Other Personal Characteristics
How much emphasis is placed on "personality" when hiring an instructor for your school?
I believe that personality plays a big part when hiring an instructor. For example, you wouldn't want someone who is too laid back or is very mono tone. It would be a challenge for such a person to motivate students and spark interest in the subject matter.
I have to agree, I definitley feel the instructor's personality has to be a match with the school and the other faculty. If the instructor is too laid back or to aggressive you can cause disention within the ranks. I try to make sure the personality of the instructor matches the facility.
if the instructors have the KASO 's that i require then i really do look for someone with a quirky kind of personality, i truly believe if you can find an instructor that is up to par and is funny at the same time then class is so much more fun, i always try to bring some humor to class.
Personality encompasses a broad subject area. I certainly think we look at a persons fit culturally, and that is typically subjectively analyzed through out the interviewing process. Additionally, we ones propensity to interact wit the team through behavior based interviews. So yes, it is important, but difficult to quantify.
I also look at cultural fit for the school when hiring instructors. It is important for retention that the new instructor will feel comfortable and get along with others in the department.
If the instructor does not have a pleasant and light personality to be able to get on the students level and thought process, then the instructor sometimes will either allow the students to run the classroom or try to become their friend and lose control of the classroom
This is huge! You need someone that is patient and passionate about teaching and student success. You need instructors that are flexible and willing to tutor. I have one instructor that followed me from another school who is the "perfect" teacher in so many ways....she forms a strong conection with students, gains respect and can step into a class with a gentle command and holds the students interest....
We have several excellent instructors with very unique personalities. The one vital characteristic they have in common is a passion for teaching. They also have the ability to build rapport and earn the respect of students and colleagues. Success to me is seeing their students actually transform just after a few short terms.
I place a lot of emphasis on personality. I like for my instructors to be very lively, energetic, and upbeat. Students do not want instructors that are dull and borain.
I try to keep a mix of personalities amongst my instructors. My classroom is full of students who have very distinct and different personalities so having instructors on hand to fit those personalities makes it an easier learning experience for the students. I like the diversity as each personality has it's own style of teaching.
Personality is sometimes more important than some of the knowledge and skills that we expect an instructor to possess. If an instructor can't reach students on a personal level, learning can be blocked or hindered.
Personality is important in the classroom as well as how that person fits with in the team that is also being developed. I would not want all the faculty to be "cookie cutter" but would take into account the dynamic of current faculty and what would work well with the whole team.
Hello Annette!
What factors would indicate that a potential candidate would not be a good fit at your campus? In other words, how would you identify someone who meets all of the formal qualifications, but just would not fit in?
Donna,
Thanks for the post. What do you do during the hiring process to determine if the candidate has the "personality" you are looking for? What traits does the person who does have the right personality have?
Jeff,
We seek candidates who have a desire to see others succeed. These candidates possess a positive attitude (and hopefully a sense of humor). We look for people who communicate in a friendly, helpful manner.
Donna
Donna,
Thanks for the reply. I look forward to your contributions in theother discussion forums.
Personality plays a big part when deciding who to hire as an instructor at our school. An instructor with a good personality or good sense of humor seems to keep the attention of the students during lecture time (usually the most boring part of class according to the students) better than an instructor whose personality is "cold" or simply talks to the students instead of interacting with them. Additionally, if the instructor has a negative attitude toward the institution or material being presented, it can often "rub off" on the students and lead to bigger problems down the road. In my opinion, a person's personality says a lot about what kind of instructor they will be, as to whether or not they will prove themselves to be an asset or liability to your facility.
I take personality into consideration because our students are adult learners. In it is important the professor can engage the students and keep them interested for 4 hours after working all day.
Thank you, Andri.
Teaching long blocks of class to tired adult students is one of the most commom challenges in career colleges. What are some specific things you do to make sure your students are engaged during the full class meeting.
