25 Steps for a Successful Conference Job...
Transcript of 25 Steps for a Successful Conference Job...
1. As with any job search define your values, interests, skills and abilities. 2. Know what you want in a job (location, small, large, public or private). (residence life, counseling, student activities, career development, etc.). 3. Have realistic expectations, the convention is for job leads and making contacts with other professionals. 4. Have an error free resume and application materials. 5. Be prepared to discuss goals, skills and abilities in an interview. Support your discussions with examples. Have samples to share. 6. Do research on the institutions and the positions. Make use of the Candidate
Resource area if offered, also take advantage of networking opportunities throughout the conference. 7. Talk to colleagues about opportunities. Stay in contact with faculty and professionals you're your institution. They may have the contacts. Networking is key! 8. Expect a great number of candidates will participate. 9. Have plenty of resumes, a stapler, note pad, pens and pencils on hand. Correspond frequently through the Message Center/email/etc. 10. Set up a sensible schedule of interviews and keep an accurate calendar of dates, times and locations of each. More does not always imply greater success.
11. Schedule some time between interviews. Be prepared for over-runs. 12. Interviews generally are 30 minutes in length. Be brief yet thorough. Make no assumptions that you are with an experienced interviewer. Be prepared to take the lead. 13. Try to keep notes on the positions you’ve interviewed for. Names, position descriptions, brochures and catalogues are always helpful for future reference. Ask for supporting materials, business cards etc... 14. Make conscious decisions about attending socials and receptions. Continue on pg. 4
25 Steps for a Successful Conference Job Search
The transition from graduate school to a full-time position in student affairs can be filled with both opportunities and challenges. In order to be successful, new professionals must understand the organizational and political realities of working on college and university campuses. Beginning Your Journey: A Guide for New Professionals in Student Affairs addresses the most
SPRING 2010 Page 1
Graduate Student
Network Co-Chairs
Sally G. Parish
Jeni Watanabe
Graduate Students take a break
at NODAC 2009 in Anaheim, CA
Left to right: Joey Smith, Sam
Nublit, Ana Maria Barrera, Caleb
Cash and Christine Cullen.
NODAC Graduate Student Net-
work Activities included a gradu-
ate symposium, the GSN meet-
ing, a resume critique, and a case
study competition.
critical and current issues for those entering the field.
In this comprehensive guide, seasoned student affairs leaders and new professionals
share practical advice and offer broad perspectives on: Managing the first job search and networking professionally; Seeking opportunities for career
advancement; Supervising student affairs staff; Achieving work–life balance; Defining professional and personal ethics; Collaborating with faculty colleagues; and Handling critical incidents and larger crises. Whether you are moving into student affairs from a graduate preparation program or making a career change, this book shows you how to navigate and negotiate within the higher education landscape.
Beginning Your Journey...
Congratulations NODAC 2010 Case Study Competition
Winners!
Best Overall Drew Shelburne, Cal Poly SLO
Bianca Martinez, Univ of Texas, El Paso
Best Communication Christine Cullen,
Florida State University
Sam Noblet, Eastern Illinois University
Best Problem Solving
Brooke Sibley, Texas A&M University
Catie McCoy,
University of Georgia
Graduate Student Network
Spring 2010 Newsletter
Page 2 SPRING 2010
This past year I
was fortunate to
complete a
national search
for graduate
programs and
interview for
assistantships in
Student Affairs. After each interview, I
imagined myself in that assistantship
and what it meant for my professional
development, I kept returning to
programs for first-year students. In
March 2009 I was accepted to Oregon
State University’s College Student
Services Administration program and
offered an assistantship in New Student
Programs & Family Outreach, support-
ing orientation efforts. I was thrilled to
start my assistantship, but had a limited
Orientation background. In April, I
visited Jeni Watanabe at Cal Poly
Pomona to learn more about NODA
and how I can prepare myself for a
career in Orientation. She suggested
that I utilize the upcoming summer to
visit orientations throughout the greater
Los Angeles area, where I was
spending my summer with family. I ran
with her idea and sent email requests to
preview programs at large 4-year public
institutions, commuter campuses and
private 4-year colleges. Ultimately, I
visited 5 universities varying in size,
demographics and university goals.
