Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Elsa, It sounds like you walk into an interview situation well prepared. The set of questions is particularly good, especially if you have multiple final candidates. It allows you to fairly compare those candidates and decide who is best suited for the position. Asking questions requiring more in depth or open ended responses is important as well. That way you get more than a yes or no response and it is easier to assess the candidate appropriateness for the position. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Recruiting the Best Person for the Job

Elsa, Welcome to the class. The methods that you have listed are all good sources of qualified candidates for your open positions. In today's economy, it is probably not necessary to use recruiters to find candidates for you as that is an expense you may not need to incur. On the flip side, though, using a staffing agency allows you to "try out" a candidate before you make a longer term commitment. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Recruiting the Best Person for the Job

Mercedes, It sounds like you have a good process in place. I like the fact that you require a minimum of two years experience/active licensure before an individual can be hired as a faculty member. That goes a long ways for the faculty member to establish credibility with the students. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Recruiting the Best Person for the Job

Mercedes, It sounds like you have a good process in place. I like the fact that you require a minimum of two years experience/active licensure before an individual can be hired as a faculty member. That goes a long ways for the faculty member to establish credibility with the students. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Employee Dismissal: Unpleasant, But Sometimes Necessary

Mercedes, You are right. Dismissing an employee is never a pleasant task, but it is sometimes necessary. I agree with having another person/manager in the room just in case there is an issue. But a termination should never come as a surprise if the dismissal is performance related. The supervisor should have been working with the employee all along in an attempt to improve performance. Stating the reason for the dismissal in a clear, concise manner is the most effective way to complete the task. Be factual keeping the emotion out of the process. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Delegating or Dumping

Mercedes, So often we are reluctant to delegate because it is easier just to do the task ourselves. But if we think about delegating as an opportunity to provide an employee with some professional growth opportunities, it becomes a more palatable option. One important piece of delegating is the fact that as a supervisor, we retain the ultimate responsibility for the task. We also need to periodically check with the employee to make certain that progress is being made and to determine if their are questions. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Do Employee Retention Strategies Work?

Mercedes, I believe that you hit on the most important retention technique and that is communication. If we communicate with our employees so they know what is going on, they know what the goals are, they know why, they will be more likely to buy into what we are trying to do and will engage in activities to accomplish those goals together. So often supervisors will not share information because to them information is power. That usually backfires. Sharing information empowers people. The other "retention technique" is to treat everyone with dignity and respect. If people are treated well, they… >>>

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

The Effective Job Interview

Mercedes, It sounds like you have a great process for interviewing candidates. It is key to be prepared. I usually have a list of prepared questions so that I ask all candidates the same questions and have a basis for comparison. That works well for me. Candidates will do better in an interview if you make them feel comfortable and at ease, which you seem to do. Great job.

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Retaining Your Top Employees

Diana, I agree. Not only is it overwhelming, but it can also have a negative impact on morale. Employees feel like they are doing extra work without any additional compensation. It can also have an impact on your student retention efforts. When students see employees leave with whom they have established a connection, it is easier for them to give up and call it quits. Therefore, retention efforts pay off in multiple ways. Pat

Dr. Patricia Kapper

Discussion Comment

Recruiting the Best Person for the Job

Diana, That is a great practice to require the 2 years of experience. With students today, you want to make sure that they feel as though they are getting value for their educational dollar. Having experienced faculty who have worked in the industry helps to ensure that they are getting that value. Pat