The Teacher Hiring Process: Examining the Fit Between a Prospective Hire and an Open Teaching Position

Stephen Davis

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Educational Administration

Date of Award

Fall 2013

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine elementary and secondary principal perceptions of what characteristics are considered most important when screening and selecting prospective teachers. While some studies have recognized the importance of the hiring process and the need to improve this process in light of the changes set forth in No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, there is a lack of research focusing on what characteristics principals value in prospective teachers. Drawing from fit themes found in human resource management (HRM) literature, this study sought to view how elementary and secondary principals prioritize different characteristics held by candidates through the lenses of person-job fit, person-group fit, and person-organization fit. The research study was non-experimental and quantitative in design. The sample of 34 principals was diverse in professional background and by campus demographics. The study used independent sample t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests and multivariate analysis of variance tests (MANOVA), to examine differences in the how elementary and secondary principals valued different characteristics in prospective teachers. The responses of elementary and secondary principals demonstrated no significant differences for 16 out of 18 individual fit characteristics, with the two exceptions being a candidate's ability to lead in small groups and how well a candidate's teaching style fits with the campus as a whole. Principals in the study valued most highly how well a candidate fits with their group/team, followed by how well a person fits within the organization/campus as a whole. Principals valued these fit categories more than a candidate's person-job credentials such as academic background and years of experience. The study also used two open-ended items to find relevant themes shared by principals about the teacher hiring process and prioritization of P-J, P-G, and P-O fit. The research study fits within to the emerging area of educational research examining the teacher hiring process and hiring from a fit perspective. The study yielded new and distinct results as a result of examining fits in education from the perspective of building principals.

Advisor

Casey Brown

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Administration and Supervision

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