From this experience, I learned that
orientation programs are unique to the
institution, there are multiple ways to
present similar information, and that
you must look at your student’s needs
and provide resources accordingly.
Although this summer I will be working
full-time at OSU’s START Orientation, I
hope to expand on my knowledge and
preview orientation programs in the
Pacific Northwest. Whether it is an
informational interview or campus visit,
graduate students need to be creative
with educational opportunities and
networking efforts.
Attending NODAC for the first-time can be very
overwhelming for a Graduate Student. From the first day of
the graduate symposium to the closing lunch, there is a lot
to take in. I would love to share with you some of the ad-
vice I wish I would have received before my first NODAC:
♦ Take advantage of everything the graduate sympo-
sium has to offer! In addition to the great information
you will receive during sessions, you will make con-
nections that could last a lifetime. Branch out and meet
grads from other institutions. Bring business cards or
trade contact information so you can stay in touch.
♦ Get to educational sessions as early as possible! The
sessions you think will be the most interesting are
probably the same sessions everyone else will want to
attend. Be prepared with back up sessions to attend if
your first-choice is full. Attending your second or third
choice session is a great opportunity to expand your
interests and learn about something new.
♦ Dress appropriately! NODA is a pretty casual organi-
zation, so do not go out of your way to dress in profes-
sional-wear for the entire conference (you will just be
uncomfortable!). Business casual or jeans and a polo
work just fine for most of the conference, and there is
even a “wear your orientation shirt” day built into the
schedule! But, remember to bring something dressier
to wear to the reception and dinner.
♦ NODACs are held in exciting cities with plenty of social
activities to engage in with your fellow grads and orien-
tation professionals at night. Be mindful of your actions
at these events as you might be in the presence of a
future employer!
For more information on NODAC 2010, visit
http://www.nodac.org/index.php where you will find more
information on speakers, sessions, travel and hotel accom-
modations as well as updates on schedules and graduate
student events! See you November 6-9, 2010 in St. Louis!
Preparing for a Career: My orientation experience prior to grad school By Kim Scatton, Oregon State University
Advice to Graduate Students Attending NODAC 2010 By Christine Cullen, Florida State University
had recently graduated and is now
working in orientation. The new profes-
sional had great tips for approaching the
job search and shared her transition from
being a student to working professional.
The afternoon sessions were divided
between first and second year gradu-
ate students. This was extremely
helpful since the second year topics
related to job search strategies, inter-
view skills, values in the workplace,
and moving from being a student to
life as a working professional. As a
second year, these sessions were in-
credibly beneficial! I recently began
my job search and have been able to
use some of the job search and
interview tips I learned from the
graduate symposium.
Overall, I really enjoyed the Graduate
Symposium and highly recommend
all graduate students to participate
(the 2009 participants are pictured to
the left). The Graduate Symposium is an
easy way to network with other graduate
students and attend sessions that are
geared toward graduate student needs/
issues. See you at the next NODAC!
My name is Marisa Dumpis and I am
currently a second year graduate student
at the University of Southern California
in the Postsecondary Administration &
Student Affairs (PASA) program and will
graduate this May.
Last November, I attended my
first NODA Conference and had
an amazing experience! As an
undergraduate at the University of
California, Santa Barbara
(UCSB), I was involved with
coordinating and planning the
Region VI conference that we
hosted one year. However, my
regional conference experience
was nothing compared to the
annual conference.
NODAC 2009 was a series of
firsts for me (first annual confer-
ence and graduate symposium
participant). I signed up last
minute for the Graduate
Symposium and am so glad that I was
able to participate!
The Graduate Symposium offered a
variety of sessions and opportunities to
meet/connect with other graduate
students.
The morning program consisted of
getting to know the NODA Graduate
Student Network co-chairs and other
graduate students, building effective
relationships with your supervisors &
undergraduate students, the importance of
work/school/life balance, and lunch with
a new professionals. I really enjoyed the
lunch with a new professionals and the
opportunity to speak with someone who
Yes, I had back-up
plans for a lost power
point or faulty com-
puter, but I did not
plan for the large
number of
professionals that
attended the session.
