Effective Hiring Practices in Education

A recent report in the New Jersey Herald highlights the importance of having and following established hiring procedures to ensure practices support the organization’s core mission.

Hiring practices in education need to support organizational goals of providing students with safe, high-quality learning environments. A recent audit of hiring practices in a New Jersey agency overseeing construction in the state’s poorest school districts revealed numerous problems leading to the resignation of the chief executive officer.

Rather than focusing on what not to do, HR staff can ensure hiring practices are equitable and result in hiring quality staff by:

• Posting job vacancies internally and externally
• Conducting screening and interviews based on established job-related criteria
• Consulting managers and supervisors about hiring decision and any structural changes to their department
• Keeping organizational charts and job descriptions up-to-date
• Determining salaries according to established pay procedures and the board adopted compensation plan
• Following state nepotism laws and local restrictions and avoiding favoritism

Information on hiring procedures and resources for developing and implementing best practices are available in the Recruiting and Hiring of the HR Library. HR Services also offers in-district and regional trainings to help train campus leaders and supervisors, including HR for Campus Leaders and Hiring Effective Teachers and Keeping Them.