What defines “fit”?

Samantha Perrin
University of North Dakota

When I started my graduate program at the University of North Dakota, I was absolutely convinced that I would leave the program with a job in Fraternity/Sorority Life or Student Activities and would work at a small, private school in the Midwest. Only a year and a half later, and my how things have changed. As I have progressed through the job search process, I have found myself thinking a lot about fit and what that really means. My functional area focus has changed to Career Development and even halfway through my search, the institution type and location is still up in the air.

Attending a small, private school for undergrad, I could not have imagined working at any other type of institution. I loved the connection I had with my campus and community. I loved being able to walk across campus and at least recognizing every face I saw. I loved knowing our college president on a personal level, even as a student. Now here I am, applying to work at some of the largest universities in the country. I have found that for me and my work, “fit” is more about the position than it is the institutional type or size. I want to be in a position where I know I will be able to learn and grow through my work.

I attended The Placement Exchange (TPE) just a couple of weeks ago where I interviewed with some institutions that I absolutely LOVE. Being open to the type of institution has caused some great anxiety in my search process. At the larger, public universities I have interviewed with, the positions are entry-level career consultant jobs whereas at the smaller, private universities, many of the positions are assistant director level. The positions at the larger universities have staffs of up to 25 while at the smaller, I could be 1 of 2 staff members. I have been struggling to determine which type of position is best suited for me. I can see benefits to both types of institutions and roles, but I am now searching deep to find where I best fit for my personal and professional growth. I know that everything will work out the way it is meant to, but I am really looking forward to the day when I can cross the finish line and take the first step in my professional career.

Two-Thousand Miles and Two Years Later

Alexis Austin

Western Illinois University

When I accepted my offer to go to Western Illinois University for my graduate degree, I spent a lot of time convincing people that I would be okay living in Illinois for two years. “You can live anywhere for two years,” I told them. I was parroting what I had heard at the interview days for the program, since every time I asked people how they liked living in Macomb they responded that you could live anywhere for two years. Looking back, I was also convincing myself of this. I had chosen my undergrad based on its somewhat close proximity to my hometown and had moved quite a bit in the gap between undergrad and grad school, but I was never more than three hours away from my parents. When I moved to Illinois from Washington state, I was moving over two-thousand miles from the only support system I knew. The first couple of months were hard, but I made it through with the help of my program, mentors, and the friends I found along the way.

Flash forward to now. I am searching for jobs in housing and am still surprised that some of my top choices are in the Midwest. I went through the process at the Oshkosh Placement Exchange (or as I like to call it, #OshThisKosh) because there were schools in the Midwest that I actively want to work at. I actually liked the experience and I fell in love with quite a few of the schools I interviewed with. I repeat, this was not part of the plan two years ago when I moved to the land of cornfields. I was not supposed to like these people or this place. So much for that, right?

In one sudden moment, I felt like I was betraying everything that I had told everyone when I first moved to Illinois. I had come in with the mindset of not getting attached, so that I could easily transition back to the Pacific Northwest where my people lived. When I started applying for jobs, my parents seemed a little surprised. I think my mom actually panicked a bit, which I realized when she frantically offered to buy me a pony if I moved back to Washington; I still think this was half joke, half serious. But now that I have a couple of on-campus interviews in the Midwest lined up, and after I’ve talked through what I like so much about each of these schools, my mom is getting on board.

After talking through what it looks like for me if I do get a job offer for the Midwest, my mom said something that simultaneously put a pit in my stomach and made my heart the happiest it had felt in weeks. She said, “When you make your list of pros and cons for these schools, you cannot include them not being in Washington on your cons list.” My best friend has told me that she will buy me two ponies as long as I go where I’m happy, regardless of the location of the school. I feel surrounded by support. It’s great.

I’ve had successful interviews in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. I’m confident that I am employable and that I will get a job that I love. I know that I’m going to rely heavily on my on-campus interviews to ensure that where I go is the right fit. And I think I’m finally at a point where I know that it doesn’t matter where my next home is on a map—it’ll be home no matter what. It’s exciting, and terrifying, and actually a little bit eye-opening to be going through this process and realizing that the person who, two years ago, said that she could live anywhere for two years is now considering living anywhere for an undetermined amount of time. Who knew the difference two years could make?

