Careers


7
Nov 11

Women…Be More Assertive?!?!?!

I recently read an article in the Harvard Business Review and was curious to gain some much needed advice on how to advance in the workplace. The Ambition and Gender at Work study conducted by Europe’s Institute of Leadership & Management concluded women have lower confidence in the workplace compared to their male coworkers. The study also indicated women in management positions are more likely to doubt their performance and are hesitant to seek out promotions.

The study identifies four ways in which women create barriers to their own success:

1. Being overly modest.
2. Not asking.
3. Blending in.
4. Remaining silent.

The article indicates that men are more likely to speak about their accomplishments more openly than women. I was speaking with a colleague about seeking promotions and he asked me was I self-promoting within the office. For a moment I had to think about the last time I consciously sought out opportunities to brag about myself. Sometimes I feel I’m so involved at work, how could anyone not realize this level of involvement. However, the article states your boss and colleagues will not know what you are capable of if you do not tell them. But we don’t want to play the martyr, now do we?

I had a supervisor that used to say, “You don’t ask, you don’t get.” The article states that some women are passed up for promotions because they do not ask for the promotion. When we job search we are told to “ask,” for the job, so it makes sense to “ask,” for the promotion. Asking for a raise or promotion will accomplish two things: 1. You will have communicated your interest and intentions the organization; and 2. Their reaction to your request will determine where you stand with the organization. Ah, but we do this for the students; it’s not about the money or the prestige.

According to the article some women would prefer to blend in and remain silent rather than stand out in meetings or at events. Blending in hinders anyone’s chances to leave a positive impression on a supervisor or colleague. I can recall times that I have sat in meetings silent because I thought what I had to contribute was not important, but I also can recall times when I have spoken from experience on a topic and inherited a project and a committee to assist. But why would the Vice President want my opinion about alternative approaches to student programming?

I realize this study grazes the subject of gender roles; women are not characteristically assertive while men are asserting at all times of the day. What are your thoughts on this topic, considering that student affairs is a heavily female-dominated field? Are women deficient when it comes to self-promotion? Do we fail to speak up for a promotion out of fear of judgment?

 

Carla Finklea Green is a residence hall director at Old Dominion University.


28
Sep 11

Seven Competencies for Professional Development

The Journal of College and University Student Housing recently published a study by Gavin W. Henning, Kristan M. Cilente, Dean F. Kennedy and Tomecca M. Sloane titled, Professional Development Needs for New Residential Life Professionals. Participants of the study ranked competencies necessary for the professional growth and development of entry-level professionals in residential life. Briefly, the top seven competencies are as follows:

1. Understanding job expectations
2. Enhancing supervision skills
3. Moving up in the field of student affairs
4. Adequate support from supervisors, mentors, and colleagues
5. Fostering student learning
6. Developing multicultural competencies
7. Understanding the culture and facilities of the college/university

I think it is worth it to note that the top three competencies are not typically topics found in a student affairs graduate curriculum. I agree these competencies are important; if not the most important for a new professional to master quickly. If you cannot understand your job, meet job expectations, and manage the people you supervise efficiently; moving up in the field will be challenging.

The article also speaks to the fact that there is no real consensus on what competencies new professionals should master to progress through the field. I have noticed personally and through other colleagues, that we briefly start out as generalist and then begin to develop interests in areas that will give us “expertise.” Once we become an office-proclaimed guru, our new found expertise makes us more marketable for the jobs we want in the future.

Participants also ranked their preferred delivery method for professional development. In almost every category mentoring was the preferred method of professional development followed by workshops, self-teaching, and administrative shadowing. It is clear to me why mentoring is the preferred method of delivery. No surprises here; mentorships offer many benefits including an unbiased opinion, one-on-one consultation, and networking opportunities. I wish the study expounded more on methods of self-teaching, but I’m assuming this means new professionals are taking advantage of webinars, scholarly books and articles, etc.

This is a reoccurring topic in students affairs, typically under the heading, “What I Wish I Would Have Learned in Graduate School.” The article does state that while there are professional organizations that have outlined core competencies for professionals; there is limited data on whether graduate programs are using these core competencies in graduate curriculums.

I have been out of graduate school for a while, but have programs evolved to include more core competencies like staff supervision, management, workplace politics and human resource management? If not, shouldn’t they be doing so?

Carla Finklea Green is a residence hall director at Old Dominion University.


