Recruiting Students - Research Paper

Introduction

Recruitment and selection of the right candidates is a crucial issue facing most modern for-profit organizations. The problem is critically important for businesses to address given the rising need to enhance the effective use of institutional resources in the process. In the case of the University of Windsor (UoW), the higher learning institution has experienced several challenges in recruiting students to enroll with the university. As research findings on higher education indicate, the leading cause of this trend is decreasing motivation among learners for university and college admission (Tamburri, 2015). In recent years, students in Canada and most regions have expressed declining interest to join universities to pursue higher education. Majority of the students involved in these reports explained that higher education no longer gives hopes of a better life in the future like in the past years. Most university graduates remain underemployed and unemployed after graduation due to unavailability of job opportunities that suit their career paths or qualifications. As a result, most students get discouraged on making the necessary sacrifices such as in tuition fees in the view that the costs of university education exceed the perceived benefits. This attitude among learners in Canada and the world have adversely affected the number of enrollments to the University of Windsor in the recent past. The perception has made it almost impossible to convince the target student populations to seek admission in the institution to better their lives in the future.

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Another issue that the University of Windsor has experienced in recruiting students is the identification of the right candidates for the vacancies. Modern university applications and recruitment processes are mainly administered through electronic systems. Universities like Windsor also require students to write admission essays to pursue the administration into considering their applications and approving the same. These recruitment techniques show decreasing personal contact between the applicants and the admission board. Modern organizations are rapidly changing in terms of structure and culture to match the changing business landscape. This requirement is no longer an exemption for for-profit higher learning institutions which seek to enjoy the benefits of the increasing cost of education (University of Windsor, 2017). This means that the selection of candidates who match these needs is a crucial priority for HR managers at the University of Windsor and other organizations that face similar challenges. Besides, recruiting officers never get the chance to examine the candidate's suitability to the organizational vision, mission, and objectives. Missing on candidates who match the shared values and beliefs of the institution increases its vulnerability to resistance such as student protests or increased complaints. Research also shows that this is a critical issue especially for international entities which may lack total access to background information and scrutiny on the candidates.

The problems faced in recruiting students at the University of Windsor also result from the unavailability of the required financial and human resources. Recruitment and selection is a costly corporate affair due to the time, money and workforce needed to support the same. Companies need adequate materials to ensure access to all relevant information to the candidates and their suitability for the vacancies available (Pinto, 2015). Reports indicate that Canadian universities are faced with increasing operating costs due to the rise in the price of labor, capital and other vital resources that support the system. The colleges also face decreasing government support in incentives, bursaries, and loans to enhance their growth strategies. These trends have resulted in reduced profitability among the universities; undermining the availability of funds for proper recruitment processes. As a result, it decreases the attractiveness of the institution to viable applicants due to poor branding in marketing platforms. The aspect may also result to slow processes in admission due to minimal access to modern systems of information and record keeping.

Solutions

The University's administration needs to come up with relevant strategies which resolve the issues identified in the recruitment of students. This study suggests that increasing the motivation of students in Ontario and other parts of the world is a crucial strategy to address the problem. Potential university applicants face uncertainty on the benefits of higher education when comparing the same to the costs. The University of Windsor can use this opportunity to increase public awareness of the values of higher education to motivate the students to present more applications (University of Windsor, 2017). The management should also invest in approaches which better the after-life for majority graduates to build value for the high cost of education. In modern times, higher education is viewed from the benefits the system brings in developing the competency of an individual and the community. There is no perceived value in higher education if students have to sacrifice their money and time, only to lack career growth opportunities after graduation. Actions such as partnering with major employment agencies in Canada will help to give students internship or first-job experiences to kick-start their careers after graduation (Gray, 2016). These strategies will substantially influence learners to construct positive attitudes on higher education with the hope of a better future and value for the resources invested throughout a degree course.

Resolving the issue in identification and selection of the right candidates requires the university to invest in top professionals to oversee the process. Increasing the participation of senior recruiting officers and stakeholders in education will help to boost knowledge on candidates who are most suited for the institution. As much educational assessment may play a key role in recruitment, judges also need to possess adequate information on the organization and the position (Gray, 2016). Specifically, this knowledge increases their ability to match the candidates to the particular needs of the organization. Besides, the university recruiting officers should also ensure that they select career-oriented applicants who are committed to growing in their profession. Involving focused students in the school system will ensure loyalty to the objectives of the university and continued support to better its future market position. Career-oriented students are also willing to make the necessary sacrifices in finances and time to enhance individual and collective education competency in the university (Tamburri, 2015).

The university's administration also needs to increase the level of financial and recruitment resources available for execution of the recruitment process. Raising budgetary allocation to the process will help to provide the necessary funds to reach out to a larger population of potential students. This approach can be supported through increased investments in technologies to enhance recruitment processes. Specifically, the modern systems will help to conduct backgrounds checks more quickly and efficiently than before, thus increasing the level of accuracy in results (University of Windsor, 2017). Expanding the online reputation of the university through social media marketing will also help to increase the reach out to the millennials. The generation constitutes a tech-savvy population that highly depends on the internet for real data information about the world. Advertising the university through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In will help to increase the global presence of the brand in the higher education sector (Pinto, 2015). All these strategies require massive support from the administration through the allocation of adequate finances to support the resolve the issues faced in recruiting students to the University of Windsor.

References

Gray, E. (2016). The New College Application. TIME Magazine, 187(14), 46-51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=114319147&site=ehost-live

Pinto, J. (2015, January 21). Students are making the University of Windsor top choice down 10%. CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/students-making-university-of-windsor-top-choice-down-10-1.2921302

Tamburri, R. (2015, September 09). University applications fall in less populated parts of Ontario. University Affairs News. Retrieved from: https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/university-applications-fall-in-less-populous-parts-of-ontario/

University of Windsor. (2017, January). Strategic Enrolment Management Plan 2017-2019. Retrieved from: https://www.uwindsor.ca/president/sites/uwindsor.ca.president/files/uwindsor_sem_plan.pdf