a means of aiding the selection process, departments may ask an applicant to take the QWIZ tests if he or she hasn’t already done so. The Appointing Authority can make this request of applicants who are under serious consideration in a “narrowed-down” pool.

Software Skills Testing The QWIZ testing system has additional tests to assess an applicant’s proficiency with a variety of popular computer applications and operating systems such as Word, Excel, Word Perfect, Windows, etc.

Test Score Reporting
QWIZ test scores are printed on a report that accompanies the pool of Applicant Profiles given to the hiring department. Also included is a separate list of applicants who have not taken the automated tests. Each applicant who takes the QWIZ tests will receive a written report of his or her scores.

Other Evaluations Factors
It should be noted that the test scores alone do not determine an applicant’s suitability for employment. Additional factors such as previous experience, current demands, and other considerations contribute to whether an applicant is referred for a position. The University endeavors to place the best qualified applicant in each position and to reward seniority when competence for advancement is demonstrated.

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