Advertised Selection - Case Studies
Case Study 2 - University - Recruitment of (2) Commercialisation Managers - Public sector: Higher Education - New Roles.
Our client was the company set up within a leading Scottish university to manage commercial matters. These new appointments were to maximise the University's benefit from its original research and from its capabilities to undertake commercial research contracts. The need was to identify how to attract people with an understanding of relevant technology (but not technical 'boffins'); a trackrecord of commercial experience in a largish multinational company environment, credibility with funders, and the ability to create a company start-up.
We designed the process with viable timescales and diarised interviews (to ensure that all five senior internal and external people on each interview panel were available). And to ensure candidates were dealt with quickly and efficiently. We ensured that we understood the varied viewpoints of members of each panel and that all were aligned on the specification, the anticipated outcomes and the important aspects of the process. In our experience this is by no means straightforward; we have witnessed others' recruitment projects founder on the politics or unreconciled difference of opinions among strong-willed and powerful panel members.
The advertisement generated much interest. We discussed the strong candidates with the panels and agreed a longlist of five candidates for each role to each of the panel. Each interview session included a prepared presentation. This met four requirements:
- enabling candidates to demonstrate how they approached researching a brief;
- allowing them to display their relevant knowledge, approach to the job and thought processes;
- enabling direct comparison of five varied presentations; and
- taking the job-related brief beyond the panels' initial thoughts and helping them develop the potential scope of the roles.
We recommend against interviewing more than four middle/senior level people in one day so held two half day sessions which seemed fairer. No candidate wants to be the fifth of five in a long day's intense interview process. Also, panel members report that they switch off by then.
The Managing Director declared himself completely satisfied with the very high calibre of candidates selected for short-list interview, the panel agreed on their choices, made offers to their first choice candidates, and were accepted. Both Managers developed as excellent appointments.