hiring

The goal of selection is to identify the most suitable candidate based on competencies, or the knowledge, skills, abilities, and professional qualities employees possess that allow them to succeed in their role. Through effective hiring practices, human capital leaders can shift the distribution of educator effectiveness and ultimately influence student learning outcomes.

Challenges in Hiring                              

Why is hiring the “right” person so tough? Do hiring managers have clarity on the competencies they value in candidates? Have they identified the competencies to be assessed and objective ways to measure them? Is there a commitment within the district to an agreed-upon hiring process?   

Further exacerbating hiring challenges are workforce shortages, teacher to student diversity gaps, and common hiring errors, such as:

• Hiring based on time constraints

• Lack of structured processes

• Over-reliance on interviews with little use of other data to make final decisions

• Poor customer service throughout the hiring process

How to Enhance Your Hiring Practices

Use the following four steps to enhance your hiring practices. Each step includes reflection questions, research-based resources, and inspiration examples.

1. Define your hiring system and align applicable components to support your district’s vision for students.

• What is your district’s hiring system – who creates that system and implements it?

• What are the skills and mindsets for educators (all staff) to deliver on your vision for students? How do your recruitment and hiring processes support this vision?

• Resources:

  • Research: Hiring Decisions, Interviews, Multi-Data Point System

  • Competency-Based Hiring

  • Job Description Checklist

2. Ensure all selection measures and hiring tools appropriately embed your educator competencies, minimize bias, and follow legal/non-discriminatory requirements.

• What are the competencies you seek to measure before hiring the candidate? How will you measure them?

• How does your hiring system address reliability and validity?

• Resources:

  • Interview Questions, Look-Fors, and Rubrics

  • Strategies to Increase Reliability/Validity of Your Hiring Process

  • Lawful/Unlawful Approaches of Candidate Info (coming soon)

3. Build capacity among hiring managers and a shared commitment to consistent hiring practices that support your vision.

• Is the interview team clear on the competencies, or the knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and professional qualities necessary for success in the position(s)?

• Does each interview team member understand and commit to your hiring process?  

• Resources:

  • Selecting the Interview Team Quick Start

  • Preparing the Interview Team Checklist

  • Recognizing Bias Training Activity

  • Interview Logistics - Tips for In-Person or Virtual (coming soon)

4. Continuously evaluate and refine your hiring practices based on the customer experience and results.

• What does success look like for your hiring practices this year? How are you sharing your successes?

• What enhancements would you like to see in your hiring practices in the short/long term?

• Resources:

  • Tip Sheet - Creating a Customer-Centric Hiring Experience

  • Hiring Metric Examples: Time to Fill; Acceptance Rate; Quality of Hire; Candidate Experience; Application Completion Rate; Retention Rate or First-Year Attrition

Inspiration Examples

• Building a Multi-Data Point Hiring System: Des Moines Public Schools