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?

markell@futures-in-motion.com

(877) 210-3252

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/futuresinmotion

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markellsteele

Contact Markell