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Intelligence
The Other Summer Melt: Admissions Office Turnover

Intelligence

The Other Summer Melt: Admissions Office Turnover

May 20, 2014By Kylie Stanley

As a former admissions counselor I have a number of friends still in the field. Around this time of year what I hear most from these individuals isn’t so much about their student yield numbers, but rather about the office turnover. Anecdotally, this year seems to be worse than most — counselors are taking off for greener pastures at new schools, desks on the high school side, or jobs out of higher education. From what I’ve experienced and heard, finding new talent is no problem. Admissions offices have a fresh pool of candidates on their doorstep every year. Keeping the best and the brightest more than a few years, though, seems to be a struggle for institutions of all types.

Wait, isn’t some turnover good for an organization? Sometimes. Yet, significant turnover year after year is also costly. It’s time consuming and distracting to search, interview, hire, and train new people. Turnover also chips away at staff morale and disrupts team cohesion.

Acknowledging that there will always be some turnover, I think it’s still worth asking: What can leadership teams do to retain the best counselors?

Hire smarter.In most cases being a good boss means hiring talented people and then getting out of their way.” — Tina Fey

Before posting a job, ask: “What does our office value?” and “Which functions need support?” There was a time when an admissions office mostly needed foot soldiers to drive around the state and drum up excitement among qualified high school students. However, in a rapidly advancing field we now need professionals who know how to work with data, plan effective events, and manage projects. We need people with the necessary skills and the desire to acquire new skills. Your office should think strategically about how an individual might plug in to day-to-day activities and how the skill set they bring might advance your practice. Consider candidates with more professional experience, even if it’s from outside higher education, and those who have advanced degrees or certificates.

Train more.Don’t underestimate the power of a good orientation program to create a portrait of the organization and its culture in the minds of new employees. While the history, mission, and values of your business may be as familiar as a favorite childhood story to you, chances are good that your new employees have never heard them or have heard versions of them that may not be accurate.” — The Disney Institute

An effective training plan is ongoing, it is not a few days of admissions bootcamp. All of your employees should be setting professional development goals annually and marking their progress against those goals. The newest members of your staff, though, need the most attention: pair them with a mentor, observe them and have them observe you, and sit down for conversations with them regularly. Set each person up for success and do not assume they’ll reach out as needed. A strong training program will require a resource and budget commitment, but it is more costly to conduct another search or correct grievous errors.

Motivate well.Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives.” — Daniel Pink

An increasing amount of research, including recent news from Harvard Business Review, indicates that employees are happier and more productive when they’re allowed flex hours or work from home time. Rather than tracking time, admissions leadership should begin tracking employee results. What’s the applicant percent change in a counselor’s district? How did students and families rate the counselor’s on-campus event? Did the counselor fit in more high school visits or counselor calls this year? Metrics are abundant in admissions. It’s easy to see who’s doing their job and who’s not. Give counselors professional courtesies and allow them to set their day-to-day agendas. Employees are motivated when they can see the direct results of their efforts and this process will allow your stars to rise to the top.

Promote strategically.When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters — first and foremost — how they behave.” — Malcolm Gladwell

Promote the right people, regardless of how long they’ve been in your office or how connected they are in the profession. If they’re demonstrating the qualities you want in future counselors and they’re getting results, reward them. Your youngest crop of admissions counselors will learn how to behave and which traits to cultivate by looking at the counselors a step or two up the rung. What do you want them to see? Along the same lines, encourage unhappy or ineffective staff to pursue other paths. Negative energy spreads.

What else can admissions offices do to retain the best talent? We’d love to hear your ideas!