27
Sep 11

Introducing #SAYR1

What started as a question from Kelley McCarthy on Twitter asking if anyone would be interested in participating in her #52in52 project turned into a conversation about a lack of resources for new student affairs professionals. Student affairs graduate students have the support of their cohort, professors in their program, mentors through personal connections and programs like #saGROW, and special initiatives coordinated by professional associations. New professionals, though, are at a key transition point in their life and do not have a centralized support system. Our solution? #SAYR1 (Student Affairs Year One)!

The vision of #SAYR1 is to discuss the key issues facing new professionals in student affairs and provide avenues of support from the last year of graduate school through their third year as a professional. One of the ways we will be doing this is by creating support groups of approximately three individuals who will journey through these first few years together. With the small-sized groups, you will have the benefit of a consistent and tight-knit support system without the nearly impossible task of having to coordinate the schedules of a big group (we’ve all been there!). Groups can communicate in person, through phone calls, e-mails, Google + hangouts, Skype, on Twitter, or however your group decides works best for you! The #SAYR1 Core Team will be providing discussion questions, topics, and resources to get everyone started.

#SAYR1 will provide you with a group of people you can talk to about what’s going on without trying to explain (for the 4,534th time) what it is exactly that you do again. It will give you an avenue to discuss current issues and trends in the field and how they’re impacting your work. With #SAYR1, you will have a network that will support you in trying times, celebrate your successes with you, and continually encourage you to be the best version of you. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, please visit this link and complete the form. You can join a group that’s already been started or start your own. Groups can be by functional area, year, region, or just a pure hodge podge – it’s up to you! Please feel free to contact anyone from the Core Team should you have any questions. We are all excited to get this program started and hope you are too.

#SAYR1 Core Team:

Brian Gallagher (gallagb@gmail.com) Hall Director at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Karen Schomaker (kschomaker@gmail.com) Coordinator for Community Service at California Lutheran University

Kelley McCarthy (kmccarthy1985@yahoo.com) 2nd Year Graduate Student and Graduate Assistant for Leadership Programs  in the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement at Nova Southeastern University

Melissa L. Brown (melissabrown47@gmail.com) Residence Hall Director for Moore Hall, University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Tricia Cesarino (tr.cesarino@gmail.com) Program Coordinator for Sorority and Fraternity Affairs at the University of Florida

Tracey Walterbusch (twalterbusch@gmail.com) Residential Life Coordinator at Ohio Wesleyan University

Brian Gallagher is a hall director at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.


24
Aug 11

A Word about Mediocrity

I recently re-read an article from Bloomberg Businessweek, Five Ways to Ensure Mediocrity in Your Organization, by Liz Ryan. This article resonates with me every time I read it because the article focuses on some supervisor’s disregard for their employees. This disregard can create a revolving door of turnover within an organization. Student Affairs is a great career that will prove a worthwhile experience for many; however, it’s important as a new professional to be workplace savvy and trust your instincts.

According to Ryan, the five ways to ensure mediocrity are:

1. “…Make sure your employees know you don’t trust them.” Basically, supervisors hire a competent employee and then micromanage the employee. What’s the point of hiring talented people when you don’t trust them? Once a new professional gets the impression that management does not trust their work, an employee will shut down and give an organization mediocre work.

2. “…don’t tell them when they shine.” Paychecks are great incentive, but some times praise will go a long way to build morale. Lack of praise will also damage morale. Employees want to feel appreciated, valued and empowered. Ryan suggests that lack of praise from supervisors could be because managers fear a request for a raise or promotion. Employees understand that many institutions are feeling the budget crunch, but kindness goes a long way to build loyalty to an organization.

3. “…keep employees in the dark.” How can employees be invested in the organization if they do not have a seat at the table? Ok, ok…if not a seat at the table, employees should at least be regularly informed on new initiatives and programs. I believe employees should be aware of the organization’s mission, goals, and values at all times; this helps provide focus to your work and it becomes more intentional.

4. “If you value docility over ingenuity…” The most precious gift you can give an employee is autonomy and responsibility. Micromanaging could potentially drive a professional with a masters degree slightly insane. Like Ryan, I agree, employees who are treated like children will more than likely seek out an employer who trusts and empowers them and treats a supervisor like a professional with and advanced degree.

