The recent national conference of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources held in Orlando, Florida, featured a notable presentation by Boise State’s talent acquisition specialists, Andrea Burton and Kristen Martin. They introduced a groundbreaking faculty recruitment process under the theme “Faculty Recruitment: From Feedback to Foundation.” This innovative strategy is Boise State’s proactive response to the increasingly competitive landscape of faculty recruitment, especially amid a limited pool of candidates. This comprehensive approach underscores the institution’s commitment to refining its hiring processes to attract top-tier academic talent effectively.
The recruitment process laid out by Burton and Martin begins with identifying existing problems and gathering extensive insights and feedback from various stakeholders. They emphasized a change model that proceeds through meticulous data review, comprehensive analysis, and the implementation of refined procedures. This strategy is not just a superficial change but an in-depth transformation of the existing system. Collaborating extensively with Boise State’s academic partners, Burton and Martin collected valuable input from campus hiring committees. Furthermore, they incorporated the expertise of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning graduate students, who played a crucial role in analyzing the data and formulating essential recommendations.
The data-driven recommendations offered by the graduate students included differentiating the hiring processes for faculty and staff, enhancing the communication tools utilized by human resources, providing clear and concise user guides, and optimizing these tools for specific purposes. These recommendations have been crucial in shaping the updated hiring and onboarding procedures. Burton and Martin implemented these refined processes in alignment with the university’s mission, making them more engaging and efficient for both the hiring committees and the candidates. This approach aimed to ensure that the revised processes were deeply integrated with the core values and strategic goals of Boise State.
A significant outcome of the initiative spearheaded by Burton and Martin was the development of a new faculty recruitment website. This platform serves as a comprehensive guide for campus personnel and an attractive portal for potential candidates. The website’s significant utility and relevance are evident as it has become the fifth most frequented webpage in Boise State’s human resources department. By hosting detailed guides, resources, and transparent information, it has significantly enhanced the university’s ability to communicate their values and opportunities to prospective faculty members.
