by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Oct 10, 2012 | Career Tracks, Career Transitions, Higher Education, Job Search, Student Affairs
Like most people who end up working in Student Affairs, I didn’t imagine my career when I was a child. I wasn’t even aware that Student Affairs was a career. And, once I chose it as a career, I realized that many people still think it isn’t one.
Texas A & M’s Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development has a great humor page, where I found the Top 10 reasons you became a Student Affairs professional, and I particularly connected with #3 . . .
“You enjoy the challenge of trying to tell people what you do for a living.”
The last time I think my parents really understood what I did for a living, I was a resident assistant. And for many of my friends and acquaintances, that is pretty much what they thought I did, up until I left my last formal position in Student Affairs (Assistant Director of Residence Life at Penn State University.) I was in college for a living, and I settled roommate problems and busted people for drinking. (Which many acquiantainces thought was irony in action, on both counts, but that is a story for another day.)
Academics and “serious” professionals don’t know what to make of us, either. For example, Wikipedia’s current entry for Student Affairs has a section on criticism of the field which reads, in part…
“The field of Student Affairs has been criticized for its emphasis on formal, professional training, calling into question whether the field is theoretical or practical. Complicating this criticism is the question of the role of student development theories in student affairs practice. It is claimed that student development theories are used to “proactively identify and address student needs, design programs, develop policies, and create healthy…environments that encourage positive growth in students.”
“Yet, often student affairs practices often bear little resemblance or connection to student development theories. As Paul Bloland (1979) wrote in an article in the NASPA Journal, “We have cultivated an expertise that was not requested, is not sought out, and for which there is little recognition or demand. Many entry-level and (many) seasoned professionals know little of student development theory and practice and, in fact, do not really need such expertise to meet the role expectations of their supervisors or, in too many instances, their institutions.”
Yet, for almost 20 years now, I have planned my life around the idea that Student Affairs is a career. In 2009, I left a stable job to venture out on my own, and establish a career coaching practice dedicated to helping others pursue their passions for working with students and find their own niche in Student Affairs. My perspective is that Student Affairs is actually a calling, within which you will find many career tracks. And it isn’t for everybody. I actually think it is the responsibility of those in the field to both recruit people with potential, and to “counsel out” out those who don’t have the passion and the fortitude to do the work. It’s no kindness to someone to show only the benefits, and none of the sacrifices, that go along with the profession.
In his song “Mr. Bad Example,” Warren Zevon recalled many career exploits of the song’s protagonist, and like those who work in Student Affairs, the protagonist clearly wore many hats, including the following…
“…worked in hair replacements, swindling the bald, where very few are chosen, and fewer still are called.”
The same could be said about Student Affairs. Very few are chosen, and fewer still are called. And I don’t think that a love of student development theory is required for success. I don’t care much about academics, or about student development theory, but I do know that Student Affairs is a calling, and that you can make a great career in it, if you are passionate about working with young people, and believe that helping people find their way is a worthy pursuit, you may be cut of the right material. But only if you have the strength of will and character to ignore the assaults on your dignity, your professional worth and your profession. They come with this line of work. The only thing that is truly important is that you know who you are and what you are about. If you are meant to serve students, you will. It’s just a matter of time. And in many cases, of strategy. If it’s meant to be, you will find your way. Just know, in the meantime, that many are in your corner, and have been in your place, before you. And we are here to help.
October is Careers in Student Affairs month. In honor of this, I am offering a coaching package for new professionals, to help them get off to a good start. It includes the following:
- A professionally written resume, geared toward your preferred target positions ($85 value)
- LinkedIn C0aching Package (1 hour LinkedIn training, plus profile optimization advice ($50 value)
- Practice interview, by phone or Skype ($85 value)
- One additional coaching session ($85 value)
- Access to an online job search group, with activities, lessons, and a private discussion board): $50 value
Purchased separately, this package would be $355, but this deal gives you nearly 30% off! For only $250, you get all of the above, including 6 months of access to the group, and any additional workshops or activities added to the job search group.
