Genre: Instruction

Finding Your Next Superstar Although your admissions staff is likely complete at this point in the cycle , it 's never too early to start the search for new talent . How to spot the next superstar to bring in well-qualified students who will be retained and wo n't require heavy discounting to enroll ? One who will stay more than a year or two , wo n't experience premature burnout and has the potential to be promoted ? While your own student ambassadors and tour guides are an obvious starting point , beware of filling your permanent openings exclusively from their ranks . As a young alumnus , your current student guides will likely have only one institutional perspective , and that , from a student point of view . Can they adjust that focus to include the viewpoints of families and referral sources , as well ? One obvious danger of going directly from the classroom to an entry-level admissions office at the same college or university is that your new staffer will not know his or her " subject " well . As a student , his or her " subject " was English , or education , or business . Now , as an alumnus and novice admissions counselor , the subject to master is " your institution . " Can your new staffer transcend his or her personal student experiences to take a broader , objective view ? Finally , your new hire must be as proficient in knowing your competition as he or she is in your institution . They must not only be able to present a compelling " 30-second elevator message " about your own campus , but also need to know equally well the competitive advantages of competing colleges and universities . That 's why it is often advantageous to hire a graduate of an aspirational school . So , a word to the wise is , look beyond your own campus for new hires . The ideal candidate is someone who has mastered the " s-w-o-t " formula ( strengths , weaknesses , opportunities , threats ) of both your campus and that of at least one competing institution . This person might be an alumnus of your school who has gone on to graduate at a peer institution , or vice - versa . A third choice might be someone who , as a consultant or vendor , has worked with a number of similar colleges and universities , including your own . When looking for your next " superstar , " beware of candidates who say they want to enter the admissions profession because they " love people . " Obviously , you would not hire a candidate lacking in interpersonal skills . The challenge is that while a viable , long-term member of your team must enjoy working with a wide range of people , he or she must also possess many other equally important attributes , among them high energy , ability to manage details , a thick skin , perseverance in the face of frequent rejection and a strong work ethic . If your new hire offers the potential for promotion within your office , this individual will need to become conversant with market research , demographics and yes , with student financial aid formulas . That leads us to another peril of hiring young graduates who think of endless admissions travel as " fun " and " exciting . " As the novelty of the road inevitably begins to wear off , it 's vital to make sure that the candidate's expectations about the job are a good fit with the reality of the counselor's position . The former cheerleader and fraternity president may be great with people , but what about the myriad details that go with the position , the arranging of appointments , the prospect research , the follow-up , the transcript review ? Look for experience with task-oriented projects as well as those involving primarily social interaction . Because turnover is costly and detrimental to team building in your shop , how can you identify those who will stay beyond a year or two ? The reality is that the bright , promising young hires you seek are the same talented young graduates who will have many other options . But you can minimize turnover by giving them a reality check about the job , being honest and thorough in your job description and interview process . While there 's no magical formula , check the candidate's resume for continuity and commitment to one or more organizations during their college years . If the candidate played soccer and acted in the drama club all four years , that 's a better recommendation than one who lists a dozen short-term activities . Ask direct questions of references : Is this a candidate likely to stay more than a year or two ? Is he or she qualified for promotion ? How does he / she handle setbacks and details ? The admissions world is replete with successful directors , deans and vice presidents for enrollment who started as entry-level counselors . Likewise , it is full of former admissions staffers who , after an initial burst of enthusiasm , could not sustain any demonstrable success . By incorporating these suggestions into your hiring plan , you can maximize your chances of finding the former and minimize the odds of recruiting the latter . 2 Comments