Hiring

The good and the bad

RA's come and go, but in some circumstances you play a bigger role in this process than in others. If you've never been in a management position before, this page will give some guidance on how to navigate some touchy situations.

Hiring

Let me preface this section by saying this: you do not need to hire everyone whom you choose to interview. Sometimes people look phenomenal on paper, but meeting them in person can be a very different experience.

Undergraduates interested in joining the lab can fill out an application on our website, under the "Join Us" tab (http://blogs.cornell.edu/casasolalab/join-us/). The application is brief, and asks for their name, email, GPA, graduation year, major/minor, and a few short answer questions regarding relevant coursework and why they are interested in our lab. Email Deaven for access to the application responses.

Another great way to recruit new RA's is to make fliers to post in popular undergrad hubs like Mann Library and the Hum Ec Commons. Your current undergrads will be a great asset to you if you decide to use this method: they know where the popular bulletin boards on campus are located.

A word of advice: This year we did not anticipate some projects being completed as quickly as they did, resulting in an over-saturation of undergrads with not enough work to do. While it is better to be overstaffed than under, you will save yourself a lot of stress if you limit the number of new RA's on each project and stick to it.

Interview Selection

Picking people to interview does not need to be an arduous task, but there are some things to keep in mind:

1. GPA isn't everything, but it is something.

   GPA's can be impacted by circumstance, stressors outside of the classroom, or just having a really difficult major. However, the students who excel in their lab work also tend to have higher GPA's. This past year, we did not invite anyone to interview who had a GPA below 3.0. Keep in mind that GPA, though not always, can sometimes reflect dedication and work ethic. If someone has a low GPA but lots of relevant experience, it is worth bringing them in and asking about their grades during the interview process.

2. Past research experience is a plus, but most students won't have it.

   Most of our younger applicants don't have formal research experience, which is not necessarily a negative. This shows that they hold genuine interest in the subject and want to expand their expertise and resumes. Everyone needs a place to start, and the Play & Learning Lab is a great option for many of these students. Don't penalize those who are just starting out.

3. Age matters.

   When considering your applicants, be mindful of their academic year. As a standing rule, we do not accept seniors in the lab, especially not if they are applying for their senior Spring. It is a big investment to bring someone new into the lab -- from coordinating trainings to getting them situated in their new projects. We want to bring people on who will continue to be assets as they progress through school. In addition, consider the reasoning behind the applicant age. If a senior is applying, it is highly unlikely that they are joining for anything more than a last-minute resume boost.

4. Majors don't define research interests.

   Our lab staff come from all different backgrounds, which adds dimension and new perspectives to our work. It might seem strange for an engineer or business major to apply, but maybe they are trying to explore external interests or get experience running human subjects in a new setting. David comes from an engineering/marketing background and he is doing just fine - it is worth it to give them a chance!

Interview Process

Ideally, you can meet candidates with Dr. Casasola at the beginning of each semester. However, her busy schedule may leave you to run some interviews on your own. Here are some questions that you can ask if you find yourself in this situation:

1. Tell me about yourself.

   An obvious choice and personally the question that I dread most when I am interviewing for a position, however I've found that when speaking with these students I am genuinely interested in hearing their answers. You want to know a little bit about their background, major, academic year, and interests.

2. Tell me about your research interests.

3. Tell me about your research experience.

   *This one is important!!! We have had several candidates interview who have beautiful resumes brimming with research experience, but when they came in to interview it is immediately apparent that they did not do much in these positions. If a student says that they ran tasks, ask about the specific protocols. If a student says that they have clinical experience, ask which subsets of development they focused on. As I said before, research experience isn't the most important thing, but substantially embellishing past experiences is a huge red flag.

4. Tell me about your academic interests and how our lab work will contribute to those.

5. Tell me about your experience with children and what skills you gained from them.

6. How do you function as a member of a team?

7. Do you prefer hands-on mentorship or hands-off?

8. Our lab requires that all undergraduates commit to 9 hours/week for lab work. Are you able to do that with your current schedule?

Other tips:

When you've finished asking questions, it is important to give a brief overview of the lab structure and what their experience might look like. This means giving an outline of their project, shift schedules, hour requirements, disclaimers (ex. coders on the NSF project will not interact with kids their first semester), lab meetings, and general lab expectations. Let them know that you will be in touch, and consult with Dr. Casasola before officially inviting anyone to the lab.

If your gut is telling you not to hire someone, do not hire them!!

Selecting Returning RA's

Letting RA's go is uncomfortable across the board. That said, if a student is becoming more of a burden than an asset, it is time to reevaluate if they should be invited back in future semesters.

Step 1: Make sure they plan to return to the lab

At the end of each semester, we ask students to email us stating whether or not they plan to return to the lab. If we do not hear from them, it is assumed that they are not returning. If the individual who you plan to let go is not returning, you do not need to do anything more. If they are planning to return, then you need to continue with the process.

Step 2: Consult with Dr. Casasola

It may be that Dr. Casasola wants to handle the situation herself, so always double check with her before officially letting someone go.

Step 3: Communicate your decision

When informing someone that they will not be invited back to the lab, it is best to wait until final grades are due. Finals are stressful, and we do not want to distract them from other academic work. It is important to be as gentle as possible. Outline some of your generic reasons (ex. work consistency, shift attendance, overall performance), but do not go too far in depth unless requested later on. Another good strategy is to simply say that there is not enough space to invite everyone back, and unfortunately some cuts had to be made (which is often true). Ultimately, we want students to have a positive experience in our lab regardless of if/when we part ways with them. Keep this in mind, and always check with Dr. Casasola if something is making you uncomfortable.