GUEST POST BY DAN CHRISTENSEN
In the hyper-competitive world of modern college athletics, a single hiring decision can have a major influence on your entire university brand. And the coach interview has evolved from a simple Q&A into a high-stakes executive negotiation.
The reality of the current landscape is simple: your top candidate is interviewing you just as much as you are interviewing them. If you want to move from a “maybe” to a “yes”, before they leave the room, you need to treat the interview process as a strategic operation.
Here are three ways to ensure your top candidate says “yes” to the job.
1. Shift from Job Descriptions to “Success Profiles”
Most Athletic Directors start the conversation with a list of duties. High-level candidates don’t want to hear about duties, they want to hear about outcomes. Before the candidate arrives, you must define the “Success Profile” for the role.
Are you looking for a “Stabilizer” to navigate NCAA sanctions or a “Disruptor” to overhaul a stagnant recruiting culture? When you present the job through the lens of specific 12-month impacts, like repairing a donor relationship or fixing a transfer portal leak, you demonstrate a level of strategic clarity that elite leaders crave. It shows them that you aren’t just looking for a “ball coach,” you are looking for a CEO.
2. Recruit the Whole Person (The Spouse Factor)
One of the most common reasons a “sure thing” hire falls through at the last minute is family misalignment. If the spouse cannot see themselves living in your community, the coach will eventually say no.
Smart ADs treat the spouse as a key recruit. This means creating a dedicated “itinerary” for them that includes:
- Meetings with real estate experts and local school reps.
- A chance to get to know other coaches’ spouses.
- A “livability” tour that focuses on life outside the athletic complex.
When the family unit feels prioritized and welcomed, the psychological barrier to relocation disappears.
3. Provide Proactive Resource Assurance
The final stage of any elite hire is “The Ask.” Top candidates will not sign unless they know they have the tools to succeed. Do not wait for them to ask about the assistant coach salary pool or the state of your NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) collective.
Present a “Resource Assurance” package early in the final negotiations. Be transparent and concrete about:
- The exact budget for coordinators and support staff.
- Confirmed funding plans for future facility upgrades.
- A clear roadmap of how the university interfaces with NIL collectives.
By removing these hurdles before they become objections, you signal that the university is fully invested in their vision of a championship culture.
Landing a top-tier coach requires a blend of corporate precision and human connection. When you run a tight, strategic, and “Whole Person” interview process, you aren’t just hiring a coach. You are signaling to the candidate, and the industry, that your department is ready to win.
Dan Christensen is the Director of Collegiate Consulting for Bechler Leadership. Founded by Jamy Bechler in 2018, Bechler Leadership helps schools, athletic departments, and organizations build stronger cultures and maximize their potential. In the last two years, they’ve worked on 40+ searches, helping athletic departments find future leaders of their programs. Dan can be reached at dan@bechlerleadership.com.