5. “If you fear an empowered workforce more than you fear the competition, squash any sign of individualism.” Young whippersnappers beware, don’t rely on your education and experience to challenge the system. Knowledge is power, but not in an organization that prefers mindless minions. In reference to management shaking down it’s employees Ryan states, “They do it by instituting reams of pointless rules, upbraiding people for minuscule infractions and generally replacing trust with fear throughout their organizations.”

I agree with Ryan that poor management will only rappel good employees.  Once managers begin to realize why they are losing solid, competent employees, you may be settling into a new job.

 

Carla Finklea Green is a residence hall director at Old Dominion University.


10
Aug 11

Why Office Politics Matter

I often hear some of my fellow educators talk about their lack of interest in politics. More specifically, politics includes your run-of-the-mill office politics, local government politics and national government politics. What is most surprising to me is that with each of these levels of politics, I get the keen sense that most people have no understanding of how they are impacted and the implications politics has on their jobs and the ability of students to be successful at institutions of higher learning, especially during such hard times where educational budgets are heavily targeted to be slashed, in the name of cutting costs.

When asked how I view politics, I often reply that “politics are like building relationships; you figure out the kinds of relationships that you need to foster and how those relationships impact you and what you do on a daily basis and the implications those relationships has on those around you.” Additionally, I believe that not all politics are bad and that many great things can happen when you are at your political best. With this being said, here are some thoughts to ponder:

• Take the time to observe the office culture. This allows you to see how to operate in that office culture. From observing, you’ll be able to see how people get things done by negotiating and working with others and navigating their way through the office politics.

• Build relationships. Once you learn the office culture, figure out how you fit into culture and how you can build the relationships with the people who impact you the most. This not only includes supervisors, but their support staff as well. Having a solid relationship with support staff is an excellent way to get a foot in the door and the inside scoop on important things that are happening. Don’t take anyone for granted, regardless of who they are and the position they are in!

• Stay away from drama! It’s not in your best interest to get involved in the problems that others may be having at work. Of course, as you build relationships, you may connect with some people more so than others. This leads to people sharing their woes or problems. You can listen, if you choose, but stay out of it! You do not want to be pulled in the middle of something that you probably have no idea about and it certainly raises eyebrows from supervisors. If there are unpopular decisions that are made, it may not be in your best interest to join the local band wagon and protest. I suggest that you take the time to look at the big picture and evaluate if that issue is something that is worth the time and effort to devote your frustrations. This can certainly save you lots of heartache and pain in the short term and future if it’s not in your best interest.

• Praise in public, address concerns in private. Yes, you’ve heard this before. The truth of the matter is that this really makes a huge difference. If people see you as someone who is always criticizing others, they are least likely to want to work with you, out of hesitation that you may do the same to them. Hence, if you do have feedback to give to others, kindly and respectfully pull them aside and share that feedback in private. This allows for any misunderstandings or miscommunications to be easily resolved without the rat race of gossip that can spread so quickly.

Navigating your way through the wavy waters of office politics can be tricky, but following these general guidelines may be a good way for you to coast on the sailboat vs. rowing in the canoe. Stay focused, build those relationships and be mindful of the culture and how you fit into that culture. Politic away!

Rinardo Reddick is a doctoral student in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University and coordinator for America Reads/America Counts.


12
Jul 11

TuesTally: How often do you update your resume?


2
Jun 11

What Would _____ Do?

Many of us remember the WWJD bracelet craze that inspired wearers of the bracelet to consider “What Would Jesus Do?” before making decisions in order to live in a more Christian way. Don’t tune out yet, I’m not going to ask you about your religious beliefs or affiliations and how you make your moral judgments. I am, however, going to ask you to think a bit about the concept illustrated in that simple bracelet. Those that chose to wear the bracelet were making a statement that they believe in the man behind the bracelet and in adopting a way of life modeled by him.

Skip forward to 2011. I recently attended an Awards Luncheon that recognized leaders in Student Affairs for their efforts in different areas over varying years of service. One particularly prestigious award was given to a man who’d served his campus for quite a number of years and had touched countless lives through his commitment to them. He left his mark on co-workers, other members of the Student Affairs field and students alike. While those presenting the award beautifully highlighted his achievements, it wasn’t their speech that really got me thinking. Instead it was the simple wrist bands they passed out with the letters “WWDD” printed on them. They challenged us as we move through our professional journey in Student Affairs to ask ourselves “What Would Doc Do?”

