How to Interview for a College Athletic Director Position
College athletic directors manage athlete recruitment, orientation and training. They establish athletic program goals and evaluate the effectiveness of the department, its programs and staff. The director liaises with other department heads and faculty to ensure athletic goals are met and gain academic assistance for the athletes. Directors must be able to submit proposals, create and manage departmental budgets and ensure conference and national compliance. To interview for a college athletic director position, you must be competent in all the skills necessary to do the job.
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Instructions
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Research the position requirements. Read through the job description. Research the college and its athletic department. Learn the corporate and department mission, vision and values. Understand that you may be interviewed by one person or an entire committee and it is a multiple interview process.
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Build a professional resume and letter of application that outlines your proficiency in most or all of the areas required on the job listing. Apply your qualifications and experience to the college and department’s goals. Your resume should show a willingness to work hard. It should show how you built on your accomplishments over the years. Submit your letter, resume and an application before any established deadline in the appropriate manner. Some colleges require you submit everything online.
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Follow up if you do not hear from the department within a few weeks. Contact the department by phone to check on your application and the interview process.
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Research the person who had the job previously. A college athletic director should be well-publicized. Identify the former job holder’s strategies and record. Identify similarities and differences between you and former job holders. Identify ways these similarities and differences will benefit the college and the athletic department.
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Identify the challenges the athletic department has come against. Develop strategies to overcome these challenges and have them ready during the interview. Be prepared to explain any gaps in employment.
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Brush up on your interview skills. Identify general questions you will be answered and develop intelligent, straightforward job, college and department-specific answers.
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Prepare examples to support the answers to the possible interview questions. For instance, prepare stories of times when you failed or succeeded, but always include what you learned and how it shaped your department. Identify what makes you a successful as an athletic director.
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Dress professionally for the interview. Speak with authority and clarity. Conduct yourself with grace and professionalism during the interview. Bring additional copies of your resume to the interview.
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Distinguish yourself from the rest of the candidates. The hiring committee will be collecting a large pool of candidates so they can find the best candidate. You need to stand out.
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Ask the person hiring you what he is looking for in a candidate and who you will be reporting to, how many employees will report to you and what the environment is like. Ask about the schedule you will be required to work, what travel is involved and what the non-educational requirements are.
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Answer the questions in a way that applies your experience and strategies to what the department is looking for, what you can and are willing to do, and your accountability and responsibility.
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Learn the priorities of the program during the first interview. Create strategies and ideas to meet and expand the priorities during the second interview.
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References
- NCAA: Best Hiring Practices
- TeamArete; Preparing for Your Coach’s Interview; Shane Dreilling, et. al.
- Momentum Media; Your Next Great Coach; Laura Smith; 2005
- The Sports Resume; The Athletic Director; June 2011
- William & Mary: Search and Selection Procedures – Contract Position
- Galveston College: Job Description – Athletic Director
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Retrofile/Getty Images
