WLUSU revamps hiring process

Changes are coming to the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union hiring process in an attempt to allow for more students to have an equal shot at being hired for a position. This includes any general and executive hired or volunteer positions at the organization, most notably an orientation week icebreaker.

“Essentially the new process is to make the hiring process for us a little bit more open, a lot more accessible for students and try to break down the perception of ‘students’ union’ people versus ‘non-students’ union’ people,” explained Nick Gibson, president and CEO of WLUSU.

The changes to the hiring process completely eliminate an interview segment and replaces it with an online application. If a student is deemed adequate for the position then they will be hired and sent immediately into training.

However, if there are more people applying than the positions available, then those students would be sent into a “lottery”. The ones who are chosen out of the lottery will be hired. But many current WLUSU volunteers have expressed resentment to the changes that come into effect in the spring hiring sessions.

“There’s obviously there’s been a lot of change going on the last few weeks, I think that’s something inevitably going to happen,” continued Gibson. “And with changes like this people are going to be concerned about it and until something is actually put in place I think people are going to continue to be concerned, I think that’s completely fair.”

Gibson asserted that the new process primarily focuses on the training aspect of the hired individuals. As well, those who are already hired by WLUSU have an opportunity to bypass the application process if the organization feels they performed extremely well.

“Those who performed really well, let’s say an icebreaker for example, they would go straight up to training, to the probationary period as a staff member. That really incentivizes people to do a really good job,” Gibson added.

To Gibson, interviews are becoming less useful and that’s why they chose to change the hiring practise. Instead, emphasis should be placed on the training, not whether or not they performed well in an interview.

“The interview process is being questioned more and more in the private sector and in other sectors as well, with respect to their advocacy and interviews do have a place, absolutely,” he said.

“We determined that interviews for the staff and general volunteer level, we didn’t think it was necessary.”