Principal Skills Guide for Hiring Managers

Fifty-three percent of public sector employees are motivated by the opportunity to do meaningful work. And meaningful it is — from teachers to law enforcement to emergency services and so much more. These are the people that make our world a better place.

Unfortunately, public sector jobs took quite a hit during the pandemic. While many private sector roles easily transitioned to remote work, quite a few public sector jobs — like healthcare workers — didn’t have that same luxury.

And since then, recovery has been measly, at best. To top it off, the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracked ten major economies over the last several years and found the public sector had the lowest overall hiring rate.

Why is this?

It’s due to multiple factors, but a large part can be attributed to a painstakingly slow hiring process. NEOGOV’s 2020 Public Sector Time-to-Hire Report found the average hiring time for public sector work was 122 days — three times the average hiring time in the private sector. Understandably so, candidates are beginning to react. Forty-five percent of them shy away from government jobs because of a cumbersome hiring process, according to another NEOGOV report.

So how can hiring managers revamp the way public sector candidates are hired? We believe it starts by reconsidering the way talent teams screen candidates.

Experience and Qualifications to Become a Principal

Principals play a vital role in shaping the vision of academic success, leading a community, and providing a welcoming atmosphere. Truly, it’s one of the most important jobs in raising the next generation.

So what qualifies a Principal for such an important job? 

Education, experience, and the right skills. 

Typically, a Principal will obtain an undergraduate degree — then work as a teacher for a few years. Most teaching jobs require a bachelor’s degree, training, certifications, and licenses. From there, it’s common for teachers to seek out a master’s degree before landing a Principal position. 

While not every school requires this traditional route, it is strongly recommended. Why? Because higher education helps Principals learn the hard skills they need to do their job well. Some of these skills include:

Principal Skills Beyond Education

To become a Principal, education matters. However, the hard skills learned through training are not the only critical skills. Soft skills are just as important. 

What are soft skills? These are general traits that influence how one interacts with a team, solves problems, or manages their work. Hard skills are a good starting point. But soft skills are what make a good Principal, great. Essentially, soft skills are much more about who you are as a person, rather than what you’ve learned in school.

Training and Development

For educators, training and development does not end with a college degree. Year after year, educators engage in training intended to improve instructional strategies, develop and grow teachers, and amplify student outcomes. This is how staff skills are continually nourished and cultivated.

Unfortunately, professional development in schools is often viewed as a waste of time. The National School Boards Association Center for Public Education reported that professional development rarely changes teachers’ methods nor does it improve student learning.

Why is this? In short, it’s outdated. Often, the training material is not:

• Relevant or meaningful to teachers
• Presented in an effective style
• Incorporated into an ongoing feedback or support cycle

So while training and development is critical, schools must approach it much differently than the traditional route.

Public Sector Skills Assessments

Public Sector assessment software, like HireVue’s AI assessments, eliminates the clunky hiring process and quickly identifies the skills needed to succeed.

Here’s how it works. With access to a comprehensive library of competencies, talent teams can create an assessment that matches their exact job criteria. Then, combine the interview and skills assessment into one unified experience that can be completed in minutes. 

This automated process allows hiring teams to assess candidates for the right skills and confidently make decisions in no time at all. For the public sector, this kind of hiring speed is pivotal.