Open a Position to New Applicants
Once a position is opened in Faculty Search (FS), the Apply Now page is accessible to applicants. An open date must be set during position creation but can be modified later. The open date indicates when applicants can apply, while publishing the position posts the job on your job board for visibility. The close date shuts off new applications, and unpublishing is required to remove it from visibility. This article details how administrators can open a position, publish the Apply Now page, and retrieve its link.
A position will not open until fully approved, regardless of the set open date, so there's no need to worry about it publishing during the approval process.
If the page isn't published or the position isn't open, applicants will see an error message. Positions auto-publish at 6 am EST on their set open date if fully approved. If created or approved after 6 am or on the open date, they must be manually published by an Administrator or Committee Manager. The following steps explain how to do this manually.
Open a Position
- Navigate to the Position page and click the applicable hyperlinked position name. Then click Position Actions > Edit Position.
- The Position Summary Page will display.
- For a position to open, ensure the following:
- The Position Advertising for the Apply Now page is set to published. If not, click Publish.
- The position is Open to New Applicants once the Open Date has passed.
- The Position Advertising for the Apply Now page is set to published. If not, click Publish.
Retrieve the Apply Now URL
The Apply Now URL can be used to promote the position on external job boards or shared with specific applicants. This URL is generated before the position's open date, but it won't display information until the position is open and published.
- Navigate to the Position page and click the applicable hyperlinked position name. Then click Position Actions > View position details.
- The Position Details window will display where you can click the Position URL link to view the Apply Now page from the applicant's view.
Please note that although the URL is available to be copied and distributed at this point, the position will need to be open and published before the position details are displayed and applicants are able to apply.
FAQ
If a position’s open date is changed after it has been fully approved will it still auto-publish on the new open date?
Yes, the position will auto-publish on the new open date if the open date is set in the future. For example, if a position is approved on July 18th, and its open date is scheduled for July 20th, the position will auto-publish and open to applicants on July 20th at 6 am.
What criteria must be met for a position to appear on the job board?
A position appears on the job board only when both of the following are true:
- The position is Published
- The position has a valid Open Date (any date of today or earlier)
Positions with an Open Date set in the future are not considered valid for job board display, even if the position is published. The position can still be accessed directly via its URL, but it will not be discoverable through the job board.
Do I need to manually publish a position on the day an application opens?
Yes. If a position is unpublished, it will not automatically publish on the Open Date. Clients must manually change the position status to Published when they want it to appear on the job board.
Does the setting “Applicants cannot update their application materials” prevent new applicants from applying?
No. This setting:
- Does not prevent new applicants from submitting applications
- Only prevents existing applicants from updating their materials after submission
If the goal is to prevent new applicants while a search is still open (for example, during late-stage review), the position should be unpublished.
How can I prevent new applications without closing the search
To prevent new applicants while keeping the search technically open set the position to Unpublished. Using Open Dates for this purpose is not recommended, as it can create confusing or misleading data.