What

Why / Research Rationale

Write a clear and specific position description about primary job responsibilities; overview of the department/institution; and commitment to diversity in students, teaching, and research — combined with flexibility in qualifications for the position

Write 2 position descriptions – what is minimally necessary vs. what is desirable. Assess if the “desirable” description will unnecessarily limit the applicant pool.

Use the words “preferred” vs “required” & “should” instead of “must” to broaden the applicant pool without significantly altering the nature of the position (Turner, 2002).

Strategize support of your new hire – cluster hiring, collaborative networks, and facilities

Your goal is to attract applicants by making a favorable impression . Simple linguistic conveniences can help:

• provide detailed, relevant information both about the posted job and the institution (Zusman & Landis, 2002)
• persuade applicants to generate a favorable impression of what the institution has to offer them (Roberson, Collins, & Oreg, 2005)
• try to sell the department/institution to an applicant rather than attempting to screen them out (Williamson, Lepak, & King, 2003)
• endorse diversity at all levels versus displaying tokenism at lower levels (Avery, 2003) while revealing your motivation for doing so (Avery & McKay, 2006).

Create a performance-enhancing environment for everyone: Underrepresented faculty placed in a solo-status position where they are negatively stereotyped can suffer damage to their performance simply because they are alone, without the influence of any other ability-related factors (Keifer, Sekaquaptewa, & Barczy, 2006; Thompson & Sekaquaptewa, 2002). By strategizing appropriate support social and resource structures for everyone in the department, you can set your new hire up for success, instead of failure.