The purpose of this study was to determine what high school principals look for when hiring career and technical teachers, the relative importance of that criteria, and whether certain factors (such as school district size, community size, and years of experience as a principal) affect their opinions toward the selection process. Surveys were mailed to 160 principals and 146 responded, yielding a response rate of 91%. A series of 2-group t-tests and standard regression analyses were used to answer the research questions.

The most desired hiring criteria cited by principals (in order of importance) were enthusiasm, an applicant's ability to communicate effectively, an applicant who is student-centered, an applicant's beliefs on classroom management, and their knowledge of a variety of teaching strategies.