It's Hiring Season Again!

Did you know that there are 20 full-time faculty hiring committees for 21 positions this Spring? This is the highest number of faculty recruitments MiraCosta has ever had! In addition to the initiatives, departmental projects, and/or committees we serve on as part of institutional service, being part of the Screening and Interviewing Committee is another great way to serve the college. As a tenure-track faculty member, I served on my first hiring committee last year, and am on two committees this year. You do not have to be tenured to participate on a hiring committee.

Being on the committee allowed me to see the other side of the hiring process. I was also able to share what my experience as a candidate was like to my colleagues as we made decisions on the application, screening criteria, interview questions, and teaching demonstration. It’s important to have diverse voices and perspectives on our hiring committees.

Training is required for those serving on faculty hiring committees, and it also counts towards Flex. There is no additional compensation for participation unless it happens during a time that is off contract. For example, if the hiring process extends into the summer, those hours are compensated. If you’re interested in learning more about Screening and Interview Committees and the training involved, you can read more in the Screening and Interview Committees pdf.

Each hiring committee is required to have an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) representative. I am the EEO rep for one committee, for which I received training from HR. As the EEO rep, I’m responsible for recognizing potential biases as well as keeping the process fair and consistent for all candidates by ensuring conformance with EEO requirements. While there are over 185 trained EEO reps at MiraCosta, we can always use more, as it can be hard to get someone to commit if they are already over-extended. Once trained, they do not have to be trained again, but refresher training is available upon request.

Although hiring season is already underway, another hiring cycle will begin for the next academic year, so keep in mind the opportunity to serve the college either as a committee member and/or as an EEO rep.