Getting the Right People On the Train! Nick Sweeton, University of Arizona

1. Getting the Right People On the Train!Nick Sweeton, University of Arizona

2. Choosing the Right Candidate: Head or Gut? Be Honest… What Percentage of a Hiring Decision do you think is based on how you (or your staff) feels about a candidate, and what percentage is based on logic (i.e., an analysis of past performance; an honest comparison of interview performance, etc)?

3. Three Objectives of an Interview Process • Personal Narrative – how the candidate weaves their personal story into the process • Determining Fit – how well the work environment and culture of your organization fits what the candidate needs to be successful • Objective third party references

4. Building the Interview Process • Lots of variables. • This presentation assumes we are talking about an external search process. • Nick’s strategy: Break it into five parts: • Resume and cover letter review • Short interview • Long interview • On-Campus interview • Reference checks

5. Resume and Cover Letter Review • Cover letter pet peeve: cover letters that contain the same information as the resume. • A good cover letter is more philosophical in nature and touches on link between personal and institutional missions. • Mechanics matter: spelling and grammar • I give more benefit of the doubt at this stage

6. Short Interview • I tend to offer lots of these • Generally ~5 questions • Hone in on the things I know I have to have • This interview is more philosophical and less about skillset • “What role does a housing department play on a college campus?” • Opportunity for the candidate to ask questions.

7. Small Group Activity • Please form small groups of 4-6 people. • Your mission: • Define what a good answer to the question “What role does a housing department play on a college campus” looks like. • Come up with 3-4 “must have” questions that you will use to determine if a candidate advances to the next stage.

8. Long Interview • The first large cut occurs after the short interview. • The long interview is a more in-depth. • Work ahead of time to define what a “good answer” looks like. • It’s helpful to think broadly about what different skills look like for different levels of job.

9. Small Group Activity • Select a skillset that is generally needed at each career step (entry, middle, senior). • Supervision; financial management; leadership; diversity/social justice; etc. • Define what a “good answer” looks like for that career step at each level.

10. On-Campus Interview • Only invite people to campus that you know can do the job. • By now, it’s more about fit than skill.

11. Reference Check • Objective third party reference is essential • Crucial that the questions are asked in the right way. • I ask “scale” questions • Example: “When faced with adversity, is the candidate more likely to maintain relationships at all costs, or more likely to ‘show her/his teeth?’”

12. Small Group Activity • In your small groups, develop a reference check question.

13. Training • Typical Competencies – entry level staff

14. Training • We have learned a lot in the last decade about how people learn. • Nutshell? • All lecture = bad • Group work = good • “Flipping” the traditional model

15. Small Group Activity • How do we apply a “flipped” model in Res Life training?

16. Training • Some strategies • “Always available” training replacing lectures • Hone in on group work. This has the added benefit of building the team. • Use technology to make even lecture-style training more engaging (“clickers”)

17. Supervision • Key concepts: • The human connection is the most critical component of supervision • Neuropsychological Assessment Tool

18. Supervision • Connection is the bond a person feels with another person, group, or mission. • Transference • Idealizing transference • Negative transference • People will preform better for you if you yourself are happy and show your joy • Lower level staff • Less is more…but • No connection is bad

19. Small Group Activity • What strategies can you use to build the human connection… • With individual direct reports? • With your team of direct reports? • With lower level staff members? • With your entire staff team?

20. Evaluation • The way you evaluate your staff should evolve as they do. • Phase I: Hone in on skillset • Phase II: Hone in on philosophy • Phase III: Hone in on areas of evolution and focus on next career step. • Phase IV: Connecting everything the employee has learned and mastered and presenting it to peers, and peers evaluate.

21. The End! • Questions?