Download - Managing Your Career in Student Affairs
Managing Your Career in Student Affairs
Presented by Markell Steele, Career Counselor and Owner
Futures-in-motion, Inc.http://www.futures-in-motion.com
June 30, 2010
Session Agenda
• Tips for Finding Career Direction, Exploring Career Options, and Creating a Career Plan
• Networking and personal branding• Questions• Suggestions for next steps and resources
How did we get here?
How to Advance in Student Affairs
• Importance of doing the right job in the right place with the right people
• Know yourself—who am I today?• Invest time in career research and
exploration• Get a variety of experience• Build a strong network• Be proactive
Career Planning and Advancement
Finding Career Direction
Exploring Career Options
Creating a Career Plan
Finding Career Direction
Finding Career Direction
• Evaluate your career progress • Inventory your skills, accomplishments,
hidden strengths and clarify how you want to use them in a meaningful way
• Determine your values and how you want them to be integrated
• Define your “Ideal Job” or career situation
Define Your Career Goals
• Build new skills• Develop as a Leader• Learn about new areas,
increase general knowledge
• Get exposure• Meet new people
• Promotion w/in same career field
• Become an entrepreneur
• Enter a new career field• Make a lateral career
move• Do you want to retract?
Take inventory of what YOU offer
In what ways have you successfully used your abilities, skills and attributes?
Connect Skills to Key Functions, Roles
• Policy & Procedural
Knowledge
• Communication &
Interpersonal
• Technology & Database Mgmt
• Supervisory/Management
• Event Planning
• Budget Analysis
• Fund Management
• Contracts & Grants
• Research
• Office Administration
• Project Management
Exploring Career Options
Student Affairs Career Options • Career Services• Registrar• Information and Research• Admissions• Financial Aid• Academic Advising• Student Activities and Programming• Service Learning• Counseling and Psychological Services• Recreations• Disability Services• Clubs and Organizations• Health and Wellness
Are you in the right role at the right place?
Determining Qualifications for Specific Positions
• Review posted job descriptions• Conduct informational interviews• Review trade/ professional association
practice areas• Attend conferences, industry events, and
meetings
Elements of a Student Affairs Job Search
• Clarify your job target• Get visibility• Find job leads—internal vs. external positions• Update targeted resume, cover letter, portfolio• Learn salary negotiation techniques• Establish personal brand• Networking and professional development
Networking and Personal Branding
You Network Opportunity
Personal Branding
What you want to be known for as a professional; your
professional reputation
Professional Positioning Statement• What you want to be known for; consider the
application/value of your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience
• Who you help, problems you solve, outcomes you achieve
• Clearly state your career objective, what type of opportunity you are looking for
• State your relevant strengths
• Relate them to the job opportunities
Why Use Social Media to Network?
Most Common Online Tools
Groups– ACUI- Association for College Unions International– SAP- Student Affairs Professionals– ACPA- American College Personnel Association– NASPA- Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Resources- http://linkedin.custhelp.com, http://learn.linkedin.com/
– 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn by Guy Kawasaki– Ten Tips on Building a Strong Profile– User Guide: Job Seekers (http://learn.linkedin.com/job-seekers/
)
Student Affairs Pagehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/?act=30909424#!/pages/Student-Affairs/105570346144059
Resources- http://www.facebook.com/help/
@ACUItweets@acuiconference#CUAD (college unions and activities discussion)
#sachat (student affairs chat)@the_sa_blog@NASPAtweets
Resources- http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711-getting-started
Creating a Career Plan
Career Goal- Setting Process
• Define your career goal• Assess alternatives—brainstorm possibilities• Gather information• Assess outcome probability• Take action!• Refine goal—evaluate and regroup
6 Month Career Goal• Where do you want be? Institution, position,
location• What do you want to accomplish by the end of 6
months?• What is your plan for achieving your goal?• What resources do you have available? How will
you leverage them?• What obstacles do you foresee? How can you work
around them?• What assignments or experiences do you need to
achieve your goal?
Session RecapDiscussed: • how to explore student affairs career options• how to conduct a job search within student affairs.• how to connect skills, accomplishments, values, and
interests to Student Affairs career options• tools for building and cultivating a professional network
and how to gain visibility. • how to create a personal career plan with next steps
they can implement right away.
What You Can Do Right Now to Discover Opportunities
• Find possible career options by assessing skills, interest, relevant experience
• Research career areas to find a possible fit– Online– Print– People
• Network to learn as much about the field as you can & to build key connections
• Create a job search plan• Update your resume and practice interviewing
Final Thoughts: Keys to Career Success in Student Affairs
• Know your strengths and values• Understand the environment, culture and find your fit• Manage your relationships (boss, peers, students)• Get support from coaches and mentors• Demonstrate integrity (work hard, contribute and serve)• Seek out opportunities • Get involved and visible (on campus, nationally)
Achieving Your Career Vision
What’s one action you can take now to reach your 6 month goal?
(877) 210-3252
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/futuresinmotion
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markellsteele
Contact Markell