I’m opening this deal up only to new professionals (either those finishing school and looking for their first job, or with less than 5 years of professional experience). Availability is limited, and this special will not be repeated.
Sign up now!
This offer is no longer available.
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Jul 31, 2012 | Career Skills, Career Tracks, Career Transitions, Higher Education, Job Search
Eric Grospitch, Ed.D is the Assistant Dean of Students for the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. For this post, which is the second edition of our new guest post series on Career Tracks in Higher Education, Dr. Grospitch answered questions about his role, where it fits within the university, and what he does as an Assistant Dean of Students.
Name: Eric Grospitch, Ed.D.
Highest Degree Earned: Ed.D. University of Kansas
Title: Assistant Dean of Students
Division his department falls under: Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Enrollment of the University of Missouri Kansas City: 15,492
Number of years of full-time experience Grospitch had when he began this position: 11
The minimum education required for this position: Masters
Years of experience that were required for the Assistant Dean position: 8-10
What are your major responsibilities in your current position?
Responsible for oversight of Residential Life/Housing; Student Involvement (orientation, LGBTQIA, Fraternity & Sororities, Student Programing) Student Government, Student Allocations, Veterans programs, Campus Discipline
Does your role require direct service to students? If so, explain.
Yes, serving as an advisor to SGA, Allocations and various student focused committees.
How many persons in your department hold an equivalent rank? One.
How many people do you supervise? Are they Full-Time or Part-Time? Professional Staff, Trades/Custodial Staff, or Student Staff? (Please list numbers for each.)
- Directly – 2 Directors
- Indirectly:
- Full time – Masters level –10
- Full time administrative – 5
- Full time maintenance – 5
- Grad students -5
- Undergraduate students – 50+
What is the title of the person your report to? What is the title of that person’s immediate superior?
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, and he reports to the Chancellor.
What is your typical day like? Your typical week?
That is hard to say because each day is different based on the time of year with the ebb and flow of the academic year.
What do you spend the majority of your time doing in your current role?
Clearly most of the time is in different meetings and following up on individual concerns, discipline or projects.
What did you think you would be doing more, when you applied for the job?
I’m not sure what I thought I would spend more time doing, but I have spent more time working on enrollment management type conversations, and how all we do engages us in the recruitment and retention of students.
What survival skill is most important in your current role?
Creating relationships with trusted colleagues is clearly the most important – and those colleagues may not be on your campus. As you move “up” you are more and more isolated on your campus. Having colleagues that you can connect with to bounce ideas, seek input and advice is critical. I have found that through my involvement with NASPA.
Do you serve on committees within your department? Division? University-Wide? What roles do you play on these committees?
- ZIPCar and Transportation Launch Team (Chair)
- Veterans Services Development Committee
- Collected Rules and Regulations Review Committee
- Academic Program Review Committee
- New Student Convocation (Chair)
- Divisional Customer Service Training Program (Chair)
- Campus Safety Messaging Committee (Chair)
- Case Management Team (Member)
- Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Divisional Assessment Committee
- LGBTQIA Partnership Committee (Chair)
- Violence Prevention Task Force (member)
What advice do you have for persons seeking this type of position?
The piece that has been hard for me, but most important is to take your time. Many of us want Dean, VP roles, but the tradeoffs and politics need to be weighed as you move up – particularly as you balance life & job. That said, I do think there are a few things to remember that I will tell anyone that will listen.
- If you say you are going to do something, do it. New and even seasoned professionals that forget or fail to follow through on commitments can quickly be chalked up to someone you can’t count on.
- If you know something can’t be done in the time given, make sure you are honest in your statements. But again, if you say you can get it done, do it.
- Do the things no one else wants to do. With a smile.
- Don’t have one year of experience 5+ times, work to diversify your work to get a true 5+ years of experience.