While the demonstration was somewhat playful and lighthearted, the message is profound.  This individual who we fondly refer to as “Doc” had left such a mark and been such an inspiration that the award presenters were encouraging others to fashion our professions after him, much like the original WWJD bracelets. Those who wear the bracelet are attesting to their belief in the work that Doc has accomplished and are then challenging themselves in their own positions.

The power of that simple demonstration left me with goosebumps and a question: Am I living or working in such a way that others could potentially ask “What Would Devon Do?”  It certainly has me thinking consciously about my choices in the field of Student Affairs by appealing both to my admiration for Doc and my own superficial desire for my 15 minutes of fame.  So, the next time you’re faced with a decision, ask yourself “What Would Doc Do?” or better yet, are you inspiring the next “What Would {insert your name here] Do?”

Devon Purington is a Residence Life Coordinator at Penn State University-Hazleton.

This article has been cross-posted at A Patchwork of Student Affairs.


3
May 11

Sometimes It’s Not About the Roses

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows everywhere…

There are times that I believe that this song must be the mantra of student affairs staff members.   So often on Twitter or Facebook, in meetings, or at trainings, I hear the phrase “choose your attitude.”

Choose to be positive, not negative.
Choose to look on the bright side, not the dark side.
Choose to be happy (or at least content), not sad.
Choose to be something other than pessimistic.
Look for the unicorns!  Look for the puppies! Look! Choose to see them!  They’re there if you look!
Choose.

Generally, I’m ok with this.

Sometimes, however, I’m not.
Sometimes things are difficult.
Sometimes things are challenging.
Sometimes things are just downright awful, and, sometimes, there is not a happy-go-lucky, cheery, paint-a-smile-on-your-face feeling to be found.

And yet what do I hear?

Choose your attitude.  Or, to put it in FiSH philosophy terms, choose your ’tude.

To me, this is largely disingenuous.   Why, exactly, are we putting on a happy face when things legitimately are not happy?  What service are we providing by pretending to be OK with whatever is going on when we actually need support and the ability to be not happy.

We encourage our students and coworkers to be honest. We discuss authenticity with our colleagues and supervisors.  We have open doors and welcome the opportunity to talk to whomever about whatever whenever.

We should reserve the right to have crappy days and to not be forced to look/feel/act otherwise.

I admit… I can be a proverbial bucket of sunshine at times. I can exude rainbows and look for the silver lining in situations with the best of them. But sometimes things suck, and that’s that.

In my mind, it boils down to this.  I have the right to be upset, angry, annoyed, pessimistic, sad, dejected, or whatever other negative feeling there is.  I have the responsibility, though, to give others a heads up about what they might encounter should they choose to engage me in conversation.  I also have the responsibility, after an appropriate amount of time (dependent on the situation), to move on, get over myself, and revert to my unicorn-loving self.

In the interim, though, let me be.  And let me show a genuine side of life to my students – because if they can see me being productive and tactful even while harboring a less-than-stellar attitude, maybe they, too, can learn to channel negative energy positively.

Matt Pistilli is a post-doctoral research associate/educational technologist for Information Technology at Purdue University.


26
Apr 11

Interviewing Candidates – Making our Questions Count

It’s that time of the year. Job sites are loaded with postings. Search committees are working their way through hundreds of resumes. And job candidates are weaving through day-long on-campus interviews.

It’s an important process. We get such a short time with candidates to determine whether they’re a fit for our office and campus culture.

Sitting on another search committee myself has given me plenty of time to reflect on the process. And if there’s one thing I would change, it’s this: The weakness question.

It’s slowly disappearing, but given long enough in any interview, it will surface. It’s a simple concept: Tell us your strengths and weaknesses (Or, for the more political, your growth areas).

But that one question can trip up both the candidate and the committee.

In their book Switch, Dan and Chip Heath talk about our human tendency to remember negatives over positives. Looking at 24 of the most common emotion words in the English language, only six are positive. When a psychologist looked at every English emotion word he could find (558 of them), he found that 62 percent were negative verses 38 percent positive. Negative emotions stick to us more easily. So for the interviewers, there’s a chance that we’ll see a great person who is a perfect fit for the job and our team, but we’ll walk out focusing on concerns about how they will “manage their time” just because it’s the first thing they mentioned as a growth area.

Candidates aren’t in a better position. They don’t want to be seen in a bad light, so they’re less likely to share that “real” things they’re working on. But they have to answer, so we end up getting inauthentic or vague responses from potentially strong, relationally aware people.

