Why I Am Not (Totally) Freaking Out About Job Searching

Emilie Nemchak

University of Northern Colorado

As a second-year graduate student who is finally able to see the light (and degree) at the end of the tunnel, I am neck-deep in resume-building, conferences and, of course, studying for my comprehensive exams. Looking for a job has consumed the past few months of my life, which would have normally caused me to panic and cry while writing my 26^th cover letter. However, thanks to these great tips from my mentors, supervisors and some awesome colleagues from across the country, I am actually looking forward to TPE and the entire job search process. I do not know if a graduate student has ever said that sentence, but here we are! I wanted to share these tips so I can hopefully bring some peace of mind to my fellow second-year graduates:

1)    Have at least 2-3 people of varying student affairs positions view your resume.

Since high school, I have been told to have multiple people look at my resume to get more opinions on what I have listed, how I have formatted it, etc. However, recently at the Association of Intermountain Housing Officers (AIMHO) conference, I was told that having people from varying levels of student affairs positions look over your resume was the key to having a great resume. The reasoning is a fellow hall director is going to look at your resume differently than your director of housing, because they have both been in different positions when it comes to the interviewing and hiring process. I have also been told to give my resume to student affairs professionals outside of my department, so I have sent mine to people who work in orientation, admissions, and even some faculty members too. Their feedback has been beneficial and having eyes other than housing eyes on my resume has allowed me to see what other areas I can spotlight on my resume.

2)    TPE is not just for housing people.

While I intend to go to TPE for a housing position, a few of my graduate school friends who do not have a graduate assistantship in housing have been worried that attending TPE will be a waste of time for them. However, I have noticed quite a few positions posted on the TPE job search page that are not just housing positions. In addition, my supervisors have been very vocal about making sure you spotlight skills that are transferrable on your resume when searching for positions that are either different from your current graduate assistantship or show that your knowledge in your current position can be transferred to whatever position you may be applying for. In addition, my friends and supervisors who have been through TPE have told me it is a fantastic experience when it comes to networking and sharpening your interview skills. You may meet someone who is hiring for a resident director but also knows of a position opening up in admissions. The possibilities are endless!

3)    Make sure you get feedback on your cover letters too!

I am not a fan of writing cover letters and I know it shows in my writing. To combat this, I have made sure I have at least 2-3 people look over my cover letter too. I never really understood the importance of the cover letter when I first started looking for jobs, but one of my professors phrased it in a great way by saying a cover letter is “a way to go into more detail on the things your resume may not convey right away”. It is kind of like a virtual greeting to the people who are looking over your resume and can be a great way to show how you stand out from all the other candidates who applied for the position you want.

4)    Do your research on the places you apply to.

The best piece of advice I received from someone who went through TPE as a candidate and then later as a hiring authority was to at least know the name of the mascot of the universities you apply to. Apparently, at TPE, you may be given something with just the mascot of the school listed and if you do not know which school it is, then that is a big strike for you. One of my friends gave me her excel spreadsheet from when she attended TPE and it is FANTASTIC! I’ve changed it a bit, but I’ve made sure to list out each school I want to apply to, what their mascot is, the names of their housing department officials, any learning communities/projects their department is working on, the type of institution it is, any big programs they are known for, etc. This way, I will be prepared for each interview I walk into and I can find areas at the schools that really resonate with me as a person and student affairs professional. Research shows you care, and people who care are usually the ones who are invited to an on-campus interview!

5)    Breathe!

I am a high-performing person who has made pro/con Excel spreadsheets when researching what type of planner I want to purchase for the year, so I get stressed sometimes when I realize I don’t know where I’ll be working this time next year. However, my super-supportive supervisor has been great at telling me to just breathe and to have confidence in my abilities and what I have done so far as a graduate assistant hall director. It’s okay to not know what will happen at TPE and no one can plan exactly how their interviews will go, but have confidence and know that you are just beginning your career in student affairs. Have fun, go with the flow, and do not worry – you will find your “fit” soon!