A thank-you letter should be sent promptly to all applicants on receipt of their materials. This may be a good time to send each applicant some additional information to maintain her/his interest in the position. This letter may also contain information about the search committee's time line, since candidates will undoubtedly be anxious to know when they will be hearing about possible interviews. Additional information, e.g., papers or publications, a statement on his or her philosophy of education, may also be requested at this time.
Applicants should be kept informed about the progress of the search. If difficulties significantly delay the search process from the committee's original time line, a brief letter of explanation should be sent to each applicant. As the screening of applications proceeds, applicants will be removed from the active pool. Applicants should be informed promptly that they are no longer being considered for this position. When the final candidates for the position have been selected, they should be informed promptly. A telephone call to each candidate is a convenient way to learn if all of the candidates are still actively interested in this position, to answer their questions, and discuss the interview schedule.
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Next: 6.4 Evaluating the Applicants
Previous: 6.2 Advertising and Enlarging the Pool of Applicants
Index: Handbook for Faculty Searches