Recruitment and onboarding

Objective 

This guideline describes how the recruitment process at DTU should progress.

The process described applies to all positions at DTU except professorships.

Prior to recruitment

When a decision has been made to recruit a new employee or refill a vacant position, a job description should be compiled.

A job description contains considerations concerning

• The location of the position, immediate superior and work colleagues
• The unit’s strategic goals
• The results to be achieved
• Main work tasks
• Professional and personal competencies required for the position
• Employment conditions, salary and working hours
• The workplace culture and values

Recruitment process

An online recruitment tool is used to ensure that the recruitment process is visible and homogenous.

The Office of HR ensures that vacant jobs are published via DTU’s online recruitment system. The Office of HR also deals with all advertisements for positions in professional journals and newspapers. Applications are received through DTU’s online recruitment system and are dealt with by the department or the Office of HR, depending on the position. Applications received by e-mail or post are to be entered into the system. Communication with candidates during recruitment takes place primarily via the online recruitment system.

A standard rejection is sent via the online recruitment ­system to all external applicants who have not attended an interview. As far as possible, applicants who have attended an interview must be informed of rejection by telephone before a written rejection is sent.

Process for internal recruitment 

If an internal candidate applies for a position advertised by another department, this applicant will go through the same recruitment process on an equal basis with other applicants.

This means that internal candidates will:

• apply for the position in line with the requirements stated in the advertisement
• be assessed based on their qualifications stated in the job advertisement
• receive a personal rejection if they do not proceed further in the process
• be invited to an interview if they have the right qualifications for the job.

The entire process is treated with confidentiality in relation to the candidate’s current management until an employment agreement is prepared.
If, after a final interview, both the internal candidate and the new department wish to proceed with employment of the candidate, the following is to take place:

• The Head of Department where the candidate is employed is notified by the Head of Department wishing to employ the person
• Agreement is reached concerning how the transition to the new position is to take place based on a joint wish to ensure the best possible solution for all parties

Recruitment Committee

An advisory Recruitment Committee should be set up. Members of this Committee are to have precise definitions of their roles and objectives. An interview guide (link) has been prepared to facilitate the process in the Committee.

Testing candidates

Candidates may be tested. HR Recruitment is certified to carry out various tests related to recruitment, especially for senior officers. The test is mainly used for second interviews as the basis for discussing personal competencies, behavior and needs. These tests fulfill the ethical standards elaborated by the Danish Psychological Association.

VIP appointments

Special rules apply to the employment of VIPs, as stated in the Ministerial Order Regarding the Appointment of Lecturers and Academic Staff at Universities, and DTU has also local practices for recruiting VIPs.

Overview of the overall process for VIP recruitments.

Pay determination

Pay is determined in accordance with the current collective agreements and DTU’s pay policy.

Employment contract

When the pay has been determined, and all the necessary information for drawing up the employment contract has been sent from the department/unit to the Office of HR, the employment contract will be forwarded to the prospective employee and the shop steward.

Entry into force

The guideline on the policy for recruitment is approved by the Executive Board and was discussed by the Cooperation and Joint Consultation Committee (HSU) in March 2017.

The guideline becomes effective from the time it is published on DTU Inside.

Amendments

The guidelines/policy may be amended at three months' notice following review by the Cooperation and Joint Consultation Committee. Amendments are communicated via DTU Inside.

Objective

The policy describes the recruitment process at DTU. The policy applies to all terms of employment at DTU.

General

DTU’s policy is to recruit dedicated, performance-oriented and proactive staff – including international employees – with the relevant professional and personal qualifications, who live up to DTU's values.

Highly qualified and motivated employees are success criteria for achieving DTU’s objectives, for efficient and professional performance and the advancement of DTU.

Internal recruitment

Internal recruitment and mobility is one way of developing and motivating talented staff. Accordingly, DTU supports a policy that

• makes it possible and attractive to move between organizational entities and/or between jobs, if the right qualifications are there, and the need exists.
• ensures a process for managing this mobility in a way that is transparent and responsible, and that takes all parties involved into consideration.

Non-discrimination

DTU has no reservations concerning gender, age, ethnic background or religion and focuses on non-discrimination of all applicants.

Successful recruitment

Success criteria for recruitment are that 

• DTU’s values and culture are clear to the applicant
• the candidate has been given the clearest possible picture of both the job and DTU as a workplace
• DTU and the applicant’s expectations and needs match
• close cooperation between the department/unit and the Office of HR is maintained throughout the process.

Professional recruitment

Applicants and senior officers are to perceive DTU’s recruitment process as professional. DTU’s goal is to complete the recruitment as rapidly as possible while ensuring high quality throughout the process. Candidates whose applications are rejected must feel so well treated that they wish to apply for jobs at DTU in the future.

The hallmark of professional recruitment is that the applicant receives a rapid response to an application, including an invitation to an interview, if applicable, and that the subsequent recruitment interview is perceived to be constructive and positive. The rapid processing of the employment contract also contributes to the overall impression that the recruitment process is conducted professionally.

Entry into force

The policy for recruitment was approved by the Executive Board and discussed by the Cooperation and Joint Consultation Committee (HSU) in March 2017.

The policy becomes effective from the time it is published on DTU Inside.

Amendments

The policy may be amended at three months' notice following review by the Cooperation and Joint Consultation Committee. Amendments are communicated via DTU Inside.