Interview Protocol
Step 1 - Access the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Launch the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) from either:
Selecting the Hiring navigation tab in your BambooHR profile.
Selecting this link to the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) >
You may be required to provide your BambooHR credentials before accessing.
Step 2 - Locate Applications
You can view applications within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) from either:
The Job Openings tab.
Select the Appropriate Job Opening.
The Candidates tab.
Step 3 - Prepare and Submit Interview Invitation Email
Identify the applicant(s) you are ready to communicate with by setting the Candidate Status to Interview - Prepare Invitation.
Initiating with the appropriate Email Template.
For preparing an Email Template on a per application basis, either:
Select an applicant’s Send Email icon (right side of the list entry) from either the Job Opening’s page or the Candidates tab;
Select an applicant’s checkbox from the Job Opening’s page, then select the mail icon near the top-corner of the Candidates list; or
Select an applicant’s name from either the Job Opening’s page or the Candidates tab and select the New Email button near the top-right of the page.
Prepare either the Interview Invitation (Online Interview) or Interview Invitation (In Person Interview) Email Template.
Replace the [MMDD - MMDD] placeholder with a range of dates (usually a weeks’ period of time) in accordance to your availability and discretion.
No further additions or modifications should be made to the Email Template without prior approval from the HR department.
Submit the Email Template to the applicant by selecting the Send Email button.
Update the appropriate applicant(s) Candidate Status to Interview - Awaiting Confirmation.
Await the applicant’s response to confirm the interview.
To locate the submitted email, in addition to any subsequent or proceeding email communications, select the Email tab from an application page.
If the applicant replies to an email you submitted, you will also receive a response to your work email account.
Generally, you should only communicate with applicants using Email Templates which are available within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), currently BambooHR.
Step 4 - Processing Response to Interview Invitation Email
Upon receiving a response from the applicant with dates/times they are available to interview, check your calendar, or hiring manager’s calendar you are processing the request on behalf of the hiring manager, and choose a date/time that works for all parties.
Notify HR of scheduled interview date via email, teams or addition to the calendar invite.
If the interview is to be conducted online, the HR department, or assigned designee, shall:
Set up an online invitation for the interview via Teams or Webex.
Prepare and submit the Interview Confirmation (Online Interview) email template.
Replace the day and time placeholder text (i.e. WEEKDAY, MONTH DAY, YEAR at HOUR:MINUTES AM/PM) in accordance with the agreement.
If interview to be held via Teams:
Set up calendar invite in Teams and add applicant to request using their personal email.
If interview to be held via Webex:
Copy and Paste Meeting invite info and links from Webex into the email.
Submit the Email Template to the applicant by selecting the Send Email button.
Update the appropriate applicant(s) Candidate Status to Interview - Scheduled.
If the interview is to be conducted in-person, the HR department shall:
Prepare and submit the Interview Confirmation (In-Person Interview) email template.
Replace the day and time placeholder text (i.e. WEEKDAY, MONTH DAY, YEAR at HOUR:MINUTES AM/PM) in accordance with the agreement.
Submit the Email Template to the applicant by selecting the Send Email button.
Update the appropriate applicant(s) Candidate Status to Interview - Scheduled.
Notify the position’s Hiring Lead of the interview’s schedule being confirmed via a calendar invite that includes:
Applicant’s first and last name; and
In-Person interview date and time.
Step 5 - Interview
This step is currently in development…content contained herein will be incomplete.
Avoid making any comments or asking any questions about an applicant’s legally protected characteristics, whether directly to the applicant or a fellow coworker.
These characteristics include age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), and veteran status.
Avoid the use of words such as young, old, seasoned, boomer or millennial, son/daughter, “you people”, strong, disabled, dumb, religious faith, cute, ugly, heterosexual or homosexual (and any other less formal terms), etc.
Acceptable terms include experienced, educated, qualified, etc.
Keep away from any non-communicated characteristic thoughts about applicants as well to avoid any personal biases, whether conscious or unconscious.
Reconsider whether the application’s star rating should be updated based on the information gathered from this phase of the hiring protocol.
Highest ranking is five (5) stars and lowest ranking is one (1) star.
Upon updating a star rating, include a note explaining the reasoning for your choice.
The application rating may be set from either the:
Job Opening’s page;
Candidates tab; or
Application page.
Record notes in the applicant’s Comments tab.
Include likes, dislikes, and other key details that may be later used to determine hiring selection or that may be subject to a merit based hiring audit.
Step 6 - Determining Candidate Status
Set the applicant’s Candidate Status for continued consideration to:
Interviewed - Approved - If the applicant has successfully received a satisfactory result for their interview; at the discretion of the position’s hiring lead.
Set the applicant’s Candidate Status for discontinued consideration to:
Interview - No Appearance - If the applicant has failed appear for an interview.
Interview - Candidate Withdrew - If the applicant has declined to be continued for consideration before, during, or after an interview.
Interviewed - Discontinued Consideration - If the applicant’s interview results were dissatisfactory or below other active applicants for the same position.
Step 7 - Send Email Template to Applicant for Discontinued Consideration (If Necessary)
For Discontinued Consideration, send the following email template to the applicant:
Email Template | Regret to Inform - Applicant
Candidate Status | Interview - No Appearance
Email Template | Candidate Withdrew - Reason Provided
Candidate Status | Interview - Candidate Withdrew
Email Template | Regret to Inform - Screened/Interviewed
Candidate Status | Interviewed - Discontinued Consideration