Higher education recruiting is HARD, isn’t it? How do you find the best candidates to work at your college or university? Talent acquisition leaders in this space often feel like they’re consistently facing talent shortages or losing candidates because their hiring processes run so long.
The diverse range of roles — spanning from union positions to managerial and academic leadership — adds to the complexity of hiring across colleges and universities.
Challenges within higher education recruiting
At most institutions, the Talent Acquisition team covers everything but faculty hiring. You are likely working with many departments as well as various bargaining units.
On top of that, you are often trying to attract a corporate-caliber talent background, which comes with its own competitive challenges that amplify the “talent shortage” dilemma.
One of the biggest hurdles? Compensation. According to the most recent employee retention survey by CUPA-HR, 86% of higher ed employees seeking new opportunities desire a pay or salary increase. The same study identifies other top-ranking reasons employees leave higher education positions:
- Remote work opportunities
- Desire for career advancement
- More flexible work schedules
It’s no wonder higher education recruiters are maxed out. There’s so much pressure to keep collecting resumes and pushing them to hiring managers without seriously vetting candidates. This makes it difficult to act as a strategic talent partner, while sourcing new talent and presenting best-fit candidates.
How to hire faster and build better pipelines
Clearly, the challenges within higher education recruiting are unique, but they are not insurmountable.
One of the fastest, most effective ways to improve hiring outcomes is by incorporating dedicated talent sourcing into your strategy.
Talent sourcing is crucial in higher education hiring because it helps institutions proactively identify and engage top candidates in a highly specialized and competitive talent market. Here’s why it matters:
- Access to passive talent: The best-fit talent for your institution may be working at another university — or in the private sector — ready for a change yet unaware of the opportunity.
- Filling niche roles: Higher education often requires specialized expertise in operations, administration, research areas, and academic fields. Targeted sourcing ensures institutions find the right talent rather than relying solely on inbound applicants, or the “post and pray” model.
- Reducing time to hire: Higher education hiring processes can be lengthy, but sourcing builds strong pipelines in advance, reducing delays and ensuring a smoother recruitment process.
- Strengthening institutional brand: Engaging top talent early fosters a positive candidate experience, reinforcing the institution’s brand as an employer of choice.
Sourcing is the proactive strategy needed in higher education recruiting.
No more sending applicants to hiring managers without screening. No more scrounging through sparse pools of unqualified applicants. No more starting from zero when a new hiring need arises.
Your sourcing partner for higher education recruiting
With the right sourcing partner, you can experience faster hiring and build a pipeline of qualified, interested candidates.
At Beacon Lane, one of our core specializations is sourcing talent for higher education. We understand the unique challenges and differences university recruiting teams face and are highly adept at navigating them.
Our sourcing model helps you scale quickly, while making cost-effective hiring decisions.
From communications, facilities, and accounting, to nurses, doctors, admins, provost offices, and more, Beacon Lane has hired for nearly every role within higher education, and we can do the same for you.
Whether it’s managerial or union positions, or even medical professionals for universities with hospital affiliations, we bring decades of experience and a steady pulse on the market. We also know how to adapt to evolving candidate expectations while delivering a stellar candidate experience.
Ready to uplevel your hiring outcomes?
Let’s talk about how proactive sourcing can help you meet your hiring goals and produce better outcomes for your institution.
