Assistant Director of Human Resources Screens Hundreds of Resumes to Find the Perfect Job Candidate

A: The thing I love most about my position is the variety. In my first six months, my primary responsibilities have revolved around working with hiring managers to recruit for and fill their job openings. I am beginning to help managers and employees with employee relations issues and in the near future, I look forward to developing training classes for managers and employees here at Wesleyan.

Q: So, you’re fairly new here?

A: My first day at the university was March 21, 2005.

Q: When a department has an opening, how do you go about working with that department to get the position filled?

A: I may start on the phone with a department chair to discuss filling an opening. From there, we typically meet to begin developing the job description. I might spend some time afterward working with the chair to create a final product that we will post, first on the Wesleyan Web site. We may also post the position on other Web sites that are specific to the field.

Q: What happens when resumes pour in?

A: I read all of them. Our practice is to screen them to be sure the applicant meets our minimum qualifications. We also list “preferred qualifications” on our postings to further describe the ideal candidate. We have been very fortunate in many cases to see candidate pools where individuals have done the work or are doing the kind of work that we are looking for. Related experience is ideal. If not directly related experience, then similar experience is helpful. What makes reviewing resumes difficult is often the volume.

Q: On average, how many applicants apply for a single administrative job?

A: People have very openly said that they are eager to get a position at Wesleyan. On average, we may get 200 applicants for an administrative position.

Q: What is the interviewing process?

A: Our first step may be to have a telephone interview with those who meet both minimum and possibly some of our preferred qualifications. We may invite the candidates whose background and experience most closely meets our needs to campus for interviews. The candidate will meet with the hiring manager and maybe others from the department, as well as with Human Resources. We may schedule a second interview with the top candidates, if appropriate. Once a decision is made on who the manager would like to hire, we check the references for the candidate and make a job offer.

Q: How long does this process take?

A: It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Q: Do you enjoy interviewing prospective employees in person?

A: I really enjoy interviewing. Interviewing gives me an opportunity to sell Wesleyan as well as have a conversation with someone about their background. My role is to help them understand the realities of the position and the interviewee’s role is to help convince me that they have the skills to do the kind of work we are considering.

Q: What is the hardest part about you job?

A: Those “we selected someone else” calls can be difficult and we try to help candidates understand why someone else was selected. What makes that more difficult is when the candidate says, “but I can do the job.” As I said, we’ve been fortunate to see candidate pools with very qualified individuals.

Q: What are common reasons Wesleyan employees call or stop by Human Resources?

Q: Who are the key people you work with in H.R.?

A: We are a small department so everyone has a key role. I most often work with our director Harriet Abrams as well as our associate director Julia Hicks on strategic projects. Vanessa Sabin and Janet Gyurits have been wonderful in helping me accomplish all the necessary tasks that come with the territory.

Q: What is your educational background and experience in the H.R. field?

A: I had a very rewarding college experience at the Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where I received a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in student personnel. Before coming to Wesleyan, I was a human resources specialist in the training department at the corporate headquarters of a retail company.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: I grew up in Canton, Ohio — the Pro Football Hall of Fame city — and moved to Connecticut after finishing graduate school.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: Me? Well, I love to sing. I’ve been singing — mostly Gospel music — since I was 12. I do most of my singing in my church. I hold a leadership role there so I’m involved in other activities there, also.

Q: Tell me about your family.