Student Affairs Professional Development
Larry Wray
RECRUITMENT BASICS
 It All starts at HOME!
 We do it all the time (every day, every minute)
 Know your Strengths and Sell them
 Have a Plan (year round- things change quickly)
 Know What Candidates Want
 HR is your Friend!
Recruitment in 5 Parts
Offer
On Campus
Interviews
HR Search Process
Building a pool
Pre-Recruitment
Recruitment and Retention
PreRecruit
ment
• It all starts at home (Retention)
• Professional Development
Makes People Happy
• Its an expression of your Values!
• Materials/Communications
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Publications (Diversity)
Recruitment CD’s
Posters/Postcards
Website
Brag Book
Departmental Docs/Assessment Info
Early “Hits” Mailing
Recruitment and Retention
Building
A Pool
• The Job Description is Key
• Make it match their interests
• We sell Department Size/Org
Chart
• Network- It’s a Small World
After All
• Use your connections
• Use your current staff’s
connections
• Conferences and Presentations
• Use the Division
• Use Current Staff to Evaluate
your process- this is key!
Recruitment and Retention
• HR Relationship is Vital
Search
Process
• You build relationships by talking- call,
review, prepare
• Start Early and Save It All
• It is incredibly repetitive
• The Charge is often overlooked
• Helps chair eliminate candidates
• Sends Values Message
• Know the Rules; Use them!
• Start By Being Reliable/Respected
• Who is the Hiring Official?
• Build in HR admin time in interview
schedule
• What’s the Committee make-up?
• HR wants the best for UNCW
• Don’t be afraid to move mountains
Recruitment and Retention
• Recruit in Force/Use Entire staff
• Use Our Collaborative Division
On Campus
Interview
and Visit
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We sell this hard in all interviews
Point to concrete examples!
Outside Interests and Passions are key
Hand pick interview teams
YOU sell us then WE sell you process
• Schedule FAST
• Have a template/Make advance plans
• Top down and use current meetings
• Have a plan of attack (who comes first?)
• Personal Touches
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Candidate Interest Sheet
Decorate Apartments/Welcome items
Hosts and Meal/Social Times
Campus events and student interaction
Recruitment and Retention
• Get It Done As Fast As Possible!
• Use your “gut” to get ahead
• No surprises- same as compensation
sheet
• Go the extra mile- don’t wait until
Monday!
• Understand HR needs
The Offer
• Provided the info they need- use
templates
• Be patient but realistic w/ timeline
• Always be ready to make next offer
• Always Be Honest and Make
Personal Contact
• Chances are, you will recruit these folks
again
• They want to know info, but you don’t
have to give it all to them
Interview Primer
 It starts with the Job Description
 No Higher Ed. Program/Not a “Flagship” name
 Not as many levels (flatter) leads to distribution of duties
 Professional Development Sales Job (interview table questions)
 What are your interests outside of housing?
 What are your passions?
 Growth Plans- Be sure current staff is talking about these
 Individual PD worksheets (great for retreats and mid-year review)
 Group sharing/expectations (peer pressure/review)
 Presentation Plans (how do we sell our university/division/department)
 Use Outside Interests to Better Department
 Greek Housing Community
 Sustainability
 Outdoor Leadership Training Certification
Supervision- A Few Ideas…
 Its About Building Relationships
 Make it Personal
 Its Grounded in Challenge/Support
 Figure Out How To Show You Care
 4 Letter Words- FEAR v. LOVE
 Motivation Often Varies b/w Individuals
 But, Growth/Development is Common Denominator
PRESENTATION OUTLINE (Supervision)
 Why Focus on Learning/Growth Opportunities?
 Recruitment and Retention Implications
 Testimonials
 What are You Doing?
 3 Phase Plan
 Supervision Implications
 When to Start?
 Positive Side Effects
 Questions
Why Learning Opportunities?
Linked to Job Acceptance
Job Description and Growth Opportunities were two of the main reasons
candidates used in making decisions to accept positions.
(Bruno and Morgensten, 2007)
Linked to Job Satisfaction
Numerous factors related to job satisfaction include (a) job preparation and
advancement potential and (b) advancement of learning opportunities
(Scheuermann and Ellett, 2007)
Linked to Extended Retention
By determining each staff member’s professional aspirations, identifying
necessary skills required to advance professionally, and providing these
learning opportunities, longer retention can be expected. (Tull, 2006)
Testimonials
“I always felt that I was able to do
things that an Assistant Director
may have been doing at other
schools: training, recruiting,
RHA, etc, diversity & leadership
committee, teaching in the
learning communities”
I think some institutions have ideas of
what is good for the department and try
to make it work for you, but our
department often takes the opposite
approach…Our department lets you take
ideas of what you think you would like to
learn and finds a way for you to make a
positive impact on our institution
My experiences really were LEARNING
experiences. I can't emphasize enough
the power of learning through successes
AND failures. And I really did have
opportunities to learn at UNCW that
made me specifically prepared for my
PhD program and are integral to the
learning I'm experiencing in my PHD
program.
3 Phase Plan
Exploration
Divisional Committees
University Committees
Fellowships
Personal Interests
Free Labor!
Departmental
Committees
All RCs chair a
departmental
committee
Judicial Officer
All RC’s work 5 hours per week
as a Conduct Officer in the
Dean of Students Office
3 Phases Examples
• Each RC serves as a committee Chair
• Responsible for budgeting and program effectiveness
Committees • Many responsibilities normally completed by assist. director
Judicial
• Each RC serves as judicial hearing officer for 5hrs per week
• Ability to be a part of the Dean of Students Office Staff
• Often hear suspension level cases by third year
• Co-Chair of UNCW Welcome Week (w/ AD for Campus
Life)
• University Sustainability Committee
• University Residency Appeals Committee
Exploration
• Greek Life Advisory Committee
• Divisional Diversity /Professional Development Committee
Supervision Implications
1st 1 on 1: Where do you want to go?
Goal Setting and PD Plans
Review monthly/Revise plans yearly
It’s okay if it is different
When to Start?
BEST PRACTICES IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ENTRY-LEVEL STAFF (RELI)
Step One
Attend a Regional conference
Attend your state meeting/conference
Participate in a webinar
Read all printed material about your department (manuals, web, strategic plans, goals)
Read a book that contributes to your professional development
Ask your supervisor to place you on a departmental committee
Step Two
Join a committee for a regional organization
Attend a Regional conference and present a program there
Participate in a conference case-study competition
Take an on-line course
Select a magazine/journal publication that provides you with updated research and information and subscribe (this may be a
publication that your institution provides the subscription to -- but your part is to commit to reading it!)
Read a book that contributes to your professional development
Ask your supervisor to recommend you for a Student Affairs committee - it's important to become part of your larger community,
both for your development and in making a contribution yourself!
Step Three
Attend a National conference
Join a national committee
Choose and run for a leadership position with your regional or state organization
Write an article for a regional publication
Ask your supervisor or Director to recommend you for a College/University-wide committee - it's important to become part of your
larger community, both for your development and in making a contribution yourself!
Read a book that contributes to your professional development
Consider certification or continuing education
Other Opportunities
 Conference Travel/Organization Involvement
 Departmental/Divisional PD Series
 Webinars/On-line courses
 Presentation Opportunities
 Divisional Fellowship Opportunities
 Search Committee member/chair opportunities
 Teaching in UNI Program, LC’s, or other courses
What are you doing?