Factors Residence Life Professionals Consider When Selecting Teams of Resident Assistants

Significant literature exists exploring interview and selection processes broadly, but little research specific to Resident Assistant (RA) interviews is available. Studies on RA interview processes include quantitative studies connecting interview scores to job performance or discussions of bias within processes. The purpose of this qualitative study is to interview residence life professionals (RLPs) who interview, select, and place RAs on teams to understand what criteria they consider throughout the RA hiring process. This study explores the thought process of RLPs to understand the qualities they seek in RA candidates on an individual basis as well as when building teams. We will specifically discuss the factors and findings related to placing a team in this article. Through generic qualitative interviews, fifteen RLPs share their experiences and criteria. When building teams of RAs, RLPs are interested in teams being representative of the student population in demographics and identity, having versatile teams with a variety of skills and personalities, and teams that can work well together. Implications for practice are discussed in an effort to reduce bias in the interview process and ensure that RLPs are measuring the skills and qualities they are looking for in an RA within interview processes. We then share recommendations for future research to increase the body of literature on RA interviews and selection.