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Preparing for OPE

  1. To recruit candidates, we recommend you contact them and be aggressive with your marketing materials, as it seems sometimes candidates wait until they hear from employers.
  2. Send out materials to as many candidates that meet your basic qualifications.
  3. Use your network of friends and colleagues to put the word out about your position.
  4. Be Prepared! Keep your files organized and bring them with you to OPE.
  5. Your interview schedule will have your candidates’ names and OPE Mailbox Numbers; however, it is available only in the schedule format. If you need it in a different format (such as alphabetically or by Mailbox Number, we encourage you to create separate lists of that information.
  6. Most institutions pre-schedule all of their interviews. There will likely be cancellations at the conference, so if anyone does contact you on-site and they appear to be a strong candidate, you will likely still be able to meet with them. If you are doing second interviews, be sure to leave time in your schedule for those.
  7. When scheduling interviews, remember to tell the candidate the length of your interview and where they should wait.
  8. Take time to read the OPE website. It has valuable information to explain the process and help you prepare.
  9. Develop your schedule before you get to OPE. Schedule time to break for lunch and dinner, read messages, deliver mail, catch up on paperwork, and catch your breath.
  10. Be sure to communicate your mailbox number, floor number, and building location to your candidates often.
  11. When blocking out times on your schedule, be sure to include which position with your institution the candidates are interviewing for.
  12. Do as much of the screening of resumes and potential reference checks prior to arriving to OPE. This will speed up your campus invite process.