What type of weakness are we hoping to learn about? A character flaw? A task in which the candidate doesn’t excel? A task they don’t enjoy?

Usually, our weaknesses are shadows of our strengths. So if you’re a big-picture person who loves new projects and the growing edge of an organization, you’re probably going to be less energized by the day-to-day detail work. It’s doable, but too much administrative work will begin to drain your energy.

For the most part, that’s what we want. We want to make sure candidates are aware of their strengths, they’re using them, they’re aware of the challenges those strengths bring, and they’re able to manage those challenges.

Maybe instead of “What are your weaknesses,” we could start asking how they are managing the areas in which they struggle, or what areas of this job are least likely to energize them and how will they work within those areas.

So that’s my interview observation. What are yours? Any question we need to drop in the interview process? Any questions we need to ask more often?

Jon Sampson is a Program Coordinator and Residence Director at Azusa Pacific University.


14
Mar 11

Student Affairs Pro goes Corporate. Sort of.

What?  Is that even possible?

That was my first thought when the newest adventure in my life happened upon me.  Then I realized that yes, I could take and use all of my student affairs skills and knowledge to a new setting.  But did I want to?

I presently work as an internship and professional development coordinator for a business school, and so have many interactions with various industry professionals on a daily basis.  I’ve always felt very at home here in student affairs, and quite frankly, the corporate world seemed …. scary.  I enjoy collegiality, interactions with students, peers, and upper-level administration on a regular basis.  And, there’s something to be said for the perk of wearing jeans and t-shirts to work (ok, I can’t wear jeans in my role, but I used to!).  The flexibility, the students, the fun.  Changing lives, having my life changed.  I mean, that’s why I do this!  I love it.

And then it happened.  On Twitter.  I was referring to a blogger friend of mine’s blog as an example of a great blend of personal/professional one night during an #SAchat when she tweeted back asking if I’d heard of @infinum, an educational software development company in Columbus, Ohio.  I had not, but as I am actively seeking relocation to that area (my family’s there… and after 12 years away, I’ve decided I miss them too much to stay away any longer), I decided to investigate the company’s website and twitter profile.  Mind you, my first reaction was to shudder – corporate world and IT, for me a very scary combination.

Well this company (for whom I am now working) is awesome!  They provide a social advising tool, coupled with a degree planning system that is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  After reviewing viewable screen shots and reading more about it, I decided to tweet the CEO, and cousin of my blogger friend mentioned above.  We sent a few messages, then began an email conversation.  I was really just trying to learn more about this product/software.

What I learned quelled my fears of the corporate world.  This company (and I presume many others working with higher education institutions) really cared about students.  Sure, they want to turn a profit too, that’s their business, but they want to create a system that will enhance the student/advisor experience.  As our conversations continued over the next week or so, my prior advising experience and recent University upgrades from legacy systems came up.  I’m a huge proponent of driving the system and not letting the system drive you – that is, I’ve seen times where policies change (sometimes not favoring the student) because of system limitations.  I conveyed that to the team and they appreciated my honesty.  In fact, they were looking for someone to help “speak the language” of advisors as they continued to develop the system.

Long and short of it, I agreed to step in as a consultant.  Shared the news with my boss here at the University and he was elated – another perk of student affairs!  To date I’ve worked with our clients (other institutions) and provided training sessions and product demos.  This corporate thing that I was so afraid of is not that bad!  I’ve learned a thing or two about believing in what you do.  I mean, I do tell my students to do what they love… you know the adage… and they’ll never work a day in their life.  That’s what student affairs is for me.

I’m not looking for a way out and I’ll be keeping my current job too, but this new role is a stepping stone to home in Columbus.  And to some extent I hope the work becomes so busy that I can transition full-time with the new company and move “home.”  Especially since I’ve found a place where I can still employ my student affairs background.

This blog post is not about promoting the product or service offered by the company for which I am not working.  Rather, it’s more of a reflection of my feelings – anxiety, excitement, fear, confusion, relief – when going through the process of deciding whether or not to take on this new adventure.  On the one hand, student affairs is all that I’ve known.  But on the other, this meshing of skill and opportunity was too good to pass up!  So off I go to corporate America, sort of.

Have you ever thought of moving away from student affairs?  What were your fears?

Kristin Williams is the Business Experiences Manager, College of Business Administration, Kent State University

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