Hiring process
Our philosophy
At SELC, we understand the job seeking process can at times be long, arduous, and filled with uncertainty. We value transparency and communication throughout the hiring process and place great emphasis on maintaining the best candidate experience possible. On this page you will find a high-level overview of the steps and what to expect should you choose to apply. The timelines referenced are approximate so please note that your experience may vary. Attorney hiring can vary greatly from administrative, development, and communication team hiring. There are also fluctuations based on number of applicants, size of the team, and time of year. You are always welcome to reach out to [email protected] to inquire about the status of your application and will receive a reply by the end of the next workday.
Process steps and what to expect
1. Apply
We are looking forward to reviewing your qualifications. All SELC applications require at least a resume and cover letter while others may also require transcripts or a writing sample. Each SELC job posting will have required application materials listed under the ‘To Apply’ section and these materials must be uploaded in PDF format. Be intentional in your application, making sure relevant experience is on your resume and the cover letter is thoughtful and well-written.
2. Application review
On average, we keep our open positions posted for 30 days. Application materials are reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews typically begin 1-2 weeks after the position is first posted online. You will be notified of the status of your application (selected to interview, on hold, or not selected by the hiring team) when it has been fully reviewed. We aim to have the next steps communicated to applicants within 2 weeks of the application date. This can vary in either direction depending on the position, time of year, and overall volume of applications received. If you are not selected by the hiring team, don’t let that discourage you from applying again. We typically receive a high volume of qualified applicants, which can make our hiring quite competitive. Some of our most tenured staff members applied multiple times before landing at SELC.
3. Interview
We average 3 rounds of interviews per hiring process. The first round is typically a single 1-on-1 interview with the primary hiring manager via phone or video. The second round is usually a panel interview with 2-3 team members or other employees who will work closely with the person who ultimately fills the open position. If necessary, we may have 2 separate interviews in the second round – conducted by video. The final round will include, among others, a Department Head, Office Director, or other member of leadership. This last session is ideally in-person and held in the SELC office where the position will be located. This gives the candidate an opportunity to meet a wide range of SELC employees and get a feel for the office space. We will inform you after each round if you have advanced to the next round or not. Check out the tips section on this page for interview preparation suggestions. Should you need accommodation for an interview, don’t hesitate to ask. Please let your interview coordinator and the HR Hiring Manager know ([email protected]) and they will contact you to better understand your needs.
4. Candidate evaluation
After each interview round, the hiring manager will be working with interviewers to capture written evaluations and schedule a group debrief session. Each round of interviews may take multiple weeks due to candidate and interviewer availability. We cannot make decisions on any one candidate until the entire round is complete. This may result in several weeks between your interview, the final interview of the round, and the group debrief session where decisions about next steps are made. If you are not selected as a finalist, don’t let that discourage you from applying in the future.
5. Reference check
For all positions, we will complete a reference check before extending an offer (three references will be requested and checked). In some cases, we conduct reference checks for several final round candidates when the decision is close. If you would like to be notified before we check references, please let us know so we can flag this in your application. We recommend you contact your references to let them know you are interviewing with SELC and provide the job posting. This will enable them to review the required qualifications and be prepared to comment on your experience as it relates to the job expectations.
6. Offer
After reference checks are complete and the hiring team is ready to move forward, the selected candidate will receive a verbal offer from the primary hiring manager. Often candidates accept on the spot, but it is understandable to ask for some time to consider the offer and a potential start date. Usually, after the verbal offer, SELC HR will email a written employment memo with all the details documented along with benefits and other relevant employment information. If you are a finalist but not selected to receive an offer, someone from the hiring team will let you know.
7. Onboarding
The time between offer acceptance and start date varies. Some of our intern and associate hires get offers a year in advance so there is plenty of time to determine start dates and make a plan. For most other positions, we like to have at least 2 weeks to prepare. During this time many SELC staff, from IT to Office Managers and Administrators, are coordinating pre-employment tasks and first week details.