The Fear of Failure

by Paton Roden

University of Virginia 

Can we just fast-forward six months? We will have the job and be in our perfect daily routine. We will have a good salary (What a great thing after graduate school! Goodbye Ramen!) and will be in the midst of a new and thrilling journey. We will enjoy our job, and we will have friendly coworkers. We will have the dream boss who provides us with everything we need to succeed. We will have the ideal balance of challenge and support. We also will have the ideal opportunities for personal and professional development. We will be making a difference in students’ lives. And our location…it will be ideal. If we seek to be near family and friends, we will be. If we seek a new experience on our own, that will be the case. And the institution, oh’ it couldn’t be a better fit! We will not only align with the mission, vision, and values, but we will also LOVE the department we work in. It will be perfect. We will be happy. This is the dream.

But, what if this is not the case six months from now? What if we don’t like our job? What if we aren’t employed? What if we are not happy? I think that is our biggest fear. What if we fail ourselves? We fear making the wrong decision, choosing the wrong job, regretting it, and therefore, not being happy.

There is no guarantee that you will be in this ideal place six months from now. More than likely, everything will not be perfect. Fortunately, in order to be happy, everything does not have to be just right.

My advice:

1.    Set the facts straight.  When you look at your past successes, you will see that there are no indications that you will not have a job. You probably have a pretty good resume. You also probably have marketable student affairs experiences such as internships, assistantships, practicums, part-time work, coursework, and perhaps full-time work. Maybe you won’t get the first job you apply to and maybe you won’t get the second, third or fourth, but there is no indication you will not be able to get a job. Don’t blow this out of proportion.

2.    Don’t ignore reality. You might dread the job search, but you cannot pretend it isn’t there forever. The longer you wait to acknowledge it and jump on the applications, the more daunting they become. The sooner you take the reins, the better off you will be. Many things are outside of your control during this process, so make sure that you do control the things you can. Update that resume and cover letter. Call those references. Apply for that posting.

3.    Rome wasn’t built in a day. You do not have to do it all right now. You do not have to apply to every job today. It is called the job search process for a reason. It is a process. Having the perfect resume format, perfect cover letter, or ideal interview list does not happen all at once. It will take weeks, even months. Take it all one step at a time. Day by day, you will get there.   

4.    Be reasonable. Perfect does not exist. There will be certain compromises. You might have the ideal job in the not-so-ideal location. You might have a wonderful boss, but a co-worker you have to work a little harder to get along with. Just do what is right for you. By no means, accept a job you don’t feel is right, but be reasonable as well. Know the things you are not willing to compromise and be reasonable with others.

5.    You are not them. Let me repeat: YOU ARE NOT THEM. I don’t care that Jane has the perfect resume. I don’t care that Matt has 30 interviews. I don’t even care that Susie has a job already. You are your own person. As hard, and yes I mean very hard, as it is, stop comparing yourself to them. Your perfect situation is not theirs. Your job will come. You will appreciate it more when it does because it will fit you.

6.    Give yourself credit. This is hard. This is stressful. This might feel like one of the most draining things in the world. By the end of this process, you will be emotionally and physically exhausted. So, in the meantime…order that glass of wine! Eat that dessert! Go to that movie! Why? Because you deserve it.

Most people dread the job search, and one of the main reasons is the fear of failing. We want it all to be perfect- both the process and the end result. We must wake up and realize it isn’t. There will be ups and downs. Don’t let the downs hold you back.

Seeing Double: Job Searching for Two in Student Affairs

Maria Francese

Springfield College

                Job searching is stressful for any graduate student.  Whether you’re searching locally, regionally, or nationally, there are many factors that all add up to finding your fit.  The job description, the institution, the city (or lack of), the cost of living.  To me, this has always been an exciting puzzle that I was anxious and excited to solve.  But, I have an added twist involved in my search.  Both my partner and I are simultaneously job searching in the same field, with relatively comparable levels of experience. 

                My partner and I met 4 years ago while we were both orientation leaders at our undergraduate institution.  I know, so cute right? We had both already chosen higher education as our intended career paths.  He was a senior and I was a junior.  Upon graduation, our lives had fallen into place perfectly.  He got a full time job offer as Coordinator of First Year Experience at our alma mater which offered him tuition remission at any comparable program.  He took a semester off before enrolling in Northeastern’s completely online Higher Education Administration Program.  I finished up my degree in business and went on the more traditional full-time route as a Graduate Assistant in Student Activities at a local Higher Education program.  We moved into a modest apartment and have lived relatively smooth graduate student/new professional lives.  

