Searching for the Ideal

If you are the Head of School, one of the most important hires you will make will be your Director of Enrollment (or more commonly known as the Director of Admissions). During the past few weeks, several school heads have asked me to describe this ideal candidate.

  • Goal Oriented — The director must have the ability to set enrollment goals and be motivated to reach them.
  • Results Driven — Enrollment is all about results and the director must be driven to achieve the results that will make the difference at your school.
  • Strong Communicator and Promoter — The director should always communicate and promote your school to prospective parents, current parents, community contacts and more. Strong communication skills are essential for the successful director and should include both written and verbal abilities.
  • Initiative — The director will need to take the initiative to make things happen and get things accomplished;  the director will lead the enrollment charge in recruiting new families and retaining current families by implementing an aggressive enrollment and marketing strategy.
  • Personable — The director should be very personable and easy to talk to since this individual will be the first point of contact for a parent at your school.
  • Sales Skills — The director must have the ability to sell your school and close the enrollment deal–after all, this position is about enrolling students and families in your school. This requires that the individual is professional, poised and polished in her/his abilities to sell your school.
  • Passion — It is important to find someone who is passionate for education. Ideally this person will be connected to your school in some way although this isn’t absolutely necessary.

While this list isn’t exhaustive, these are the main characteristics of the person best suited for this position.

With the right individual in this position, you should be well on your way to achieving your school’s enrollment goals.

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