Process Considerations:

• The reference checking tool is provided by SkillSurvey and requires a separate log in and password for each user.
• Each candidate must provide three references with at least one being a manager.
• Campus Administrators can add and remove recruiters to SkillSurvey.
• If individuals are added as recruiters that are not HR Staff, a Confidentiality Agreement must be completed.
• Candidate Feedback Reports should not be run until all references have been received. If it is run before all references reply a single reference response cannot be added or viewed. There must be at least two reference responses available at the time the report is run to maintain reference confidentiality.
• Hiring Manager Reports should only be sent to individuals who are involved in the hiring process.

Roles

• Admin:
  • Point of contact for each campus (in SkillSurvey a campus is called a Division), 1-2 staff from each campus or school at UW Madison.
  • Add/delete recruiters within their Division (campus).
    
  • Access information for their Division (campus). 
• Recruiter:
  • The HR employee working with the Hiring Manager to recruit for their vacancy. 
  • Recruiters are primary SkillSurvey users. 
• Hiring Manager:
  • Request recruiter to run reference check for final candidate(s).
  • Provide the candidate's contact information to the recruiter.
  • Receives the Hiring Manager Report for candidate(s).
• Candidate:
  • Applicant that has been selected to move into the reference checking process.
• Reference:
  • Individual provided by the candidate to complete the reference check.

Recruiter Responsibilities

• Enter the Candidate into SkillSurvey.
• Monitor the reference check process.
• Request more references if necessary.
• Finalize the reference check reports and review the results.
• Share the Hiring Manager Report with appropriate staff.
• Complete the reference check by filing the candidate information.

Accessing SkillSurvey

Username and Password will be sent by email from SkillSurvey Customer Service (support@reference.skillsurvey.com) once the recruiter account has been created. The account will be canceled if the password is not reset within 24 hours.

Password resets can be requested from the sign in page.

website: https://app.skillsurvey.com/Reference/

My Dashboard

SkillSurvey home page is a dashboard that provides an overview of the recruiter's active candidates.

Additional information on using the dashboard can be found on the SkillSurvey resource, How to Read the Homepage Dashboard.

Click Home to return to the dashboard from anywhere in SkillSurvey.

Create Candidate

1. Click the Person icon (Create Candidate) in the upper right of the homepage.
   
   
   
2. Enter candidate information.
   NOTE: Position Applying for should be the position title.
3. Review the Assign Candidate to field. A different recruiter can be selected and will receive all communications.
4. Review the Candidate Type (current or not current UW employee) and update if needed.
5. Review the list of Available Surveys (questions for references).
   NOTE: Edit the Job Title field (ie working title) to see additional survey options.
6. Click the survey title to see a list of the survey questions as well as candidate and reference emails.
7. Select the survey to be sent.
8. Click Send Candidate Notification.

Additional information on creating a candidate and selecting a survey can be found on the SkillSurvey resource, How to Create a Candidate.

The following email will be sent to confirm that the candidate was successfully added:

Searching for a Candidate

Click the magnifying glass in the upper right and enter a candidate's name. 

Search results will include all candidates at your campus regardless of the recruiter.

Reviewing Candidate Information

All details about the candidate including communication can be found by clicking on the candidate's name from the dashboard.

Sending Additional Surveys

If additional references need to be added after the initial request, instruct the candidate can go in and add additional references. 

Finalize a Candidate

Once the minimum numbers of references have submitted surveys for a candidate, the candidate will automatically move to the Waiting to Finalize section on the dashboard and an email will be sent to the recruiter.

1. Review the number of references sent and received.
   WARNING: Do not finalize a candidate until no more surveys will be sent or returned. If a candidate is finalized before all references are returned, the candidate cannot be re-finalized (and a report run) until at least 2 more references have responded.
2. Click the Finalize hyperlink in the Action column.
3. Review the reference's information.
4. Click Finalize.
5. Click File Candidate.

Finalizing a candidate will kick off the Reference Feedback Report process.

Additional information on finalizing a candidate can be found on the SkillSurvey resource, How to Finalize a Candidate.

Copy of the email sent to the recruiter once the minimum number of references have responded:

Running Reports

This process is started as part of the finalize a candidate process and will open in a new window. After it has run it can be found on the Dashboard.

Recruiters can review the Candidate Feedback report to help provide information and guidance to the hiring manager.

1. Click the Report icon next to the candidate in the Waiting to File section.
2. On the report, click Change View and select Hiring Manager Report.
   NOTE: The Hiring Manager Report provides an overview of the key information to help drive decision making.
3. Click the download icon in the upper right to download and save a copy of the report.

Additional information on running and reviewing the Reference Feedback Report can be found on the SkillSurvey resource, How to Run Candidate Reports.

File Candidates

After a decision to hire or not hire has been made the candidate must be filed to complete the process.

1. Locate the candidate in the Waiting to File section of the dashboard.
2. Select the correct Filing Status from the drop down menu.
3. Click File Candidate on the pop up window.

Additional information on filing a candidate can be found on the SkillSurvey resource, How to File Candidates.

Override Reference Requirements for a Single Candidate

This process should only be used when it has been approved that a specific candidate is not required to submit the minimum required reference information.

WARNING: This step can only be completed after a candidate has entered at least 2 references.

1. Click the name of the candidate from the dashboard.
2. Scroll down below the candidate reference information.
3. Click the Override minimum requirements hyperlink.
4. Instruct the candidate to sign into their account and accept the terms/conditions and click the Send References email.

Cancel a Candidate

Canceling a candidate should be an uncommon occurrence and is used for candidates who withdraw from the hiring process prior to all references being collected.
If a candidate is no longer being considered and references have been collected, select a reason of Not Hired when filing the candidate.

1. Click the candidate's name from the dashboard.
2. Click the drop down for File candidate.
3. Select Canceled.
4. Enter a Note with the reason.

Additional Resources

• SkillSurvey on demand training video - this video provides a high level overview of the process.
• Reference Checking for Division (Campus) Administrator