Cost analysis of the University of Wisconsin-Stout unclassified recruitment and selection process

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine a baseline for the costs of the University of Wisconsin – Stout’s unclassified recruitment and selection process, and to examine the efficacy of these costs in attracting an adequate number of applicants for a search, attracting a diverse applicant pool, and in making a hire from a search. The University of Wisconsin – Stout, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office manages the recruitment and selection process for unclassified staff in cooperation with search committees. It was requested by the Affirmative Action Officer that a survey be developed to assess the costs associated with each search for the 2001-2002 academic year. Therefore, an original report request was developed which consisted of questions related to recruitment, interview, testing, credential verification, and relocation costs. The report request was mailed in the summer of 2002 to those UW-Stout department chair persons that conducted searches in the 2001-2002 academic year. A total of 26 report requests out of 39 were returned for a response rate of 67%. Results of this study established a baseline of the average costs associated with the unclassified recruitment and selection process that can be used to compare the average costs of future years. One search was targeted as the most effective search in reaching the goals of the recruitment and selection process, and in the efficiency of the spending of resources. Further results indicated that successful searches seemed to spend more money than unsuccessful searches on recruiting applicants through advertising in publications and professional journals. Of the searches analyzed, the money spent on recruitment techniques did not seem to increase the number of applicants for a search or increase the diversity of a search. This research also indicated that of the searches analyzed a large amount of money was wasted on unsuccessful searches, and that it may be in the best interest of the EOAA to continue to investigate the means of ensuring the success of a search.