As a State institution of higher education, Georgia Tech must post openings publicly for at least 30 days, typically on the Institute HR homepage. Everything is submitted electronically. If invited to interview for a director position, there is usually a phone interview first. If the applicant passes to the next stage, he then participates in a face-to-face interview with a group. If he is selected as the finalist, he receives an official offer letter and must respond with an official letter accepting or declining the position. The candidate has the option to call the hiring supervisor to discuss the terms of employment, possible start dates, relocation assistance, benefits, etc. Typically GT will allow some adequate time to relocate and start employment. (Of course, by state law, GT had to perform a criminal background check on me prior to offering me the position, but that is a fairly quick process.)