Recruitment 1. The first step in recruiting faculty is to determine the criteria by which a specific faculty member is to be chosen. Certainly, regulatory bodies, such as state boards of nursing, provide specific criteria for faculty and the teaching assignments of new faculty members are determined by their clinical experiences. These qualifications can be considered “hard skills”—those competencies which involve the specific tasks required for the teaching responsibilities. However, “soft skills,” such as effective communication, working well in a team, time management skills, and empathy are equally important for success as a faculty member. Specific faculty assignments may require strength in particular soft skills. The ability to work closely with team members or clinical partners may be essential when coordinating a wide range of colleagues and students. In other situations, the ability to work alone and manage time effectively may be more important. Clear, empathetic communication with others is always desirable. Once you have made the assessment of needed soft skills, they should be included in the job description and in relevant job postings, along with the hard skills required. How can you be sure that you hire someone with the requisite soft skills? 2. Documenting the necessary hard skills is typically not difficult. Reviewing the candidate’s resume or curriculum vitae and verifying licensing and certification materials provides initial information which can then be validated when references are checked. Soft skills may require more communication expertise. Table A below gives some examples of questions you might ask the candidate or their references to learn more about their soft skills competencies.
Table A: Questions to Solicit Soft Skills Competencies
Soft Skill
Question for Candidates*
Question for References*
Can you tell me about a time that communication with colleagues or students was difficult? How did you resolve that issue? Would you describe an experience that represents the best experience you have had in working on a team? Describe the most difficult experience you have had as part of a team. How did you handle the problems?
If colleagues were asked to describe the communication abilities of the candidate, what would they say?
Communication
What were your observations about the candidate’s ability to work with teams? What advice would you give the candidate for improving team interaction?
Working in a Team
2
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