The #SASearch

On Authenticity, Networking & Mentorship

This is a guest post from our contributor Bossy Clementine. For more of their posts, check out this link.

I want to be honest about something. When it comes to strengths-based leadership styles, I am no ‘positivity’ or ‘woo.’ In fact, you couldn’t get me to touch those strengths (among others) with a 10-foot pole. As a middle-ground extrovert with a loud(ish) personality, I often get mistaken for an ultimate social butterfly that graces and flutters from social group to social group, making connections and friends with ease. I view this as the time to clear the air and make it known- despite colleagues and friends viewing me as a networking fiend- the thought of meeting people for the first time, interviewing, and socializing in the field of student affairs terrifies me.

Posted 3 months ago

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Bossy Clementine, authenticity, networking, mentoring, community submissions,

You are an orchid. it takes a lot of time for orchids to grow and mature into the beautiful flowers they are. if you are in a place that isn’t willing to feed you, love you, water you, give you space for sunlight, and sometimes replant you in spaces that help you continue to grow…. and you whither, shrivel, your pigments start to fade… then it’s time. it’s time to go. because you’re precious and rare. and they need to cultivate you so you can grow more and plant new seeds. that’s what you do for people like you.

- contributed by a new professional, advice they received from a SSAO mentor. Beautiful advice! Thank you for sharing.

Posted 3 months ago

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quitting, institutional fit, New professionals, authenticity, identity, community submissions, culture, mentoring, quotes,

First Year Fumbles

This is a guest post from our friends Bossy Clementine and Prickly Pear (pseudonyms, obvy.)

Fumbling is a necessity in your first year as a student affairs professional. Some of us will have tragic outfit malfunctions and mismatchings, others might experience a strong-willed student culture that doesn’t like the concept of challenge by choice. Regardless of the “oops,” there are definitely some points of growth that come from taking off the rosy-colored first year professional glasses. So, here are some reflections from two young, glamorous professionals who 1.) absolutely love their jobs, 2.) find humor in some of the engagements they have with students, and 3.) wanted to share some precious moments from the first month of working at their current institutions.

Posted 3 months ago

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Bossy Clementine, Prickly Pear, authenticity, do's and don'ts, new jobs, New professionals, supervision,

By request, for all you preparing for conference interviews - from the TPE ‘12 folks!

Posted 3 months ago

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placement, interviewing, institutional fit, do's and don'ts, fear, first impressions, professionalism, weird interview questions,

What’s the best way to highlight committee work on your resume?

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I’ve seen it done many ways, and of course which you choose will depend on your own circumstances and experience. In particular if you’re a grad student the best format may be different than if you are a professional staff - your best bet is always to have a career counselor or coach (and/or a trusted friend in the field) take a look!

One way is if you have your experiences organized by institution - let’s say you have multiple positions at the University of Awesome. It might look like:

University of Awesome, Awesomeville USA
My Job (June 2010 - Present)

some stuff I do
more stuff I do

Committee for Increasing Awesomeness, Co-Chair (November 2010 - January 2011)

OPTIONAL bullets here (again depending on what the accomplishments, responsibilities, and roles you had on the committee).

My Department Professional Development Committee (June 2010 - December 2010)

More optional bullets

Or, if you have multiple positions at that institution, it might be:

University of Awesome, Awesomeville USA
Assistant Director of Awesome, July 2012 - Present

duties
duties

Program Coordinator for Awesome, June 2010 - June 2012

accomplishments
accomplishments

COMMITTEE WORK:

Awesome Committee Co-Chair (January 2012 - Present)
Diversity Training Committee (July 2011 - December 2011)
Department Professional Development Committee Member (June 2010 - July 2011)

Another option is to either create a “Professional Service” or “Committees” section at the end of your resume, or include these with a broader category that includes professional service.

However you choose to present your committee work, make sure that the amount of space and time you spend talking about it is relative to how closely related it is to the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a social justice education position and you’ve served on lots of related committees, make sure to include it. If you’re applying for that same position and have served on other types of committees? Include it if there’s room (because it’s always good to see how someone serves their institution, skills and other interests they bring to the job, and how “well rounded” a candidate they are), but don’t use up valuable resume real estate if it’s going to mean more important information gets lost or left out.

