This episode is a conversation I had with two amazing senior leaders - Jennifer McClendon and Aaron Cook. We discuss what to look for when hiring new employees, great interview questions to ask, onboarding do’s and don’ts, strategies to develop a strong and positive team culture, and the process of letting a team member go. Timestamps:

03:52 - How to spot a higher quality applicant

09:05 - Hiring a recent grad vs. hiring the best candidate

11:55 - Favorite interview questions to ask

14:25 - Lessons learned from auditing hiring processes

18:51 - Onboarding mistakes and the importance of intentionality

33:39 - Ideas to help create a good team culture and prevent burnout

41:40 - Managing struggling team members and some thoughts on firing

Guests Names:

Jennifer McClendon, Senior Associate Director, Oklahoma State University
Aaron Cook, Senior Assistant Director of Out of State Recruitment, University of Missouri 

Guests LinkedIn: 

Jennifer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-mcclendon-058051b6/
Aaron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-cook-88868023a/

Guest Bios: 

Jennifer's Bio: Jennifer’s higher ed career began 16 years ago as a Regional Admissions Representative for the University of Missouri. In 2014 she moved into the Director of Admissions role at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK. Jennifer joined the Cowboy family at Oklahoma State University in 2018 and now serves as the Senior Associate Director of Recruitment, overseeing domestic, undergraduate recruitment efforts. Over the years, Jennifer has been an active member in a variety of Regional Admissions organizations and she’s currently serving in a ‘victory lap’ year as the Great Plains ACAC Past President. 

Aaron's Bio: Aaron is the Senior Assistant Director of Out of State Recruitment at the University of Missouri. He's been at Mizzou since 2005. His journey started in the School of Medicine, then the Trulaske College of Business, and now in the Office of Admissions within the Division of Enrollment Management. While Mizzou's campus is located in Columbia, MO, Aaron is regionally based in Kansas City and supports a staff of 12 regional representatives and test market representatives. He also serves GPACAC as a Professional Development co-chair.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Some of our favorites include Generation AI and The Application with Allison Turcio.

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 —  the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com. 

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