The inexact science of hiring in college admissions

Recently, a friend called me asking for interviewing advice. She had an upcoming phone interview for an entry-level admissions counselor position at a private liberal arts college. We spent an hour on the phone together talking about the position, her unique background, and how those two elements might fit together. While on the call, I had flashbacks to when I was a director and in the process of hiring. Like most managers, I made some great hires and some that didn’t quite work out. One of the questions my friend asked me was, “What do all your best hires have in common?”

It is a great question, isn’t it? Positions like the admissions counselor job she was specifically asking about require a unique skillset. Recruiters must be people-oriented, but task-driven as well. Recruiters must be organized and attentive to details.  They must be able to relate to different types of students while also communicating effectively to parents. Recruiters need to be generalists who take it upon themselves to learn as much about the college/university they are working for and seek to actively connect the institutions’ best attributes with prospective students. Quite often, admissions directors try and find the perfect balance of these skills in recent college graduates who are in their first or maybe second professional job ever. Even when finding excellent entry-level recruiters, it’s rare they stay for more than two or three years, so admissions directors are constantly in hiring mode.

More than likely you’ll be doing some hiring this summer for some vacant or new positions in your offices. The right hire could be a positive boost to the culture. The right hire could help solidify a team. A great hire always makes the team better. The best hire, if trained and managed well, could energize efforts and provide fresh insights into your practices and operations.

As you approach another hiring season, consider the following aspects of your hiring process as you seek to attract the best talent to join your team:

• Update the job description: When was the last time the job description got a fresh look? Some job descriptions may be as old as the Reagan administration. If so, they need updating. If you’re hiring for a current position, have those who actually do the job read over the job description and make suggestions and edits. This practice not only serves you well, but it also presents an honest description of what you expect the new hire to actually do. What responsibilities should you add that weren’t on your radar the last time you hired?
• Define success for the position: Ultimately, you should know which factors/attributes make a new hire successful on your campus, in your office, and for the job they’ll be doing. Be very clear in the interview process about those factors.  My best staff members had three traits: self-awareness, humility, and intentionality. If they knew who they were and were comfortable in their own skin, if they were humble and teachable, and if they were intentional about improving, they were great fits for my teams. What are your attributes for success in the positions you’re hiring for?
• Question your questions: Once you’ve defined success in the position, review your interview questions and make sure they will help identify the best candidate. Do away with the canned questions! Canned interview questions provoke canned interview answers. Seek out questions that cut through the canned responses and really allow you to get honest answers. If you get the same answers from all your candidates on a given question, ditch it for a better question.
• Plan the process: Is your hiring process identifying the right fit for the position and your institution? A few things to consider:
  • How many steps in the hiring process are there? Too many, and you’ll possibly lose interested candidates. Too few and you may miss out on getting an accurate read on the candidates. Whatever the process, plan it before you post the job with a clear timeline.
  • Who should the candidates meet with? Whose buy-in do you need to make the offer? Be sure to maximize the time of the candidates and those who have agreed to serve on the selection committee.
• Collect feedback: I often preferred to get feedback on the candidates in written form when possible. In situations where I ultimately made the hiring choice, I made it a point to communicate to all involved in the search throughout the process so there wasn’t confusion about their roles in the process. The feedback I received was often valuable and provided insights I did not have myself.

Hiring the right candidate is an inexact science, but that’s not a license to take it lightly. Examining your process may provide insight into how you can hire the best candidate. What factors would you add to those listed above? Leave your suggestions in the comments. I also welcome your questions—just drop me an email.