The Search Consultant's Obligations

School Administrator, Feb, 1994 by Kenneth Underwood

Here's What Candidates for a Superintendency Should Reasonably Expect in Their Treatment

Johnny Cash's "I'll Walk the Line" ought to be the theme song for every consultant in the superintendent search business.

Like the school superintendent, the consultant is employed by the board of education and must act in the best interest of the board in every instance. Yet the very nature of their jobs puts consultants between the board and the people they work with. The line that must be trod is there and everyone who is part of this process should understand and accept this point.

Boards want the consultant to act in a friendly and courteous manner, provide information, and in general provide an aura of good feeling with the candidates as well as the board.

Performance Advice

First impressions are thought to be best and most lasting. The consultant helps a lot by making the first impression a positive and productive experience for the candidates and board members. In this way, the surviving candidate and the board already have initiated an operational relationship. Thus the consultant at once helps the board and the candidate while enhancing his or her own professional reputation.

It doesn't take long for word to get around to prospective and future candidates about the treatment they received from the consultant or the board. All candidates feel they are the perfect match for the job.

A potential candidate once asked a consultant, "Do you think I will get the job?" The consultant asked, "Do you think they will select you?" He answered, "No." The consultant said, "Then you'll probably not get it." In the end, candidates interviewed by the board are selected because of their particular match with the job and how they stack up with the candidate pool for that specific position.

In almost every search, some candidates will ask the consultant how they performed. The consultant should discuss the strengths and weaknesses with each candidate who requests it. This gives the candidates information that can be used to present themselves better on paper and to improve techniques used for the interview. This courtesy can help everybody during future searches.

The consultant will not likely tell a candidate not to apply for a specific job. First, no one ever knows which candidate will have the best chemistry for a given board. Second, it is simply not professional. Consultants should never try to outguess the board. The consultant can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the job and the candidate, but the candidate must make the final decision.

An applicant pool of fewer than 100 does not indicate a lack of candidates. Rather, this shows candidates are becoming more realistic in their search for a superintendency. No longer do consultants feel they must accumulate more than the magic 100 applications to demonstrate a successful search. As a result, fewer candidates are disappointed and professionally hurt because they are not applying for jobs for which they do not qualify.

Most position openings are communicated through advertisements or brochures that provide general information about the school district, the community, qualifications expected, and procedural information. College and other placement services tend to keep ajob watch for their clientele. Word-of-mouth is still an excellent source for candidates because knowledge of potential sources is the stock and trade of the consultant.

Candid Answers

The best service the consultant can provide the prospective candidate is information. Every candidate should expect this and consultants should be prepared to speak about the district, the community, the board, etc. Remember, this information must be requested and the consultant is not infallible. The consultant is rendering an opinion, and this should be indicated to the candidate. Above all, the consultant, to the best of his or her ability, should provide accurate and timely information.

Every community and its school system has a peculiar personality, with its own strengths and weaknesses. The candidate should expect to receive a candid discourse from the consultant concerning these assets and debits. Remember, this is subjective and reflects the view of the consultant. It behooves the candidate to research the community and its school system and then reflect on how that system will react to the candidate's own strengths and weaknesses.

The candidate also should expect the consultant to provide information on the operations of the board of education. The board is a group of individuals. How they relate to each other is of utmost importance to the candidate. Are board re-elections or appointments coming up? Do board members work well together? Do they operate as a committee of the whole or do they function with standing committees? Is there a political or philosophical split on the board? Again, candidates should remember the subjective nature of the information and check and double-check the results.

The consultant also should provide information concerning the fiscal position of the school district. This information helps define the system and indicates its potential for success in achieving board goals.