The recruitment, screening, and appointment of faculty and staff are vital steps towards institutional excellence. The holistic approach to hiring reviews every aspect of each candidate's qualifications from various points of view. The approach begins with the formation of a screening/search committee consisting of a representative group of employees. In the hiring of an instructional dean, for example, the committee could consist of a peer dean, the dean of student affairs, two or three faculty members, two department chairs, an administrator working in close proximity to the dean, and a secretary. The committee plans the screening process and advertises the position, after which a group of candidates are generated who must submit a detailed resume and complete a comprehensive application form. From this list of candidates, the Delphi method is used to choose a group of semi-finalists. At this point, the committee develops a list of essay questions designed to obtain additional information which it considers important for the selection of finalists. After the 12 to 15 semi-finalists receive this request for additional information, many screen themselves out of the process. This unique step in the screening process produces a list of candidates who are themselves most serious about the position. Finalists are chosen from among those who respond, and after references are carefully checked, the finalists are each asked to attend a full-day on-campus interview session. Ultimately, committee members discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each finalist, rank the candidates, and either make a final decision or submit their rankings to a decisionmaker (vice-presdient or president). Appendixes to the document provide a sample letter with semi-finalist questions, a sample interview schedule, and a sample of on-campus screening interviews. (JMC)