Recruitment has been a major issue for higher education institutes in recent years, especially since the COVID pandemic.
A survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education reveals the extent of the issue. According to respondents:
- 80% of institutes had more open vacancies than in the previous year
- 84% of leaders say that it’s getting harder to hire for administrative and staff jobs
- 82% say that they’re receiving fewer replies to job postings
To make matters worse, many institutions are also facing retention issues, which are being exacerbated by retirements and competition from other industries.
This is a major issue for education institutes, and it seems to be getting worse. In this article, we’ll look at some strategies that can help academic employers compete for talent against private sector rivals. But first, let’s discuss the specific issues that affect higher education recruitment.
What are the biggest recruitment challenges in higher education?
Recruiting top talent can always be a challenge, especially in the non-profit sector. However, higher education faces some unique challenges that can make things even harder:
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Lengthy hiring processes: Speed is of the essence when hiring, as candidates will often go with the first employer who makes a good offer. Higher education institutions tend to move slowly when hiring, which means that great applicants can slip through the cracks.
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Limited talent pool: If the job requires specific qualifications or an academic background, then there are usually very few suitable candidates. This creates huge pressure on hiring managers and also increases the retention risk for your best people.
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Limited budget: Many colleges and universities operate on tight budgets, making it difficult to offer competitive salaries and benefits, especially in comparison to private sector opportunities.
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Changing expectations: Most candidates are looking for more than just a paycheck. They seek work-life balance, wellness initiatives, and a sense of purpose. Universities don’t always communicate this aspect of employment in their job postings.
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Remote working: Remote work is very popular—and an estimated 34.6% of people with Bachelor’s Degrees perform some of their duties online. Many institutes still prefer in-person employees, and this may be necessitated by organizational culture.
Taken together, these issues mean that higher education employers are in a difficult position when trying to attract and retain talent. But the good news is that you can overcome these challenges by having the right hiring strategy.
5 recruitment strategies for higher education
Successful hiring is often a matter of good communication. Here are some tips to help you improve communication with prospective candidates.
1. Leverage higher education job boards
Take advantage of specialized job boards and recruitment networks like Higher Ed Jobs and the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC. These platforms cater specifically to academic job seekers and can help you reach a targeted audience. Post both full-time and part-time positions, and consider using job alerts to notify potential candidates of new openings in their areas of interest.
Additionally, partner with other member institutions to share best practices and expand your reach. Many of these consortiums offer career resources and outreach programs that can help connect potential candidates to employment opportunities.
2. Embrace social media and digital platforms
Take advantage of social media platforms like LinkedIn to showcase your institution's culture, highlight faculty achievements, and promote job openings. Create engaging content that tells your institution's story, including student success stories, research breakthroughs, and community partnerships.
Invest in developing a strong online presence that reflects your institution's values and mission. This can help attract candidates who align with your goals, whether they're seeking positions in academic affairs, student affairs, or administrative roles like financial aid or human resources.
3. Streamline the hiring process
Simplify your application process to make it more user-friendly for job seekers. While it's important to gather necessary information, consider using a streamlined employment application that captures essential details without being overly burdensome.
Implement an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to help sort through applications, identify top candidates, and even conduct initial screenings. This can be particularly helpful for community colleges and larger universities that receive a high volume of applications for various positions, from entry-level to executive director roles.
4. Review your Total Rewards offering
Nonprofit organizations can rarely compete on salary with private sector employers. The good news is that salary isn’t the only thing that attracts talent. Review all five elements of your Total Rewards offering and look for ways to create an attractive offering.
The main elements of Total Rewards are:
- Salary: Compare against salary benchmarking to ensure that salaries are competitive.
- Benefits: Focus on the most meaningful benefits for your team, such as healthcare and PTO.
- Recognition: Awards, bonuses and recognition from leaders can help build loyalty, which makes it easier to retain great staff.
- Professional development: Make sure everyone has opportunities to grow their careers and work towards goals.
- Wellbeing: Support the work-life balance through initiatives such as flexible hours and remote working.
5. Talk more about the positive aspects of each job
Academic job listings tend to be dry and formal. One applicant interviewed by the Chronicle of Higher Education survey said of academic job ads, “There is no consistent messaging about why someone would want to work here. It is usually a posting with the major job responsibilities and that’s it.” Try including more details about the nature of the work and the department, setting positive expectations for job seekers.
It’s also important to discuss the institute’s values and mission. Celebrate things like your innovation, community involvement, commitment to DEI, and the value you provide to students. You can give people a strong sense of purpose in their work, which is one of the things that people look for during a job search.
Improve your higher education recruitment outcomes
Remember, effective recruitment is an ongoing process that requires continuous refinement and adaptation to changing market conditions and candidate expectations. Regularly assess your recruitment strategies and be willing to innovate and experiment with new approaches.
Are you looking to enhance your institution's recruitment strategies and build a high-performing team? Schedule a no-obligation call with a Helios HR consultant today to discuss how we can support your recruitment efforts and help your institution thrive in the competitive world of higher education.