                Now the fun starts.  While my cohort mates have national aspirations and would go just about anywhere for their right fit, I remain reserved and strategically apply to positions in more populous areas with abundant opportunities in orientation, advising, student activities or leadership development.  We have multiple job agents on higheredjobs.com, which scour the site for us matching up relevant postings within a pre-determined radius.  Our emails are flooded with potential opportunities, but rarely are there multiple matches in nearby areas.  Being unmarried, there are restraints on some live-on positions, and some areas will require grueling commutes.  Not particularly conducive to our not-so-9-to-5 lifestyles we both willingly chose.  

                Don’t get me wrong- it is the greatest thing in the world having a partner who truly understands what you do and why this is so important.  We are equally passionate and willing to make the sacrifice for one another.  Just today, his dream job was posted at his dream institution.  My dream job which I’ve applied to is two states away.  He has on-campus interviews coming up- meaning a potential offer could be on the table before the dream job ever even sees his resume.  These are scary thoughts.  I find myself searching Zillow and Craigslist for pet-friendly apartments in areas I know nothing about.  But that’s the reality of our ultra-gratifying careers.  It’s worth it- all of it.  We met in this field, and we are just as in love with finding career happiness as we are relationship happiness.  Just as everyone tells us – “It’s all going to work out”. 

What is the Job Search Doing For You?

Kevin Wright 

Lewis & Clark College

As I navigate through the job search process, I have witnessed many colleagues show their worry or concerns.  Questions like “What if I don’t get an interview?”, “How do I show them I’m qualified?”, “What if they don’t like me?”, and so on.  However, I fortunately don’t find myself asking these questions.  Instead, I’m asking myself on a daily basis what this search is doing for me based on what I’m looking for in an institution. 

Professional Development

I’ve seen plenty of jobs that I would like to have.  However, I’ve noticed two kinds of jobs: jobs that are meant to make you grow and jobs that are meant for you to simply do a job.  Yes, I’m job searching like the rest of my colleagues, but if I see a job where I don’t believe I would grow or learn from that position, my time will not be wasted applying.  I’ve got goals and dreams just like everyone else and I want to make sure I’m part of a community where that can be acknowledged.

The Final Degree

When considering a job, one of the things I research about the institution is whether or not I could possibly earn a doctorate there.  I am always learning, both inside and outside of the classroom, and I want to ensure that my academic and professional endeavors are not too distanced from each other.  If I can build a career and earn a doctorate later on in life at one institution, I’m going to take advantage of it.

Likeability

I’ve already come to terms about the reality that there will be some institutions that will feel I am not the best option to serve in a specific position; they may not find a connection with me at their institution.  However, before even getting to that part of the search process, I take the time to ask myself “Why do I like them?”, “Do their values align with mine?”, “Are they the ideal institution for me?”  Regardless of name, reputation, location, I make sure the proper amount of time is taken to consider the “why” of my actions.  When you apply for a job, make sure you fully understand why you’re applying for it.  Is it because you truly believe it’s the ideal institution and job for you?  Or are you just applying to see what happens?  And is that okay with you?

Everyone knows it’s job search season.  Everyone knows people are looking for jobs, and everyone knows this is all part of the process.  I have heard many negative comments and perspectives about the job search process, which is why I chose to change the narrative and develop a different perspective.  My perspective is that I need to accept the institution before I give them the option to accept me in return.  To anyone taking the time reading this, you have something to offer, you have a contribution to give, and you have a difference to make.  Do what you can to make this search enjoyable for yourself. It would be a shame to get the job of your dreams at the institution of your nightmares.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

 

Monica Schnapp

University of San Diego

Dear Future SA Graduate Students,

            Welcome to the road to higher ed! It will be filled with bumps and bruises and it may not always go the way you expect, but it will most definitely be some of the best years of your life! The road to graduate school can take many different routes.  For me, it began when I was a junior in college and decided that I wanted to pursue Higher Education.  I was a single-subject English Education credential candidate and I started to realize that while I loved teaching and seeing students learn, I had a passion for the learning that occurs outside of the classroom as well.  So, I started to really consider going to graduate school and studying Student Affairs.  

            My undergraduate campus has a wonderful Student Affairs M.A. program and I knew many of the graduate students in the program because of their graduate assistantships (many of them advised areas of campus that I was involved in).  So, to me, it seemed natural that I would just stay at my university and pursue my masters degree.  

            Fast-forward to my senior year.  I applied and was accepted to my university, but after going through the interview process for graduate assistantships, I was not offered a position.  When I first found out that I didn’t receive a position I was devastated, I immediately went into “fix-it” mode and tried to come up with any options I could to make it work. 

            After weeks of trying to “make it work”, I had a revelation.  I was trying to find a way to stay at a university that had said no to me.  They had given me an out.  This is where I learned a very important lesson that rings true throughout my entire graduate school process! “The right program wants you!”