Check out our additional posts about resumes!

Posted 5 months ago

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resumes,

Why are you REALLY in the field?

It’s job search season. Scratch that, it’s always job search time - there is always an opening somewhere! But we’re definitely entering the “high season,” so to speak. The grad students I work with are polishing their resumes, figuring out their roommates for conference, and doing some (more!) thinking about the kinds of institutions and roles they are hoping for.

I remember a conversation a job searcher last fall when I asked them why they were looking for a job in student affairs. Their response was along the lines of, they wanted to be in a field that was inclusive and personally affirming. They talked about their own journey in developing one of their identities, and that being in the field of student affairs felt safe - and that they could continue to work on their own development.

motivation, search process, authenticity, first impressions,

My #SASearch: The Day I Threw My Life Plan Out the Window

Our special guest Bossy Clementine has shared this post with us.

It’s no secret that I started my job search the moment I started graduate school. As an enthusiastic and highly ambitious (and perhaps a little bit bossy) young professional, I was determined to excel at most, if not all endeavors in the two years to come. I started drafting and reformatting my resume, updated my LinkedIn, kept in contact with colleagues at a variety of institutions, and made sure that my theory to practice was spot-on.

Posted 11 months ago

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community submissions, Bossy Clementine, search process, first impressions, institutional fit, New professionals, why'd you want to go THERE?,

My Job Search

This is a guest post from Carter G. Roane, Carter tweets at @CarterGRoane and blogs here.

I am currently in the midst of a Student Affairs job search. I decided a few years ago that I wanted to be back in the field after being out for quite a few years. I am not sure when the deciding moment was that I wanted to be back in but I think that feeling had been building for a while when I realized that many of the skills that I have learned and were using were skills that I learned as an RA and RD. I also realized how much I love this field and admire the professionals who work in it. The search has been at times disappointing but much more than that it has been a fantastic learning experience and very, very rewarding. I have learned more about myself and what I can accomplish than I ever thought I could before I started my search. I am glad to have learned and grown from this because I can honestly say that when I was a professional before, I wasn’t that great at my job. I might have been good, but I wasn’t great. Sure, I handed in my paperwork on time, I did what was required of me by my supervisors and I never, ever did anything unethical. But looking back, I didn’t go beyond that, I didn’t think outside the box and I didn’t do anything in particular that would make me stand out next to my colleagues. I know a lot better now and I think I am a much better professional because I will not take anything for granted and I plan to make the most of whatever opportunity is given to me. I think I’ve grown up.

Getting a master’s degree in student affairs, joining professional networks, networking with professionals, volunteering, helping with program proposals, helping students whenever I get the chance, even working on a program proposal and using learning outcomes to do that. I never did much of that before. However, I certainly do all that now and I know how much I love this field and how much I want to help a college, in whatever way possible.I I know I am not the typical candidate for some Student Affairs and Residence Life jobs and some people may wonder why I am even doing this at all. I want to make a difference. I am ready to make a difference and I want to help..a staff, students, department and community and do whatever I can to develop a close, successful community and wherever I am needed to do that.

My end goal is to make it back in the field and I have gotten close, occasionally very, very close but just quite haven’t been able to be the last candidate standing. Who knows if I will make it? I will never give up but who knows what may or may not happen. I do know that I have gotten help from some amazing professionals and I will always be grateful to them for that. And I also know that my wife has been amazing throughout this whole search and I am so thankful for her. Same with my family. And I know even if I don’t make it, I feel better knowing that I have the skills and passion and desire that it takes where I could have been a professional that can be an asset to an department.

To all the new professionals and the ones who just got hired very recently, congratulations! I am sure you will do great and enjoy this experience and make the most of it. And to all the job searchers out there, keep your head up, stay positive and keep on being current and relevant. You will get there soon enough and hopefully, someday I will be right there in the professional ranks there with you.

Posted 11 months ago

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submission, true confession, search process,