“Who made this choice?”
The questions that a search committee receives from the community after hiring someone new are revealing. They hold the organization’s hopes and fears. Be prepared with your answers, and use the chance to learn more to help someone new integrate and be successful.
“I thought this was a national search. Why did we go with someone local?””
Your answer: “We were managing risk throughout the search, and relocation was one of the risks we discussed. I’m curious; what key risks do you think might need to be addressed now that we are onboarding someone new?”
Hidden opportunity: Is this someone who preferred another finalist? Are they grieving the departure of the former executive? Or is their status threatened because of the organizational changes underway? Help your new hire anticipate potholes they will encounter with allies and sceptics alike by understanding what stories are being told about the search process, and why.
“Did the new hire apply through a job board? Were they referred internally? Or were they sourced by a recruiter?”
Your answer: “We were focused on keeping up relationships with all candidates, whether they were new connections or not, and whether they were offered the job or not. Sometimes the committee knew how candidates came our way, but our priority was keeping the top candidates engaged for all of what was a very thorough process.”
Hidden opportunity: The story of how the finalist came to the attention of the committee can carry weight with some people. It can sometimes be a proxy for the question of whether the choice and investment in a recruiter was worth it. It might also reveal a curiosity about the hidden aspects of how recruiting works and where the bottlenecks are. But the overall goal isn’t just to fill the seat. Having each candidate leave a process feeling seen and heard, even when they don’t get an offer, is an ideal for the committee to pursue. Who knows what opening might come up later?
“How come we didn’t get to meet a wider range of candidates before the decision?”
Your answer: “Because we had such a qualified group of candidates to talk with, naturally some of them were protecting their confidentiality. The goal was keep everyone learning and engaged as long as possible, instead of narrowing the field prematurely. Toward the end, the committee could only have introduced the community to those people who had the career flexibility to reveal their interest publicly before knowing if they would receive an offer. We decided to try and keep the full range of options open for the school.”
Hidden opportunity: The uncertainty of change can create fear and a desire for control. People naturally want to be in the room where it happens. What are some meaningful ways that key influencers can be involved in the transition and onboarding, even if they didn’t get access to the process as early as they might have wished?
In transition, every school community is seeking certainty, and the feeling of safety that comes with that state of knowing the outcome. Where the destination is not yet known, or the results don’t reflect the status quo assumptions about what’s needed, anticipate the need to talk more. Take time to communicate the journey, articulate what the organization is learning through a recruiting process, and how the results and how they were achieved reflect the school’s values.