SPECIAL GUEST POST FROM DAN CHRISTENSEN
In college athletics, the on-campus interview is rarely a “final check.” It is a high-stakes, multi-stakeholder audition for leadership.
While your win-loss record and tactical philosophy got you in the door, they won’t necessarily get you the keys to the office. On campus, you are being evaluated by a disparate group of stakeholders, from the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) and student life staff to fellow coaches and student-athletes. They aren’t just looking for a coach, they are looking for a brand ambassador, a risk manager, and a coalition builder.
To leave campus as the clear choice, you must shift the room’s perception from “this is a strong candidate” to “this person is already our head coach.”
Here are three essential “Dos” and three critical “Don’ts” to help you command the room and close the deal.
3 “Dos” for a High-Impact Visit
1. Do: Bring a “Program Operating Plan.”
Standard candidates talk about what they might do, finalists show what they will do. Bring a concise “Program Operating Plan” that covers culture, recruiting models, academic integration, and staff structure. Make sure it is about what you will do here and not just what you have done at other schools.
2. Do: Build a Stakeholder-Specific Message Map.
A provost, a compliance director, and a fellow coach are all listening for different signals. You must translate your vision into their specific language.
- For the AD: Focus on program direction and risk management.
- For the FAR/Academics: Discuss class attendance routines and eligibility accountability.
- For the Admissions Director: Share your recruiting and retention plans.
3. Do: Prepare (at least) two “signature stories” that show head-coach-level leadership.
One story should demonstrate turnaround/standards/culture under constraints.
One story should demonstrate people leadership (hard conversation, staff change, player discipline, academic accountability) with clear principles and outcome.
3 “Don’ts” to Protect Your Candidacy
1. Don’t: Project a “Clean Slate” Mentality
One of the fastest ways to alienate an interview committee is to imply you’ve already decided to run off current players or overhaul the entire department before you’ve even moved in.
The Red Flag: Arrogance. Avoid sounding like you have all the answers without knowing the local context.
2. Don’t: Over-index on your past success without translating it to their environment.
I hinted at this before but, candidates hurt themselves when they spend disproportionate time detailing what worked before without clearly explaining why it would work here, given different admissions standards, recruiting footprint, resources, conference profile, or institutional mission.
Search committees are often less interested in your resume by the on-campus stage and more interested in your transferability logic: how you adapt systems, not just repeat them.
3. Don’t: Treat the Itinerary as an Endurance Test.
Many candidates make the mistake of being passive participants in their own schedule. They show up, get moved from room to room, and slowly lose energy.
The Fix: Request the schedule 48 hours in advance. Research every person on that list. If you treat the day like a marathon you just need to “survive,” your energy will dip in the final (and often most important) meetings. Command the schedule so you can manage your energy and stay sharp for the donors and the President.
The Bottom Line
The “best coach” on paper often loses on campus to the candidate who demonstrates the clearest plan and the strongest cultural fit. Stop selling your past and start auditing your future. If the search committee can see you sitting in the chair, managing the crisis, and winning the press conference, the job is yours.
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 three years, they’ve worked on 60+ searches, specializing in meeting the needs of “smaller” colleges. Dan can be reached at dan@bechlerleadership.com.