The hard business of searching: for search firms, filling a superintendency can be as demanding as the job itself

School Administrator, June, 2003 by Paul Riede

As far as being an easy job, it is not. You have late hours, lots of travel, tight deadlines, sometimes critical news media to deal with, some difficult board members who do not (or don t want to) understand their roles and responsibilities, split communities and more, but I have enjoyed most of it. I have learned something new from every search as each school community is unique. I have the personal satisfaction that my involvement as a search consultant and the process I have developed has made a positive difference that ultimately has affected the education of students.

Sad Developments

I have watched the search process change over the last three to five years as more retired superintendents have entered the business. Some have used the process I developed and started their own search firms because they, like me, want to meet a need as they see it. However, it appears that many are entering the field because they think it is an easy and logical way to supplement their retirement income. Others have a hungry ego to feed.

With the heavier competition brought on by the influx of new search consultants, the process seems to have become watered down to the extent that work shortcuts are becoming common in an attempt to minimize costs. The consultants' stables of candidates and the "Good 01' Boys Club" are more alive and well than they have ever been. Sadly, numbers ("How many searches have you done?") and prominent placements ("Whom have you placed?") have become more important to the search consultant than how effective is the fit of the finalist to the school community?

Success still comes back to using a complete process that ensures the board has the opportunity to hire the best fit to the school/community and that each candidate has equal opportunity. I have seen my business drop significantly due to boards opting for a less extensive process and lower cost, but I refuse to do a "half-job."

School boards need to carefully scrutinize proposals from competing search firms, check out references and know they must fulfill their responsibility of hiring the best candidate. The process and the fee is an investment in the school district's future. You generally get what you pay for in the search field.

Terre Davis is president of TD & Associates, 6818 Old 28th St., S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49546. E-mail: TerreDavis@aol.com

Paul Riede is an education writer with The Post-Standard in Syracuse, N.Y. E-mail: hoffried@twcny.rr.com