Transcript Professional Staff Recruitment Process

David S. Clurman
Assistant Director of Residential Education
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
MACUHO Annual Conference
October 28, 2011
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Who am I?
• Why am I presenting this topic?
• What do I know about staff selection?
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Who are you?
• Why are you here?
• What role do you play in recruitment of
professional staff on your campus?
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Carnegie Class: Doctoral/Research-Extensive
Institution
Fall 2010 Enrollment:
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10,210 Undergraduates
2,678 Graduates
Residential Population: 3,875 (1,116 first-year)
2011-2012 Tuition w/ Room & Board:
$19,488*
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We create a screening committee that is
diverse
Unqualified applicants are screened out prior
to reviewing applications
Each qualified candidate is reviewed by two
people
Each candidate gets rated
Screening committee identifies top
candidates for phone/conference interviews
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Job description
Organizational chart of office and division
Office mission and values
Information about our professional staff
UMBC student profile
Costs for students
Rights & Responsibilities pamphlet
Maps of campus and residential area
 1st round interview questions – 30 minutes
 Note any follow-up areas if there are
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2nd round interviews are dependent on time
and staff availability (at conferences only)
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Identify top 3-4 candidates to bring to
campus
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We pay for all travel and meals
Accommodations are in an on-campus
apartment
1-2 staff members take them to dinner at a
local restaurant
Breakfast and lunch are in the campus dining
hall
Any expense forms are completed while on
campus
We will pick up/drop off at local travel hub
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Candidate will meet with:
 Student leaders
 Community Directors
 Other Residential Life staff
 Campus Partners
 Assistant Directors of Residential Education
 Director of Residential Life
 Vice President of Student Affairs
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Day overview
Candidate will also have tours of campus and
at least one CD apartment
Short breaks are scheduled into the day
No presentations
Water is provided
Bathrooms are pointed out
Day review
Review benefits and timeline
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References are contacted
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Candidate is notified:
 If the selection timeline is altered
 If they were not selected for the position
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Once candidate accepts the position, all other
applicants are notified that the position has
been filled
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Is the description accurate to the current tasks this
position is currently responsible for?
Is the vacancy anticipated or confirmed?
Will you list the salary?
What are the minimum qualifications?
Will you accept applications directly or do they need to
go through HR?
What is the deadline that applications will be
considered?
What is required for the application (cover letter,
resume, reference letters or just contacts)?
Where will you post the opening?
Who will be on the search/screening committee?
What are some of the best/worst things
you have seen an employer do when
conducting a search process
(type of communication, phone
interviews, on-campus interviews, travel
plans, accommodations, etc.)?
“Send candidate itinerary in advance [with
names and titles] so they know who they are
going to meet – this gives them an opportunity
to prepare specific questions too.”
“Offering their cell phone number so the
candidate can get in touch with the employer
easily.”
“Responding to emails/voicemails in a timely
manner.”
“Little to no communication.”
“Emailing late in the evening (shows the person
works late and [has] no work-life balance.”
“Employers taking about their personal lives in
excess (i.e., drinking bingers, legal troubles, and
medical issues).”
“Telling a candidate that they will be removed
from the process if they make a follow up phone
call to inquire as to their status.”
“If reasonable and needed, arrange to pick up the
candidate at their transportation hub (airport, train
station, bus station, etc.”
“ On campus interview – allowed my partner to come
the night before to see the campus/ apartment. Two of
the staff took us both out to dinner.”
“Love eating at local restaurants that are not chains.”
“Booking travel for the candidate, which saves trouble
with reimbursements.”
“No breaks at all – lunch is an interview as well.”
“During lunch and before interview sessions
would begin, the employers were telling inside
jokes and taking amongst themselves instead of
listening to me or engaging me in the
conversation.”
“Not providing reimbursement for travel unless
the candidate is offered the job AND accept the
job.”
“Asking for feedback about the interview
process in case something strange had
happened during the day that the candidate is
concerned about.”
“Provide an interview host so that the candidate
has a consistent person they can check in
throughout the day.”
“Don’t take them on a campus tour in the rain.”
“Offering the candidate a bottle of water…”
“Have multiple candidate for the same position
on campus on the same day and set it up so they
run into each other.”
“Have the primary interview session be with a
group of 10-12 people.”
“Telling me that I answered a question
incorrectly and then proceeded to tell me what I
should have said, even though the person asked
for my personal opinion.”
“Worst are when there’s a lot of confusion about
the day and folks at the work site don’t seem to
even know that a search is taking place that
day.”
“Making the candidate wait an hour for a
schedule interview without any sort of apology.”
“Not allowing the candidate to interview and/or
meet any students.”
“Not coaching the interview team.”
“Change the position description between the time
of application and the on campus interview.”
“Mixing up candidates (thinking you phone
interviewed someone when you did not).”
“Asking a candidate to do a phone interview on the
spot.”
“Not have group interview folks introduce
themselves so I knew who they were/what they did
at the institution.”
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What are some of the best things you have
seen regarding a selection process?
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First interviews prior to Placement Exchanges
 Offer Skype or phone
 Downfall – sometimes it doesn’t work well
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Email
 Quick response (build time into your schedule)
 Include pertinent info in signature
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Thank You’s
 If using email for sustainability purposes let people know
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You Tube
 “Day in the life” video
 Exploring the residence halls, campus, etc…
 Jobs.Studentaffairs.com
 HigherEdJobs.com
 Chronicle.com/Jobs
 Academic360.com
 Tedjob.com
 Others?