Part of A Guide to Transitional Ministry
When the short-term search team receives applicants, they need to review and sort though information, check references, and do research.
The names and ministerial records of your applicants will appear in the profile when you next log in.
If your congregation does not see any names, please reach out to the UUA Transitions Team.
The search team should acknowledge each application and send a link to the search packet of documents so your applicants can learn more about your opportunity while your team learns about them.
Preparing for the Interviewing Process
Search teams should fully and fairly consider all applicants, using an inclusive process that honors the unique needs, perspectives, identities, and skills of all search team members and applicants, in alignment with our Unitarian Universalist shared values.
In the week or so between the publishing of your congregational record and the receipt of ministerial records of those who are interested in your position, your search team can prepare interview questions, along with a rubric to assess the candidates equitably:
Interviewing Tips for Congregational Leaders
Hiring new staff is a task that most congregational leaders have little to no experience doing or have done so in a business environment. How might we conduct job interviews in a way that incorporates our shared values? What kind of diversity do we want on our search team?
Important Practices for Interviews
- Everyone on your search team should read each ministerial record in preparation for a discussion about whom your team wants to interview.
- You may want to interview all your applicants if you have time to do so in the consideration window.
- Every member of the search team should participate in each interview.
- Ask the each applicant if there are dealbreakers in the draft agreement, or any additional expectations applicants would like to share. Doing so maximizes the chance of a smooth negotiation if an offer is extended.
Declining Applicants
To let an applicant minister know, at any point, that your team does not wish to move forward in considering them, you should dismiss them using the MinistrySearch system. Click on the “dismiss” option, then you will have the opportunity to write a personalized note (especially if you have interacted with them). Otherwise the system will send an automated message.
Checking References
Checking References: A Guide for Search Teams
Along with background checks, interviewing the references provided and due diligence research are essential to finding a good match for your open position.
Make An Offer
The search team (or board) may make a verbal offer and move into negotiations whenever they feel they have found a minister who is a good match for the congregation’s needs. There is no need to share your rankings with the UUA.
If the governing board needs to learn about the recommended candidate before the search team can make an offer, or if the board needs to make the verbal offer, the search team may ask the top applicant(s) for permission to share their ministerial search materials with the board.
When you make an offer to a minister, it is contingent on a successful background check as well as coming to agreement on the specific compensation (salary+housing) for the offer being made.
Background Checks
Completing a successful background check of the minister is one of the first priorities after extending an offer.
While you can use any company you wish to complete a background check, the UUA has partnerships with: