Building a strong team takes ongoing effort and planning. Whether you’re preparing for the next semester, replacing a graduating senior, or expanding your staff, it’s always a good time to think about recruitment. Here are some best practices to help guide you through the process.

When to start recruiting

Recruiting should be an ongoing, year-round effort. When recruiting is delayed until the very end of the semester or the beginning of the semester you are recruiting for, the process can be rushed. This puts you at risk of hiring staff that is underqualified or eventually undertrained. 

For your semesterly hiring, you will want to start the recruiting process in the middle of the previous semester — i.e, if you are recruiting for the spring, start the process in October. However, it is always best practice to promote your job openings year-round. This can be as simple as having a job page on your website. 

‍Starting the recruitment process

The recruitment process can seem scary and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. There are three steps in every recruitment process that you will want to map out for your organization before taking applications. 

What roles do you need to fill? 

Make a list of every role that you are hiring for and a description of each. The descriptions should be clear and capture all of the key aspects and expectations that come along with the role. 

The application process

Students are busy, and their attention spans are shortening by the day. Make your application process simple and easy for them to complete. 

Ask for the key details (i.e, name, email, year, etc.), along with questions tailored to the role they are applying for (i.e, if they are applying for sales, ask them if they have had any previous sales experience). 

The application process should not take the student more than 10 minutes to complete. Don’t forget, you still have the opportunity to learn more in an interview. 

Start creating promotional recruiting materials 

Think about how you want students to find out about the roles and how you want them to interact with the materials. 

Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Pass out flyers in high-traffic areas around campus with a QR code to apply
• Post hiring information and application links on social media
• Visit classes at the start or before class starts to promote your hiring 
• Host a table event with incentives and hiring information 
• Host an open house in your newsroom for applicants to get a feel of the environment and to ask any questions they may have. 

Plan coordination with campus orientation or relevant departments to reach more students

Consider working with campus organizations and departments like orientation, journalism or communication departments, business schools, etc. on promoting your open roles. 

You can collaborate with them by: 

• Sponsoring their email newsletter
• Leaving flyers and posters in their buildings and or offices
• Sponsoring or tabling at one of their events 

How to attract students 

Students want to be a part of organizations that have a healthy culture and opportunities to learn and grow. And yes, they are also there to make friends and have some fun. It’s important that in your promotions and hiring process, the culture of your organization shines through. 

Consider adding photos of your team and testimonials to your promotional materials. Hosting an open house in your newsroom is another great way to let applicants see firsthand what it’s like to be a part of the team. 

What to look for in your candidates 

One of the reasons we all love student media is that it opens the door of opportunity for many students with a variety of interests and skills. 

While there is a wrong and a right for each role, don’t limit your team by looking for a narrow list of qualifications. For example, if you are hiring for a sales manager position and they don’t have any previous sales experience, it’s probably not a fit for them or for you. But, if they do have sales experience but not on your team, ask for an interview to learn more.

Overall, make sure that the candidate is open to learning, is a great fit for your organization's culture, and understands your organization and the role that they are stepping into. 

New students are hired, now what?

Now that you have your team hired and eager to get the ball rolling, it’s time to start training. Training should ideally start at least 2 weeks before they are actively in the role. This gives them time to learn the basics before jumping in. 

Flytedesk has built training modules made to support your team in training for local ad sales. Reach out to your Flytedesk account manager to get started.