Searching for Higher Education Leadership: Advice for Candidates and Search Committees (Ace/Praeger Series on Higher Education)
Jean Dowdall…provide[s]…a spectrum of sound advice, clear alternatives, and significant information. Divided into two sections, the book opens with material for candidates, taking them through the process from the initial decision about applying to fill an opening all the way through to the successful candidate's transition. Along the way, she is careful to note where there may be special concerns for internal candidates, for non-traditional candidates, and for unsuccessful candidates. That breadth makes it one that should stay on a handy bookshelf-even after the first reading. The second section, aimed at search committees, covers an equally complete spectrum, from developing a position description through the transition for the successful candidate. This section of the narrative offers not only straight process/procedure design and advice, but also occasional advice on how these elements might affect a candidate's perception of the institution. Candidates and search committees should read both sections; their ability to see themselves from across the table should improve the entire process for all involved. Absolute must read for every academic who may ever be either a candidate or a search committee member. (Donna Burns Phillips)For a number of years now, I have been complaining about the lack of useful guidance about the search process for presidential aspirants.... Finally, however, much of the mystery is being removed from the search process, both for candidates and for search committees, with the publication ofSearching for Higher Education Leadership. This detailed analysis by Jean Dowdall offers insights and wisdom gained from a long and distinguished career in the world of academic searches. [As a result of her publication,] more knowledgeable candidates and better prepared search committees should increase the number of talented and capable leaders selected for America's colleges and universities. (George L. Mehaffy)There are many first-rate professionals in the highly competitive business of academic searches but few, if any, have as much first-hand experience as faculty members and administrators as Jean Dowdall. All that experience and a tireless work ethic and attention to detail has brought her to the top ranks of her profession. And to top it off, she brings instinctively good judgment to the delicate task of matching candidates with institutions. This book typifies her exhaustive approach to searches and it is now the indispensable seminal work for search practitioners and scholars. (Robert H. Atwell)If you have either been interviewed for an academic leadership position or have served on a search committee, you probably know that?dealing with the human element can never be totally predictable, and therefore, is somewhat enigmatic. Jean Dowdall's newbook, Searching for Higher Education Leadership: Advice for Candidates and Search Committees, begins to demystify the process. The value in this book is that she clearly and concisely describes the process from both vantage points. It is this dual perspective that sets this book apart, making it a great resource and helping transform the search process from inexplicable to comprehensible-from both sides. The author's advice on targeting cover letters to specific institutions and offering 360-degree reference lists were particularly insightful. In addition, her discussion of when and how to enter a search as an internal candidate is valuable, as this can be a particularly delicate position both personally and politically.  If there is one chapter that should be read by everyone in academia, it is Chapter 5, Building Relationships with Consultants and Committees. This chapter focuses on expectations for the candidate, consultant loyalty, feedback, and evaluation of candidacy flaws to help both candidate a (Richard Helldobler and Michelle Behr)Jean Dowdall has written the essential guide—which updates and exceeds every other book—for both candidates and search committees engaged in presidential searches. It not only has the depth of Riesman and McLaughlin's original research in 1990, but provides advice on contemporary challenges: how to set up e-reading rooms for file review or how to engage spouses/partners in a search. Her book answers every question about best practices, and even more importantly, provides guidance to all segments of higher education. For committees and candidates eager to do their homework before a search, this is the comprehensive book to consult. (Shelly Weiss Storbeck)If you have either been interviewed for an academic leadership position or have served on a search committee, you probably know that…dealing with the human element can never be totally predictable, and therefore, is somewhat enigmatic. Jean Dowdall's new book, Searching for Higher Education Leadership: Advice for Candidates and Search Committees, begins to demystify the process. The value in this book is that she clearly and concisely describes the process from both vantage points. It is this dual perspective that sets this book apart, making it a great resource and helping transform the search process from inexplicable to comprehensible-from both sides. The author's advice on targeting cover letters to specific institutions and offering 360-degree reference lists were particularly insightful. In addition, her discussion of when and how to enter a search as an internal candidate is valuable, as this can be a particularly delicate position both personally and politically.  If there is one chapter that should be read by everyone in academia, it is Chapter 5, "Building Relationships with Consultants and Committees." This chapter focuses on expectations for the candidate, consultant loyalty, feedback, and evaluation of candidacy flaws to help both candidate and committee member understand the search process. It certainly is sage counsel. Additional kudos to Dowdall for framing the context of spousal considerations in an inclusive way that moves beyond the traditional relationship norms for presidential spouses, including employment, spousal compensation, and staffing concerns. The second half of the book, "Advice for Search Committees," is written for search committees and hiring authorities, though it offers great insights for candidates as well. Most of Part II elaborates upon-in chronological order-12 crucial steps for every search, from orienting the search committee to the final decision-making process. One laudatory feature of this discussion is that it is written to be user-friendly, whether or not a s (Richard Helldobler and Michelle Behr)