January 2023 - Higher Education Jobs - Higher Education Recruitment Consortium

Get to LinkedIn polls through the LinkedIn app

Setting actionable goals for the higher ed workplace can be a daunting task. One of our objectives in the past year was to better utilize LinkedIn polls to learn from job seekers and share our findings with HERC members.

In case you didn’t know, the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) is a non-profit coalition of over 700 colleges, universities, hospitals, research labs, government agencies, and related non- and for-profit organizations, committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the higher education workforce.

With over 20,000 followers, LinkedIn is our largest social media channel to reach our community of job seekers and higher ed professionals. If you participated in any of our polls, we are truly grateful for your input!

Below are some highlighted poll results and actions that we encouraged our members to take in their recruitment and retention efforts:

1. Offer work-from-home and/or flexible schedules

HERC Jobs LinkedIn Poll: What benefit would help you achieve work-life satisfaction?

In the past few years, many offices have seen how work can be taken home and managed successfully. HERC’s LinkedIn poll takers reported that working from home and a flexible schedule are two leading factors in achieving work-life satisfaction. While both may not be options depending on the position, offering either when possible can be a factor in retaining employees who are mostly satisfied with their workplace.

2. Promote interdepartmental hiring

HERC Jobs LinkedIn Poll: Does your workplace support interdepartmental/lateral moves?

A strong number of those polled (54%) said that their workplace either does not support interdepartmental moves, or they are unsure if it is supported. This movement within an organization can offer several benefits to an institution, including talent retention and less onboarding and training time. If an institution already supports this, communicating it to current employees can be an easy way to find candidates.

3. Create a clear understanding of open positions

HERC Jobs LinkedIn Poll: Which part of the job interviewing process is the most important to you?

Surprisingly, for poll respondents, reviewing salary and benefits was not the most important topic to discuss during job interviews. Understanding the role (48%) and learning about office culture (31%) were the priority topics that candidates wanted to address during a job interview. Job seekers want a clear understanding of what the role will entail as well as what type of workplace culture this role will be performing in. Taking steps to alleviate any confusion about the role or workplace can lead to a better candidate pool.

4. Build a healthy workplace

HERC Jobs LinkedIn Poll: What does a healthy workplace culture look like to you?

Having respectful colleagues and collaborative team members were both polled as the highest factors in determining a healthy workplace. Building strong teams and respectful work environments can be some of the most challenging tasks for a human resources department, however dedicating resources to this can easily lead to less turnover.

5. Provide salary transparency

HERC Jobs LinkedIn Poll: Would you be open to your workplace sharing how much every employee makes?

Salary transparency was favorably ranked in HERC’s LinkedIn poll. 74% of users responded, ‘yes, it creates pay equity’ when asked about comfort level with salary transparency in the workplace. In addition to pay equity, it can build a sense of trust between employees and the institution. If an institution is willing, having an open salary workplace can provide a positive benefit to employees. A great way to start engaging job candidates is by including a salary range in job postings.

Check out more Top Articles on HERC Jobs.

About the Author: Connie Castellucci is a higher ed data analyst consultant. Previously she has worked within higher ed departments and nonprofit organizations addressing recruitment, new school development, and member recruitment needs.

Higher ed professional reflecting on their career development

When was the last time you thought about your career development? If you’re currently looking for a new opportunity or thinking ahead to position yourself for life changes, now is a good time to review your career goals and take steps to shore up your skills, relationships, and other competencies.

Here are 8 tips on how to refresh your career development:

1. Assess Where You Are and Identify Goals

Take some time, even just an hour or two, to reflect on where you are in your career development. Consider where you’d like to see yourself in 6 months or a year. Let your reflection include not only your job(s), but also your existing skill set, network, accomplishments, and activities. Write your goals down so that you can review them and see how you’ve done in meeting them, or reflect on how your thinking may change over time.

2. Update Your Resume

When was the last time you found yourself at an event, chatting with someone you’d just met, who said “Hey, can you send me your resume?” Instead of going into a state of anxiety and stress and having to revise your resume in a pinch, be prepared by updating your resume on a regular basis. At the very least, track all professional activities and accomplishments (courses taught, attendance at workshops/conferences, publications, participation in panels, awards received, etc.) in one place so that you can easily update your resume as needed.

3. Revise Your LinkedIn Profile

Many professional contacts and potential employers conduct initial reviews of job candidates via an informal scan of their LinkedIn profiles. Make sure that yours is updated, reflecting what kind of work you do, what opportunities you may be seeking, and who you are in a way that is professional and authentic. Consider updating the skills section of your profile since the LinkedIn job search function can be set to alert you to open positions that match your stated skills.

4. Stay in Touch With Past Mentors and Colleagues

Ideally, you engage with your network of professional contacts before you need them to do something. Maintaining contact with people you like and respect is beneficial for many reasons, including the fact that they already know your professional capacities. Reach out to meet one-on-one or in small groups if you are already attending the same conference or workshops. Or send an email sharing a relevant article or information that might be helpful to your contact. These personal touchpoints remind people that you are out there, and they may think of you more readily if they hear of opportunities that are a fit.

5. Keep Your Network Informed

Although discretion may be preferred in some instances, remember that people can’t help you get to where you’re going if they don’t know where you want to go. Because word of mouth and referrals are a powerful means of accessing jobs, including jobs that are not yet publicly posted, you should let people know if you are looking for a new position. Be prepared with an answer when they ask how they can help you and what you are looking for.

6. Develop Your Skills Through a Class

Consider signing up for a course in a skill that you want to develop for professional or personal reasons. There are so many educational providers out there, with a wide range of offerings–everything from language instruction to coding to graphic design to writing to public speaking. Participation in a course will provide you with not only hard skill development, but also an opportunity to expand your network.

7. Ask for Opportunities at Work

There may be opportunities for you to expand your professional skills in your workplace. Let your supervisors know if you are open to learning or taking on new roles and responsibilities. Check with HR about any affinity groups or committees that you can join to grow your internal network and strengthen your skills.

8. Stay Positive and Remember to Pace Yourself

Remember, keeping excited and grounded in your career requires both vigilance and a long game. Make sure you take time to nurture yourself and the important aspects of your life, like friends, family, and health.