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Developing and using a search plan is a way of broadening
the field of well qualified applicants for an advertised
position, in this case, well qualified women. It involves
going beyond the normal advertisement procedures and using
less formal networks. When developing a search plan for your
area it is important to remember:
The search process should occur either just before or at
the same time that the position is advertised. It is not
intended that a special search should be made after the
short list has been decided. Only women who are suitably
qualified for the position should be encouraged to
apply.
All applicants are to be short listed and selected on the
basis of merit, which is in line with the University's Equal
Opportunity Policy and Appointments Policy. Strategies to be
adopted will vary with each area but may include the
following short and long term strategies.
Short term strategies
- Be fully conversant with the following policies:
Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy, and the
Appointments Policy.
- Analyse your department's or unit's statistics on the
basis of gender.
- Consider the number of women who are general and
academic staff and where they are situated in the
hierarchy. It may be worthwhile to also look at the
number of undergraduate and postgraduate women in your
department. There may be a gender imbalance that needs to
be addressed.
- Participate in University training on recruitment and
selection procedures.
- Explore the possibility of offering flexible working
arrangements such as job-share, working on a part-time
basis and if the position allows for it, working from
home at times.
- Talk to work colleagues and members of staff about
the need to implement a search plan and gain their
support. They may be a good source in terms of sharing
information with students, current and ex-staff.
- Word the advertisement to encourage applications from
women. For example:
- Include a statement in the advertisement which reads:
"Women are particularly encouraged to apply"; and
- Advise potential applicants of the existence of an
on-campus child care centre.
- Contact key women in the department or unit to elicit
contacts with women who might meet the requirements of
the job.
- If women from your department or unit have been
promoted to positions outside of the University, continue
to keep contact with them as they may be able to elicit
contacts with women in other areas outside of Flinders
University.
- Contact other Heads of Departments in Australian and
overseas universities in order to elicit contacts with
women who might meet the requirements of the
position.
- Investigate the range of women's electronic networks
on campus and in other universities in order to further
advertise the position.
- Refer to the Register of Senior University Women
which has been compiled by the Australian Vice
Chancellor's Committee. This register includes the names
of women at HEO level 10 and at the level of Senior
Lecturer and above. For more information regarding this
register contact the Manager, Human Resources.
- Refer to the state government register entitled
"Breakthrough" which includes the names of women with
expertise in a number of areas.
- Information can be obtained through the Office for
the Status of Women, telephone: 8303 0961.
- Contact key people in the professional or academic
associations to elicit contacts with women who might meet
the requirements of the position.
- Arrange for an advertisement or information about the
position to be inserted in relevant newsletters.
- Consult the faculty or department Affirmative Action
Committee and seek the expertise of women on this
committee.
- Add a statement in the advertisement that the
department is keen to attract applicants with a
commitment to encouraging women students to undertake
PhDs.
- Survey how successful applicants heard about the
vacancies.
In assessing the merit of the applicants, an attempt
should be made to avoid a stereotypical view of conventional
career paths and to recognise that women's career paths may
have been interrupted by child rearing and other family
responsibilities. For some women, their role may have been
in supporting their partner's career rather than their own
which could account for their mobility or fewer years of
service with an organisation. For academic women, the
quality of experience, publications, or teaching may be of
more value to the interview panel than the actual quantity
of publications.
The success of the search process will be judged by
whether or not suitably qualified women are included on a
short list.
Long term strategies
- Maintain a register of women applicants and any
unsolicited enquiries to the department or unit from
suitably qualified women.
- Educate all staff in your area including
administrative staff about the value of search
activities.
- Become familiar with and encourage the work of women
in the department by inviting them to give papers at
conferences or seminars.
- Invite visiting scholars to the department in order
to establish contacts with external organisations in
Australia or overseas.
- Use conferences as talent spotting opportunities,
making sure that a member of department attends any
seminar given by a woman.
- Consciously seek to attract more postgraduate
students who are women.
- Monitor and review your search activities on a yearly
basis.
Final Comments
Human Resources is keen to know whether departments and
units implement search plans. It is requested that the
chairperson of the Appointment Committee outline in their
report whether any search activity was undertaken in order
to attract women to apply for the position.
Care should also be taken in establishing the selection
criteria so that the nature of women's life experiences can
be taken into account. Consult staff in Personnel, Policy
& Practice or the Equal Opportunity Unit when framing
the criteria.
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