My co-presenter and I
were challenged to
creatively work with
a group larger than
expected. However,
countless
professionals were
extremely
encouraging and supportive following
the presentation which displays what a
great opportunity NODAC is for a
graduate student.
For information on presenting at the
2011 conference, please visit
www. nodac.org.
My first NODAC attendance was a
thrilling and educational experience
that contributed extensively to my
graduate career. A fellow graduate
student and I were selected to present at
the Anaheim conference, and because it
was my first time to present at a
professionals-based conference, a great
deal of time was spent preparing for
our inaugural NODAC presentation.
Though I was anxious prior to the
conference, once I arrived to the
Disneyland Hotel and met the terrific
professionals from across the country
(and Canada, too!), my nerves were
soon put to ease.
To those who are considering submit-
ting a proposal for NODAC 2010, I
encourage you to do so. Ensure that
you and your co-presenter(s) are well-
prepared on your subject matter and
have concrete ideas to present. I also
recommend to expect the unexpected.
A Graduate Student reflects on her Graduate Symposium Experience
A Graduate Student’s Reflection on presenting at NODAC
SPRING 2010 Page 3
By Josh McKenzie, University of South Carolina
Josh Mckenzie pictured above
with friends at NODAC 2010
in Anaheim, CA.
25 Tips Continued from pg. 1 These professional opportunities are also helpful in networking. 15. You never know who you are interviewing with. Be professional and courteous at all times. This is a small profession. Never bad-mouth colleagues or the profession. 16. Relax, show yourself as a person and not as an interviewing machine. 17. Always send a thank you note after the interview no matter what your interest in the position. 18. Take some time for yourself. Get out there and see the conference and what is happening within the profession. Consider volunteering some time at Career Central at Convention or other areas. Network...Network...Network.... 19. If the opportunity presents itself, join a commission, committee, or task force. Get involved. AFTER THE CONFERENCE 20. Send follow-up letters and resumes after the conference for positions that interest you. 21. Don’t stop your job search after the conference. Continue to apply for positions using the Chronicle, newsletters, the web and other sources. The search ends when you accept a position. 22. Be patient yet persistent. Conferences hit at a busy time of year for most schools. Sometimes it takes a while to get on-site interviews coordinated. Don’t be afraid to make calls or write additional interest letters while waiting. 23. When invited to on-site interviews, ask about travel plans and procedures, who will be making arrangements, who pays, how much and when. 24. Be prepared to have a very busy schedule and meet many new people. Always be professional and ethical through your entire job search. 25. Keep your chin up! Reprinted in part from http://convention.myacpa.org/career_central_at_convention/2010_Graduate_Prep_Packet.pdf.
The Graduate Student Network The purpose of the Graduate Student
Network is to foster graduate student
learning and support, as well as to provide
opportunities for professional development amongst
NODA’s graduate student members. This is
accomplished through national and regional programs
that enhance graduate students’ mentor relationships,
networking opportunities, resume development,
presentation experience, and overall
preparation for the transition into the
professional workplace.
GSN Regional
Network Representatives:
Region 1
Kimberly Scatton
Region 2
Kelly Anderson Marisa Dumpis
Ana Maria Barrera Drew Shelburne
Region 4
Molly Eberly
Region 5
Ana Sontag
Region 6
Caleb Cash Christine Cullen
Mickey Howard Josh McKenzie
Matt Skirven Tricia Kennedy
Region 7
Mary Beth Fawcett
Amanda Scott Born
Emily Sankey
RNR openings in
Regions 3, 8 & 9. Interested in getting involved?
Contact us to find out how!
The National Orientation Directors Associa-
tion declares a policy of equal opportunity
and non-discrimination in the provision of
services to the membership and the public. In
recognition of responsibility to the member-
ship, NODA reaffirms its policy of fair and
equal treatment in all practices to all persons
regardless of race, color, age, marital status,
sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex-
ual/affectional orientation, disability, or vet-
eran status. NODA complies with all applica-
ble federal, provincial, and state regulations
regarding affirmative action and nondis-
criminatory practices.
Copyright © 1993 National Orientation Di-
rectors Association.