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Human Resources

Mission Fit Hiring

Brigham Young University has a strong preference for hiring faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are committed to the BYU mission. Additionally, the university is seeking for greater breadth and width of the pool of applicants who are faithful members of the Church. The purpose of this document is to support mission-fit hiring for BYU.

Job Description

The search for mission-fit employees begins with a well written job description. Managers are encouraged to carefully consider minimum requirements and to watch for any bias when creating a job description. The following can help:

  • Use an equivalency clause whenever possible to describe the education and experience requirements for the job. Overshooting the qualifications can significantly reduce the applicant pool size.
    • For example: a bachelor’s degree in business management plus 2 years of management experience OR equivalent education and/or experience.
  • Use a gender decoder to help remove any bias

Job Posting

The job description provides essential information to help create a job posting (e.g., essential functions, qualifications, etc.). Additionally, a job posting should capture the interest of potential applicants. For help with creating an attractive job posting, please contact the Staff Employment Talent Acquisition Manager.

To help attract applicants for mission-fit hiring, BYU includes the following in job postings:

  • BYU mission statement
  • Temple eligibility statement
  • Equal opportunity statement
  • Belonging statement

To improve outreach for mission-fit hires, BYU promotes jobs at the following locations:

Hiring departments are encouraged to assist in promoting job postings through:

  • Department and personal social media accounts
  • Department, campus, and related association websites and email listservs
  • Direct outreach to colleagues and alumni

Job Application

In 2022, the BYU job application was updated to include the new CES temple worthiness standard and other agreements. Each applicant must agree to these standards to complete the application process.

Selection Process

The selection process can provide insight into an applicant’s fit for employment at BYU. Hiring managers are essential in accessing proper mission-fit. When interviewing, please refer to BYU’s mission alignment standards and use some of the mission-fit interview questions found on the HRS website.

To help mitigate bias and improve hiring outcomes, incorporating the following interviewing best practices is also recommended:

  • Use a standardized set of interview questions, determined in advance, based on defined competencies needed to be successful in the position.
  • Pick a diverse hiring panel to conduct the interviews.
  • Ask behavioral/situational interview questions.
  • Reserve time in the interview to talk with candidates about position expectations, mission alignment, and the importance of creating a community of belonging.

As a reminder, vice president approval is required to both interview and to hire an applicant who is not a current member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Onboarding

As part of the new hire’s onboarding experience, the Mission and Aims of BYU are introduced on the BYU Welcome Center and during the new employee orientation. Information regarding the Office of Belonging is also included in the orientation process.

As part of the department’s onboarding efforts, hiring managers should discuss with each new employee:

  • How the individual’s work and department goals support the BYU mission.
  • How the new employee can contribute to an environment of belonging.