- Look for ways to volunteer and get involved with different offices on campus. Help with Bid Day, Orientation etc. Those are tangible experiences that you can use to guide your career path later.
- Get involved with a regional or national organization. Whether reviewing proposals for a conference, volunteering at the conference, begin to build your network of friends and colleagues.
- Don’t forget how small our profession is. If you grotesquely burn a bridge in one place, it is very hard to truly start over, unless you are willing to reflect, learn and share about that experience.
- Learn technology. Twitter, web, etc. We don’t need more technophobes and serving our students will require it.
- Engage authentically in diversity training at all opportunities. The more we know about ourselves, the better we are able to serve all of our students.
- Read, Read, Read. The student development theories that we learned in grad school are great, but things are changing rapidly and the research is trying to catch up. Keep abreast of new ideas and concepts as it relates to retention and matriculation of students and bring those ideas (with appropriate citations/credit) to the table.
Eric submitted his article by e-mail, in response to my recent call for first-person perspectives on career tracks in higher education. You can, too! Visit our guest post submission form or e-mail sean@higheredcareercoach.com.
Do you have questions for Eric? Post them in the comments, or send him an e-mail. (He said it was okay!)
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Jul 17, 2012 | Career Skills, Career Tracks, Career Transitions, Job Search
Career Track: Academic Advising
My name is Sarah Craddock, and I am an academic advisor for the Mechanical Engineering department at Colorado State University. We are part of the College of Engineering, which falls under the Academic Vice President/Provost. CSU has about 29,000 students.
As for myself, I currently have a B.A. in Sociology from Minnesota State University Mankato and a M.S. in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University. I am also working on a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. I had 4.5 years of professional full-time experience when I started working as an academic advisor here. If I remember the job posting correctly, a bachelor’s degree was required for application, a master’s preferred. I believe they were looking with someone with at least one year of experience in higher education (though it didn’t have to be in academic advising).
My major responsibilities include advising about half of the undergraduate students in Mechanical Engineering, including a subsection of students working on dual degrees with Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. It involves quite a bit of direct service to students – everything from meeting with prospective students, advising incoming students at Preview (our orientation), meeting each semester with all undergrads continuing on in the major (as well as those that may now meet entrance requirements), and even working with graduation contracts to ensure students have met all criteria for graduation.
My department is the 5th largest major on campus, with about 750 undergraduate students for the 2011-2012 academic year, so we have two full time professional academic advisors (myself and one other woman). I do not supervise anyone. My colleague coordinates our mentoring program, and supervises the students employed through that (about 3-5). My boss is the Associate Department Head for Mechanical Engineering, and is a full faculty member within the department. His supervisor is our Department Chair for Mechanical Engineering.
My typical day…oh, in advising, there’s not a typical day. There is a LOT of ebb and flow in this field. For example, during the summer, I have a bit more down time – but I am still working with prospective students and advising incoming students at Preview. I’m also working with students to continue to manage their schedules for next fall, including working with students who didn’t pass a necessary course, or are taking courses over the summer at another institution. However, in a month like October or April, I’m scheduled pretty much every half-hour, meeting with current students to help them determine which classes to take prior to the next semester’s registration opening. The beginning of the semester often includes students panicking about their course load (too much, not enough, times not working,etc.), and the end often includes students panicking about course grades that they’re on the fence for.
I actually think I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into before I started. I don’t know that there’s anything that’s come as a surprise to me. My time, like I said, ebbs and flows – I guess I wasn’t quite aware of just how much and how intense peak advising times can be (but I love it!).
Most important survival skill…flexibility, and prioritization. You’ve got to be able to judge quickly whether something is a real emergency and needs your attention now – and if so, what can move around, and if not, when it can be addressed. Also, a detail orientation is CRUCIAL in advising. You’re managing a lot of paperwork with substitutions, waivers, prerequisites, etc. You’ve got to have a way to manage that.
