Email:

Hot Topic Forum Page #1:

APPLICATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

This discussion does not claim to be exhaustive, it is simply designed to raise the issue and hopefully clarify some of the points for further development.

Background:
The use of web based applications and recruitment has been quite significant in the past year in the wider commercial market. In recent times there has been an effort by some schools and colleges to reduce their advertising costs by placing smaller display advertisements in the paper media and refer applicants to the school website. These initial efforts at on line recruitment have been developed by using their school web site for

• Description of the position
• Explanation of the School and its history
• Outlines of school expectations e.g ethos
• Standard application form

These efforts have been largely static in comparison to more sophisticated professional and time efficient systems.

In the development of an application management system for Schools and Colleges there are several parameters that need to be considered.

An Instrument / System that is easily manageable and developed by school personnel:
The ability of senior and middle management personnel to be able to devise and manipulate a framework that can make the position being advertised specific to that school is essential. Any system that requires a certain amount of technical expertise in order to be successful will miss the thrust of the process.

An Instrument /System that provides Detailed Reports:
An example of the type of reports required will vary and may be difficult to provide a totally accurate sample. Much will be determined by the specific needs of the school. In some circumstances Principals may need to require an experienced person, but in the chance that they are unable to obtain suitably experienced applicants, some with lesser experience may be entertained. An item in which applicants listed their experience which considered

• 9+ years
• 6-8 years
• 4-5 years
• 0-3 years

Jolin Consulting would be happy to act in an advisory capacity for opinion on any draft models. This could be done through our own resources and through our extensive network of Principals in the Independent and Government sectors.

An Instrument / System that will be able to cope with other positions in the school / college other than teaching:
Many institutions now employ varied professional support staff and this would enable them to formulate their own job descriptions. There are some very sophisticated systems used by some recruitment agencies to assist in this regard. However, the ideal will be to have a management system that addresses the specific needs of education and schools.

An Instrument / System that will be able to access other professional profiling instruments that enable better matches to be made:
This is a new area for schools and as a Consultancy we have been using MBTI and Profile Centre for both schools and organisations as part of career development and selection. The advantage of this information needs to be detailed to schools-they can be suspicious of such processes.
Schools have been loathe to access professional profiling instruments in the selection and promotion of middle managers. Instead they have relied on historical criteria for senior positions despite the role definitions changing for such positions over more recent years.

Benefits:
There are numerous benefits to be gained for administrators and managers in education by using current technology and professional profiling instruments.

The more obvious benefits are considered to be :

• Better quality appointments will be an initial advantage
• The cost effectiveness for administrators in time and personnel
• The reduction in advertising costs
• The potential for customised questions and criteria to provide comparable reports on all applicants
• Competency and professional profiles accessed through the application process

What next ?

Developments in this area are continuing each term. In the near future a new paradigm in educational recruitment will be available to schools in all sectors. By the middle of this year there will be immediate opportunity for administrators and educational managers to be better supported and resourced in this very important area of teacher recruitment.

For further information on this topic :

Jolin Consulting - email or complete an online request for more information and follow up contact.

Hot Topic Forum Pages: #3