Application Checklist
When you receive an application from a student, there are many steps to get it through the process. You must keep track of the application both in its physical form and through the database in Access. Make sure to follow the steps outlined below to ensure that all students have a positive experience with Project Vote Smart. Just because they may not be qualified to work with us this year, does not mean that they may not reapply and work with us at a future date.
Remember that one of the most important things about recruiting is that while we are evaluating their qualifications as interns, the students are also evaluating our qualifications as employers. It must be a symbiotic relationship. Word of mouth is important not just with interns who work with us, but also with any student who applies to work with us.
It is important to use the email templates found in the P-drive at Project Vote Smart>Internship Materials>Recruitment>Email Templates to provide consistency to applicants across semesters.
Receiving the Application:
A complete application contains both a cover letter OR writing sample and a resume. For some students, a writing sample may also have to accompany a cover letter in order to better evaluate their writing abilities. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. But some general rules of thumb:
- Is their cover letter very short? Yes: Writing sample required.
- Is their cover letter full of errors? Yes: Writing sample, even if moved into the B-candidate group.
- Is their cover letter generally vague? Yes: Writing sample (to demonstrate their interest)
- Did the intern submit a resume at a career fair? Yes: Email candidate to ask for cover letter OR writing sample to accompany the resume. This will give you a sense of their interest and their writing abilities.
Contacting the Applicant:
- Once an application has been received you will immediately do the following:
1. Check to make sure that BOTH a cover letter and resume are contained in the application. If not, when you contact to acknowledge receipt of the application you MUST ask for the missing document in order to move forward.
2. Email the candidate using the "Acknowledgement of Application" email template.
2. Email the candidate using the "Acknowledgement of Application" email template.
Reviewing Applications:
- Print the application and enter the information into the Internship Applicant database in Access.
- Set aside time during the week to review applications. Sort the candidates into "A" and "B" candidates. At this time you may also request writing samples from students from whom you need more information to accurately evaluate.
- "A" Candidates will be contacted by phone 1 week after their application is reviewed.
- "B" Candidates will be reserved for further review if there are not enough "A" candidates to fill available internship positions. You should periodically contact "B" candidates that their applications are still being reviewed.
Scheduling Interviews with Applicants:
- Call "A" candidates using the PVS mainline to set-up interviews. The preference should ALWAYS be for in-person interviews, but Skype and phone are acceptable for out of town students. You may also request a writing sample at this time. If you do not reach the candidate by phone then you will follow these steps:
1. Leave a voicemail that includes your name, Project Vote Smart, reason for the call and a call back number and time you will be available. Update the Internship Applicant database to reflect the 1st Contact
2. Email the candidate once the time in your voicemail has elapsed using the "1st Contact" email template.
3. Email the candidate a second time one week after your first email. Update Access to indicate the 2nd contact and change the current status of applicant to "No Response." Use the "2nd Contact" email template.
4. Move the candidate into the rejected folder with note indicating "2nd contact-no response."
2. Email the candidate once the time in your voicemail has elapsed using the "1st Contact" email template.
3. Email the candidate a second time one week after your first email. Update Access to indicate the 2nd contact and change the current status of applicant to "No Response." Use the "2nd Contact" email template.
4. Move the candidate into the rejected folder with note indicating "2nd contact-no response."
Organizing for the Interview:
- Once the interview is scheduled do all of the following:
1. Confirm the interview by email within 30 minutes using the "Scheduled Interview" email template (make sure to choose by phone or in-person).
2. Update the candidate's interview status in Access to "scheduled" and include the interview date.
3. Select staff to perform the interview according to staff assignments in the intern room and remembering the guidelines in Interview Scheduling.
4. If the interview is in-person, reserve 30 minutes of time in the Conference Room (if available). Use the Outlook Calendar "CMA 7.146D."
5. Update the "Interview" Calendar with the applicant's name, the two staff members who will perform the interview, whether the interview is in-person or by phone/Skype, and the room number.
6. Paper-clip a copy of the "Interview Questions" and "Interview Matrix" to the application.
7. Move the physical application to the "Interview Pending" folder sorted by interview date and time.
Interview:2. Update the candidate's interview status in Access to "scheduled" and include the interview date.
3. Select staff to perform the interview according to staff assignments in the intern room and remembering the guidelines in Interview Scheduling.
4. If the interview is in-person, reserve 30 minutes of time in the Conference Room (if available). Use the Outlook Calendar "CMA 7.146D."
5. Update the "Interview" Calendar with the applicant's name, the two staff members who will perform the interview, whether the interview is in-person or by phone/Skype, and the room number.
6. Paper-clip a copy of the "Interview Questions" and "Interview Matrix" to the application.
7. Move the physical application to the "Interview Pending" folder sorted by interview date and time.
- If you will be in the intern room at the time of the interview, then provide the application and interview folder to one of the staff members who will be in the interview.
- If you will be in the CMA office, then be prepared to greet the applicant (even if you are not interviewing them). Inform interview staff when the candidate arrives.
After the Interview:
- The two staff in the interview will determine whether to hire, waitlist, defer to another semester, or reject the applicant.
- Ascertain from the staff the status of the candidate and update the candidate's information in Access.
Accepting Candidates:
- One week after the interview you will call the candidate to offer the internship.
- If the candidate is not there, leave a message. If the candidate does not call back within 1 business day, then use the "Offering Internship without Verbal Offer" email template with the "Internship Agreement Form" for the particular semester attached.
- If the candidate does speak with you, then send an email using the "Offering the Internship with a Verbal Offer" email template. Again, make sure to attach the internship agreement form for the particular semester.
- You may also contact candidates who do not respond to ask for an acceptance or rejection. If they do not respond to this email then move them into the physical "rejected" folder and change their status in Access to "No Response."
Rejecting Candidates
- One week after the interview you will email the candidate using the "Rejection after Interview" template. The email does not need to go into details about why the intern was not accepted into this program.
Offering Deferrals to Candidates
- If a candidate is selected for a deferral to a different semester you will call the applicant by phone to make the deferred offer. You will then follow the same steps as a regular internship offer. Generally, however, rather than giving the candidate one week to accept or decline, we will give them an extended period of 2-3 weeks to make their decision.
