Community College Recruitment: An Analysis of Applicant Reactions

The purpose of this study was to: (1) conduct an empirical examination of applicant reactions to faculty jobs described in recruitment advertisements for business faculty vacancies at community colleges; and (2) assess factors that potentially impact applicant decisions to apply for and pursue position vacancies. The results of this study have implications for community college officials attempting to recruit business professionals from MBA programs into community college business departments. This study's findings suggest that the initial attraction of applicants to a community college job is highest when the applicant's current job satisfaction is low, relocation is not required, recruiter and applicant backgrounds are similar, and spousal contribution to household income is low. This study finds that significant numbers of community college faculty have declined the extrinsic awards of the private sector in favor of intrinsic rewards of a community college teaching career. Thus, one strategy of a program designed to teach at a community college should be to concentrate on intrinsic attributes of the job such as job satisfaction. Another possible recruitment strategy suggested by the findings of this research is to use a recruiter who shares a common background with the target applicants. The finding that applicants rated the job more favorably when spousal contribution to household income was small was unexpected. (Contains 25 references.) (VWC)