Applicant Flow Log (AFL)

Michigan Tech is required to keep information on every person who has submitted a resume/application. This information is collected using an Applicant Flow Log (AFL). The AFL is completed electronically through PageUp during the search process.

Disposition Codes for the Applicant Flow Log

The Disposition Codes affect federal reporting so they must be accurate in PageUp.

• Disposition codes are selected in a drop-down menu called "Term Reason" when moving applicants to "turndown" or "withdrawn" status in PageUp.
• All applicants being removed from the applicant pool must have an reason of non-selection entered explaining why they are no longer being considered in addition to the disposition code. Reasons of non-selection need to be based on the required or desired qualifications listed in the job description (not the "job summary" or "essential duties and responsibilities" list).
  • In PageUp, the reason of non-selection would be entered in the “Note” section of the status change screen.

You can use the following buttons to jump to the topic you need assistance with:

• Disposition Codes
  • Applicant codes prior to being interviewed
  • Candidate codes once interviewed
• Reasons of Non-Selection
  • Unacceptable reasons of non-selection
  • Acceptable reasons of non-selection: tips and examples

Disposition Codes to use when reviewing application materials (before an applicant is ever interviewed):

The following disposition codes need to be used when first reviewing applicants' application materials. All application materials released to the department MUST be reviewed by the search committee.

• HRNQ - HR Prescreen, Not Qualified.
  • This code is for HR use only. Search committees should not select this code at any time when moving applicants in workflow.
• NN - Not Reviewed, application materials never opened because of pool closure.
  
  • Staff searches: This code is for HR use only. Staff position search committees should not select this code at any time when moving applicants in workflow.
  • Faculty searches: This code is used for applicants who applied after the application due date listed in the job description. If committees want to review applications received after the application due date they should talk to the Academic HR Employment Representative. If application materials were reviewed by the committee then this code CANNOT be used.
• NQ – Reviewed application, does not meet 1 or more required qualifications.
  • Use this code if an applicant does not meet one or more of the listed job qualifications in the required sections of the job description.
  • If Human Resources (HR) has prescreened your applicant pool then the search committee cannot use this code as all applicants released to the committee have already been reviewed and considered "minimally qualified" by HR per the submitted application materials.
• RN – Reviewed application, meets all required qualifications but not interviewed.
  • Use this if the applicant meets the minimum requirements, but does not make it to the interview phase because candidates selected for interview meet more of the desired qualifications or have more experience in the required qualifications of the job description.
  • Applicants with this code cannot be reconsidered for interview if the group of applicants originally recommended for interview do not result in a hire.
• CW – Considered Withdrew, applicant requested withdraw or did not respond.
  • Use this code if an applicant tells you they no longer want to be considered for the position OR if after multiple attempts to contact the applicant for an interview you are not able to contact them (these attempts should be tracked and included in the explanation in PageUPp).
    • Committees should attempt to contact applicants at least two times before considering them as withdrawing from consideration. This is what the OFCCP expects to see to show that applicants were given an opportunity to respond. Using multiple communication methods is also recommended (e.g. phone call and email).
  • If the applicant indicates why they are withdrawing from consideration this information should be included in the reason of non-selection in PageUp (e.g. salary too low, did not want to move/relocate, accepted another position, etc).
  • A reason of non-selection still needs to be entered even if an applicant does not state why they are withdrawing. It could state something like, "Applicant informed committee that they wanted to withdraw their application; they did not state why they were withdrawing."
• Additional workflow status option: Hold - May Still Interview
  • This is NOT a disposition code.
  • This workflow status option is used when there is a large pool of qualified applicants. It keeps applicants in the pool so they can still be considered if a qualified candidate is not identified in the first round of initial interviews. It is not to be used to interview the top applicant only.
  • Applicants can be moved to this status ONLY if they meet ALL of the job requirements in the required sections of the job description.
  • A reason stating why the applicant is not receiving an interview at this time must be entered in the “Hold - May Still Interview” status window. This reason must list what qualifications listed in the required or desired sections of the job description the applicant has less of than the applicants moving on to the interview stage.
    • Example: "Applicant meets the minimum requirements but has less of the required experience of managing budgets than the applicants moving on to the interview stage."
    • Example #2: "Applicant does not have the desirable skill of effective and engaging teaching experiences at a university level. All applicants moving on to the interview stage have this skill in addition to all minimum requirements."
  • If “Hold - May Still Interview” applicants are not revisited, they must be moved to "Turndown" status when the committee is making a recommendation for hire. These applicants would have the disposition code "RN-Reviewed, Not Hired."
    • The reason of non-selection entered when the applicant was moved into "Hold - May Still Interview" status can be copied and pasted when moving the applicant to "Turndown" status as long as it was reviewed and approved by the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX when it was first entered.

Attention: All candidates moving on to the interview stage must meet every list item in the REQUIRED sections of the job description.