Committees and Tasks
After I started working here, we have begun to have a monthly academic advisors meeting within the college to talk about common issues. I also participate in our Professional Advisors Network and Key Advisors network to learn more information about what’s going on on campus. Because a friend of mine works in Greek Life, I’ve also helped them out with a few things (like end of the year awards).
The biggest piece of advice I have? A few things: detail orientation. Figure out how you best manage details (in general) before you start so that you can figure out a game plan quickly once you begin. Care about students. A monkey can follow a checksheet – an advisor works with the student to figure out what’s best in their situation – full time, part time, double majors, minors, etc. Finally…though many academic advising positions don’t require a degree in higher education (such as my M.S. in College Student Personnel), I would still STRONGLY encourage you to look at some student development theory and to connect to the professional organizations available and their subcommittees (NACADA, athletics advising, honors students, STEM, etc.)
Sarah submitted her article via our guest post submission form, in response to my recent call for first-person perspectives on career tracks in higher education. You can, too.
If you would like to connect with Sarah, check out her blog or e-mail her.
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Jul 13, 2012 | Career Skills, Career Transitions, Podcast
The Higher Ed Career Coach Show with Sean Cook returns today with a "freenote" (free keynote) for student affairs professionals. Suitable for using in training meetings or team development, if you don't have the time or money to hire me or another speaker to kick off your fall training. Look for a video version and downloadable handouts and script soon here at the site.
Based on parting thoughts I shared with colleagues in Residence Life upon my departure in Fall 2009, the "FreeNote" gives a dozen brief lessons culled from over 15 years working in student affairs.
Professionals (new and not-so-new) will appreciate the perspectives and hopefully the humor herein. If not, they may at least find something worth disagreeing with.
This episode features pre-recorded content. The live show will return later in July or early August.
Notice: This episode is best suited to adult listeners and contains a couple of instances of mildly coarse language. Nothing too crazy, but it's probably best to listen yourself before playing for the whole staff.
A Note From the Author:
Hello Student Affairs Colleagues. Right now many of you are either planning or starting your professional staff training, depending on your institution's academic calendar. I remember how tough it was to fill the schedule with worthwhile activities, so over the next month or so, I'm going to share content on my website and podcast that you can hopefully use in staff training. The first piece is this week's podcast, which I am calling a "FreeNote" (free keynote), where I share some thoughts and perspectives on working in Student Affairs. I also plan to post outlines for some of the better staff discussions I had during training, and maybe even later, I might share some RA training and orientation activities. I hope you can use this stuff. I'll be making some downloads available soon, and possibly a brief video of this same talk.
(Length: 10 minutes)
by Melissa Judy | May 3, 2012 | Career Transitions, Take 5
Now that you’ve landed that new job, how do you go about figuring out how to pay your bills without falling prey to the trap of “lifestyle inflation?” How do you figure out how to save the extra money you’re making now that you weren’t used to having in your budget before? And how do you update your work wardrobe without breaking the bank?
We’ve gathered some links to answer all of these budgeting questions and then some!
Creating a Professional Wardrobe for a New Job on a Budget – Emily Harmon, Yahoo Voices
Make the Most of Your Paycheck from Your First Job – Jeremy Vohwinkle, About.com Financial Planning
How to Budget for Clothing When Starting a New Job – Darryle Brown, eHow.com
Seven Steps to Take When Starting a New Job – LifeTuner
7 Money Moves to Make When You Get a New Job – David Ning, Wise Bread
Take 5 is a regular feature where we present links to some good articles and resources on job search topics. If you have ideas for future topics, send them to Melissa Judy, Content Development Intern at melissa@higheredcareercoach.com.
Like most people who end up working in Student Affairs, I didn’t imagine my career when I was a child. I wasn’t even aware that Student Affairs was a career. And, once I chose it as a career, I realized that many people still think it isn’t one.