            So, a week before I graduated college I made the choice to take a year off and find a program that I really wanted and that really wanted me.  I moved back home and worked three different jobs for the year, one within the Student Affairs community, and applied to graduate programs in Washington, Arizona and California.  I was accepted to all three of the programs I applied to. After my interview with University of San Diego, I received an e-mail saying that I had not been offered a graduate assistantship.  That was fine, I decided to focus my attention on the other two programs.  One program told me they were still deciding on positions but I hadn’t been chosen in the first round.  A week later, the Asst. Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life at USD called me and asked if she could interview me over the phone.  Two days later, I accepted my current position! “The right program wants you!” 

            If I could give anyone applying to Student Affairs programs advice it would be to keep steadfast to your values and not be afraid to go off the “normal” path.  I never would have imagined I would take a year off, but I can honestly say now that it was the best decision for me.  Also, remember how valuable you are.  There is a place for you at a university that will honor and treasure the valuable skills you possess.  Don’t settle for something that feels comfortable.  Take a risk and see where you end up!

Embracing Your Inner Superhero- SA Search

Jack Nesmith

Rider University 

As I enter my last semester of graduate school, the path to starting the next step of my Student Affairs path during my SA search. This semester, I am very excited and nervous to prepare for my search and the next steps of my goals to become a successful Student Affairs professional. During my winter break, I spent hours and made a timeline of goals and agendas towards working on my resume, planners, and ideas for positions that I am interested in during my last semester of graduate school. With all of the planning, directing, and goal setting that I worked out, one of the biggest goals I made was to enjoy the experience. Even with the stress of the unknown, it is important to take some time to reflect on my journey. One of the ways that I want to stay motivated for the SA Search process is connected to something I love… Superheroes. Marvel, D.C., and other hero genres have helped with my passions towards my goals in relation to Student Affairs and finding my best fit for the search process. Looking up to their experiences with success, hardships, and values have related toward my development as a leader and a graduate student preparing for this search journey. A hero that is my favorite is Captain America because he always believes in doing the right thing and helping others succeed as a democratic leader. I wanted to write this blog to provide some tips to graduate students that are going through the SA Search process on how to stay motivated and excited for your opportunities for success.

“Stand By Your Vision”- What I love about Captain America is his vision for success despite how many people may not agree or see his ideas to be successful.  He will stand by his path and embrace his decisions. During this final semester of graduate school, I am going to stand by my goals towards my search and accept the path that I hope to set for myself. While preparing for interviews, going to conferences, and setting up my professional experience, I want to make sure all of my experience is helping me grow and stay positive. Even with a long list of tasks to complete and focusing on my academic and personal experience, I plan to walk in with confidence and believe that the right opportunity for success will be out there for me.

“Research Your Next Step”- As a leader and solider, Captain America has to plan his goals and outline for success on ways to help his team complete missions and understand who is on his side to help. During this search, I want to research schools, positions, and opportunities for growth in all the positions that I apply for. I want to make sure I am honest and ask myself questions such as “How can I apply my skills to this position?” “What will be my experience to help grow as a professional?” and “ What will be some of my goals during this process?”

“Never Let Comparison’s Take Away Your Success”- On a team of superheroes, it can be easy for someone like Captain America to become down if he compared himself to heroes that are stronger, have more powers, and are seen in a higher light. Despite being a super solider, he is limited by some abilities such as mental powers, flying, and other stronger heroes on his team but, he uses his skills to stay strong and become a respected leader by his peers and friends. During this process, it is important to know that your path to success will be different from others and that is ok. You are still awesome and will have success on a path that works for you as timing, positions, and experience for everyone during this time will be different. Be ok with the unknown and the timing of your experience as you will find the best fit for “yourself”

“Remember Your Team Will Help You Achieve Your Goal”- Even the best leaders need a team of people to support them when life gets hard. Superheroes like Captain America had the Avengers to support him while saving the world, Peggy Carter to believe in him as he develops into the legend he is today, and his best friend Bucky Barnes to keep him focused and positive during times of dangers. For me, my support system of my family, friends, and mentors have been in my corner when times get hard or stress gets me down. As a take some steps towards some big moves, it can be a little scary as a huge over-planner towards my future. Despite how unknown the future may be, I am reminded that my Support System will always be by my side as my team to build me up when I need them at my side.

I want to wish everyone the best during their SA Search and remember that you will be success and that your path of success will be different from others. Keep going towards your goals and seeing the light of your success.