Disposition Codes to use once an applicant has been interviewed and/or reached the “recommend for hire” stage:

• CNQ – Interviewed, does not meet 1 or more required qualifications.
  • The search committee determines during the interview(s) that the candidate does not meet one or more of the qualifications listed in the required sections of the job description.
  • Information is obtained during the reference check(s) that indicates the candidate does not meet one or more of the qualifications listed in the required sections of the job description.
• CN – Interviewed, meets all required qualifications but not hired.
  • This means the candidate meets the minimum required qualifications listed in the required sections of the job description. The candidate is not moving on to the next round of interviews, or is not being recommended for hire, because the candidates moving on to the next step in the process meet more of the desired qualifications or have more experience in the required and/or desired qualifications of the job description.
  • Candidates with this code cannot be reconsidered for hire if the candidate recommended for hire declines an offer.
• CF – Considered Finalist, may still consider for hire.
  • Candidates that made it to the final steps of the process. They must meet the minimum required qualifications listed in the required sections of the job description. These are candidates the committee considered for hire.
  • You can use this code to indicate a candidate(s) that you would consider hiring if the candidate selected for hire declines the offer. In the reason of non-selection you should indicate “(may still consider),” and if the person is your “second choice,” “third choice,” etc if the selected candidate were to decline your offer.
    • Example: “(may still consider) This applicant provided less detailed technical responses to the interview questions than the selected candidate."
    • Example #2: “(may still consider) This is our 2nd choice candidate. Applicant met the minimum qualifications, but did not show the same level of qualifications and experience in project management, and demonstrated lower budgeting/excel spreadsheet skills as the top candidate."
• CW – Considered Withdrew, applicant requested withdraw or did not respond.
  • A candidate tells you that they no longer want to be considered for the position OR if after multiple attempts to contact the candidate for an interview you are not able to contact them (these attempts should be tracked and included in the explanation in PageUp).
    • Committees should attempt to contact applicants at least two times before considering them as withdrawing from consideration. This is what the OFCCP expects to see to show that applicants were given an opportunity to respond. Using multiple communication methods is also recommended (e.g. phone call and email).
  • If the candidate indicates why they are withdrawing from consideration this information should be included in the reason of non-selection in PageUp (e.g. salary too low, did not want to move/relocate, accepted another position, etc)
  • A reason of non-selection still needs to be entered even if an applicant does not state why they are withdrawing. It could state something like, "Applicant informed committee that they wanted to withdraw their application; they did not state why they were withdrawing."
• CD – Considered, Declined Job Offer.
  • Use this if you make a job offer to a candidate and they decline the offer.
  • If the candidate indicates why they are declining the offer this information should be included in the reason of non-selection in PageUp (e.g. salary too low, did not want to move/relocate, accepted another position, etc).

Reasons of Non-Selection Assistance

Examples of unacceptable explanations (reasons of non-selection):

The following are a few reasons of non-hire that were not accepted by the auditor from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP):

Examples and tips for writing acceptable reasons of non-selection

Reasons of non-selection need to state which specific required and/or desired job qualifications listed in the job description an applicant does not meet, or has less of, than applicants moving on in the hiring process. Then Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX, and a compliance officer during an audit, can easily see which qualification(s) the reason of non-selection is referring to for the applicants. Reasons of non-selection need to be based on the required or desired qualifications listed in the job description, not the "job description summary" or the "essential duties and responsibilities" list.

A few suggestions/tips from us: 

• Copy and paste wording directly from the job description required/desired section qualifications into the reasons of non-selection.
• Instead of using the word "lacking," state an applicant "does not have" or "has less of" the experience/knowledge. Our office will question the term "lacking" for clarification.
• If you use the term "relevant" we are going to ask you what you mean by "relevant" in the reason of non-selection if you do not provide further explanation as to what the committee considered to be "relevant" experience, knowledge, etc.

We have provided a few examples below of a listed job qualification and acceptable ways to word reasons of non-selection. If you have any questions about wording reasons of non-selection or selecting disposition codes, please email eocompliance@mtu.edu and we are happy to assist.

• Example #1: The required job qualification states, "At least two years of customer service experience in a fast-paced and high-demand environment."
  • If the applicant does not illustrate any experience in their application materials, the reason of non-selection could be worded as:
    • "This applicant does not have at least two years of customer service experience in a fast-paced and high-demand environment per their application materials."
    • The disposition code would be "NQ" for this applicant.
  • If the applicant does have at least two years of experience, but not as much as other applicants moving on in the hiring process, the reason of non-selection could be worded as:
    • "The applicant meets the minimum requirement but had less customer service experience in a fast-paced and high-demand environment than the applicants moving on to 2nd round interviews."
    • The disposition code would be "RN" for this applicant.
• The required job qualification states, "Demonstrated knowledge of proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation" or "Excellent interpersonal, customer service, and written/oral communication skills."
  • When using written or oral/presentation communication skills as reasons of non-selection, specific examples/errors should be indicated. 
    • "Due to multiple spelling errors in the cover letter, this applicant did not demonstrate knowledge of proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation."
    • "The applicant did not demonstrate knowledge of proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in their application materials. They incorrectly used 'there' in the resume, and had the misspelling of 'prgress' in their cover letter."
    • "During their presentation, the applicant did not address the topic assigned in as much detail as the recommended candidate. This job requires the ability to convey complex information and their presentation did not demonstrate that skill as well as the recommended candidate's presentation."