Serving on the search committee for a faculty hire is an opportunity to shape the future direction of a department. However, there are legal, institutional, and ethical considerations that must be kept in mind during the process. An academic search committee typically includes both junior and senior faculty members; it may also include graduate students or postdocs from the home department, as well as faculty from neighboring departments. The committee chair is responsible for maintaining adherence to institutional, state, and federal policy, as well as for managing group dynamics, including potential power imbalances among committee members. A key principle of effective recruitment is proactive outreach. Increasing diversity of the faculty body benefits the department as a whole, and efforts must be made early in the search process. Early data provide guidance for effective methods for reducing implicit bias and increasing the diversity of the applicant pool.