Make the Right Hire

This class will be held online via Zoom from 9am - 4pm.

The cost of hiring and training new employees impacts local government budgets and services, and the wrong hire or promotion can lower the morale and productivity of an entire workgroup or organization. This course will help you make the right hire the first time. You will learn how to navigate the various legal issues around recruitment and selection and the keys to designing a defensible selection process that measures the key competencies required for the job. You will examine the emotional intelligence factors most linked to on-the-job success. You will learn how to write interview questions and develop selection processes to elicit more valid information from job applicants. You will also get an overview of recruitment strategies and tips for effective reference checking. Participants are encouraged to bring a job description for a position applicable to their work and organization for use in the class.

Topics covered in this class include:

  • How to apply the EEOC’s Uniform Selection Guidelines to ensure legal and defensible hiring practices
  • How to design a selection process to measure the competencies required for the job
  • Common hiring mistakes and how to overcome these to make good hiring decisions
  • How to write effective interview questions to elicit more valid information
  • Emotional intelligence factors that impact on-the-job performance and how to evaluate these during the selection process.
  • The importance of reference checks and how to navigate the roadblocks
  • An overview of recruitment strategies used for developing a quality applicant pool


Members of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards registration fees for programs offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:

  • March 1: for programs starting between April 1 and June 30
  • June 1: for programs starting between July 1 and September 30
  • September 1: for programs starting between October 1 and December 31
  • December 1: for programs starting between January 1 and March 31

Visit the Civic Foundation for more information and to submit an application.

  • Online
    January 22
    View Scholarship Information


    Members of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards registration fees for programs offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:

    • March 1: for programs starting between April 1 and June 30
    • June 1: for programs starting between July 1 and September 30
    • September 1: for programs starting between October 1 and December 31
    • December 1: for programs starting between January 1 and March 31

    Visit the Civic Foundation for more information and to submit an application.

    View Cancellation Policy
    Course participants who cancel their registration on or before January 14, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after January 15, 2026, but you will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. Click here to view the School’s full cancellation and refund policy.
    $495.00
    Registration and payment for this course grants access for a single attendee. In order to register a group of attendees, please register each person individually. If you have questions, please contact our registration office at registration@sog.unc.edu or 919.966.4414.
There are no materials avaliable for this course at this time.
For all registration questions, resetting passwords, or login issues please contact:

Dale Zuckert

Assistant Registrar
919.966.4414
For questions regarding course details, including location, schedule, materials, and continuing education credits, please contact:

Leslie Rich

Program Associate, Management, Administration, and Leadership Group
Adjunct Instructor, Center for Public Leadership and Governance
Albert and Gladys Coates Distinguished Professor; Professor of Public Administration and Government; Director of Strategy, Programming, and Research, Center for Public Leadership and Governance