Some ideas and thoughts on recruiting staff and what to look for during the recruitment cycle as a leader.
In this blog series looking at the role of a LEADER, I will be sharing ideas and strategies following common research for change management and starting at a new school as a school leader. I have had several requests to share my thoughts on starting at a school that needed urgent improvement in many areas. Also, to advise on what leaders can do to cope with the demands of leadership, getting a balance and remaining calm, positive and focused on the task at hand.
The recruitment process
In any school change process recruitment, retainment and development are key ingredients for success. For the recruitment process, a good starting point is to use a staff talent audit/map to identify the strengths and areas for development in your current team. At different periods and phases of change you might be looking for something 'extra', some experts in developing curriculum, creating links with other schools, enhancing your CPD, etc. A talent audit/map helps you identify and continue to develop them, therefore 'retaining' your best staff. If you have gaps in these areas, this is important to discuss and plan with your SLT.
Characters or skills?
A good rating point could be 7 Hiring Rules that Richard Branson Lives by, as a way of looking at the process of developing skills AFTER appointing the right character with a personality than fits your vision for the school.
Look at your immediate team - what character would really benefit those around you?
“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” — Robert Frost
It is easier to hire staff with the right skills, values and characters that you are looking for and then to be able to develop these professionals with skills needed. This will take time and patience to slowly build up their core productivity but with this you get boundless energy, enthusiasm and focus. Short term, the students think they are great but development will be needed to possibly help a lack of subject knowledge (Simply because they haven't had enough time to develop this yet), lack of experience of dealing with conflict, communication with parents, difficult conversations, etc.
If I have a group that supply the energy at the start of a change cycle (This is a fantastic advantage to help change a school), I always try and hire the best staff possible and then 'make these fit'. This follows Good to Great, First Who then How, by Jim Collins. which is a fantastic way to hire staff with exactly what you need. This will really set the cat amongst the pigeons in some cases as hiring staff who can come in an instantly make an impact is wonderful but balancing this with someone that you have to fit into a role that might not have been advertised or available will really test the strength of your team or create further 'traction for change'. It can be a very good strategy and a risk worth taking, especially in the short term. This link is a good starting point to find, attract and pick the best educators can help build your recruitment plan. A better visual of the plan/cycle an be seen in this article getting to grips with school recruitment and staffing.
Interview procedures
All incoming staff need to go through the most rigorous of interview procedures. As a team, how certain can you be about every candidate? - everything is a risk but a positive risk. Will they get involved? or advise?
Try and look at and separate the 'talkers' from the 'doers'.
It's great to have a colleague who can identify problems (Sometimes in the most obvious fashion), review areas and give suggestions for improvement or highlight numerous areas of weakness. This needs to be carefully balanced with staff who want to stand up and be counted. The ones who will come into school and hands on get involved and help others. This is hugely undervalued and massively appreciated. I'm not saying that everyone should come in each day and focus on actively getting involved in every project, no. It is though very helpful to know that when required, you have a group of individuals that will turn up and physically support. This is great for the students to see, modelling helping others, taking responsibility and action are all great areas that many of our students need to experience.
Be wary of the 'showcase' lesson candidates
Its probably worth remembering a colleague who you have worked with who was excellent day to day, the students made great progress in the their lessons but did not enjoy the 'showcase days' when someone sat in the room observing, inspections, open days etc. They just froze, underperformed or didn't enjoy having someone in the class watching them. This results in stress and anxiety for the teacher. Try to build a culture and confidence throughout your staff, emphasise the advantages of why we need to see each other teach. You also have teachers who have a lower standard of day to day lessons but are excellent at performing when visitors are in their classrooms.
Some people are naturally good at interviews but their day to day practice does not reflect this. Be wary of these 'showcase' teachers and try and demonstrate a balanced view.
Some areas to explore are:
Ask how they have developed others?
What did they do, the impact and was it successful?
What will they do next?
Why did they go into teaching? describe a moment recently when you realised teaching was the job for you?
What makes a good lesson? How do they engage students?
What have you failed at? what did you learn? (reflection question)
Here are some more great examples in Interviewing Potential Assistant Principals.
or preparing for your Headship Interview.
Social relationships and support
Outside of school, I constantly talk about the social support being extremely important for teachers. This is often overlooked. Will the new candidate fit into this and help others?
Inside school, we can offer help, development, reflection and coaching. Outside, I try to help build a culture where staff can vent (positively), reflect and talk to each other in a non judgemental forum. To switch off from school and have a coffee, pizza or a trip out somewhere is a great way to help create a balance and improve the wellbeing of your staff. Think about the groups of staff and if they have someone to socialise with. In the staff calendar, I try and put in a few events through the year so that staff can start off together as a group and then they can go out and break into smaller groups on their own. To foster this supportive network approach, mentoring and induction should be ongoing from when staff arrive, Teaching Matters: Attracting, Developing, and Retaining Effective Teachers and six ways to support the new teachers to stay in the profession are excellent references to build your teacher retainment plans. Everyone should have someone to talk to and listen to inside/outside of school and to feel valued.
This is the structure of the interview process I have created with my SLT.
Interview process:
Shortlist
Informal interviews with team (Based on character/personality and clarity about the job/role and benefits) + possible chat with a member of staff at school to be open, honest and transparent about the current climate of the school.
Formal Interview
Final Interview
Feedback to ALL candidates
Start the mentoring and process induction
There are sample interview questions on the leadership resources page along with 50 other files and ideas for you to try.
The next step is to build a team and dealing with conflict as a LEADER
Published by Paul Walton. @paultwalton
Principal, Educator, Leadership Coach.
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