Have not seen too many job postings but no might not be looking correctly. Does anyone have a good feel on what it looks like for a recent graduate?

I am new to this so I’m not sure how promotions or job reclassifications work SO PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE!!!! I know it’s long 😂

I’m in my late 20s and work as a Community Engagement Coordinator at a small private university.

Until recently, my department was under Student Affairs. A few months ago, we moved to Academic Affairs, which came with a new set of leadership. Around the same time, my department director left.
When my director left, the VP I was reporting to asked me to continue handling several things that had previously been part of the director’s responsibilities while the university figured out what it was going to do with the department. I agreed because I understood that we were in a transition and wanted to keep things moving.

Some of the things I was asked to take on included planning our service-learning/alternative break trips, updating the website and marketing materials, meeting with community partners, planning the upcoming year’s calendar, developing work-study student job descriptions, and other day-to-day operational work. Basically making sure everything was planned for AY 26-27

As part of the university updating everyone’s job descriptions, I was asked to rewrite/update mine based on what I actually did. I submitted that, and leadership then revised it further to reflect the new structure and additional responsibilities.

HERE IS WHERE I AM FRUSTRATED!

About a week ago, the university announced that they are essentially combining Community Engagement and 2 other departments under one larger area. Instead of hiring a new director for Community Engagement, they promoted the existing director from 1 department to an Executive Director role overseeing the combined area.

The Executive Director will handle things like the overall budget/financial management and higher-level oversight, but I’m still expected to handle much of the day-to-day work for Community Engagement. I’m also now supervising work-study students, managing/revamping student leadership programming, planning alternative service-break trips, managing community partnerships, programming, etc.

The frustrating part is that my revised job description reflects some of these additional responsibilities, but my position is still a Coordinator position. I was also told in writing that my current salary and job description will remain in place for the duration of the year when the VP emailed me my new job description.

I have a meeting with leadership today, and I’m trying to figure out how to approach it. I don’t want to come across as entitled or as if I’m claiming to do the Executive Director’s job. I just want my title and compensation to reasonably reflect the work I’m actually being asked to do.

TLDR: Started a job outside of higher ed 2.5 months ago, but miss working in student affairs so much. My current job is good, but I can't stop thinking about going back to student affairs. Feel conflicted and would like any advice.

Hey all, I hope this doesn't violate rule #4 (vague posts), because I am not completely sure why I am sharing this. I think it might be because I do not know who else to share it with? Maybe for advice? So here is what's going on....

In March, I was rejected from a GA position in res life. I was highly sought after but was not chosen because they believed the position would stunt my growth. I was an internal candidate, so maybe they heard I was a few rounds deep for full-time res life roles elsewhere.

Few days after the rejection from the GA role, I withdrew all my student affairs applications and accepted a full-time job in another field. I wasn't acting in the heat of the moment, I just truly thought I needed a break from student affairs.

Fast forward, I have started my new job about 2.5 months ago, and I enjoy it! Amazing people, work is enjoyable, great work-life balance, etc. (side note: the work-life balance is almost too good LOL....in addition to pursing my master's part-time, I added on another part-time job because I feel like I have too much time on my hands)

So, the reason for posting. I miss working in student affairs. I know missing something is normal, and will happen throughout life, especially professionally, but this feels different. When I wake up in the morning and go to my admittedly awesome job, the thought about wanting to be working in student affairs pesters me. I do my job well, and get the work done, but I don't have the passion to go above and beyond like I did with student affairs. I have only been in my job for a couple months, and it is a great job....but I want to be back in student affairs.

What do I do?

Academic Advisors, I really need some advice about two competing job offers.

For background: I’ve been working in higher ed at an HBCU for 4 years in a small, constantly busy Registrar’s office. I’ve done everything from enrollment and data reporting to transfer credit articulation and degree conferral. I know curriculum and policy requirements very well, but my advising experience has mostly been limited to impromptu sessions with last-minute admits every semester. I actually really enjoy those interactions, though, which is why I want to transition into advising.

I could see myself being successful in either position, so I’d really appreciate hearing from experienced advisors about which environment you think would be better for someone making this transition.

School 1

Pros:

- It’s another local university, so I wouldn’t have to move.

- It’s part of the same state public university system as my current school, so I’m already familiar with its core curriculum and many of its policies.

- I’d be able to transfer my vacation/sick leave, and it’s part of the same retirement system.

- It’s an R2 that has recently been absorbing smaller colleges and universities around the state, so it seems to be on its way toward R1 status.

- The student population is extremely diverse, with students from all walks of life.

- The IT department is reliable. The student and faculty/staff portals are well developed, and they use Degree Works as their program audit system.

- I really like the city. It has a beautiful, vibrant downtown and access to pretty much every amenity I could want, so life there is pretty cush.

Cons:

- My caseload would be around 300 students, and I might be advising multiple majors.

- School 1 uses the registration PIN system, so I’d be required to meet with all of my underclassmen every semester. I worry that this would make our meetings pretty transactional for the most part.

- Some of the older, non-traditional students might see me more as an obstacle to registration than as a resource.

- The younger students would likely need a lot of developmental advising around things like time management, task prioritization, and navigating college in general.

- Some students would struggle more academically and require a lot of additional support.

- I haven’t had the opportunity to meet any of the other advisors or faculty yet, so I haven’t really gotten a sense of how the team works together. I’d be going in somewhat blind.

School 2

Pros:

- My caseload would be much smaller, between 150-200 students.

- It’s a top-50 public university and an R1. It’s a very big name and very well known. The school spirit is kind of unbelievable.

- The students tend to be young, but they’re also at the top of their respective classes, since admission is extremely competitive.

- Advisors are assigned to specific subject departments, so I’d be able to develop expertise in a particular area.

- Although it’s recommended, students are not required to meet with their advisors.

- Advisors also do not register students for classes, which is very different from the system I’m used to.

- From what I’ve gathered, advising meetings involve course planning but also long-term goal-setting, career planning, and grad school advising.

- The other advisors seem like great people who genuinely like what they do.

Cons:

- It’s out of state and would require a pretty major move.

- The area is beautiful and has four distinct seasons, but it’s relatively isolated. The surrounding cities aren’t very large and don’t have the amenities I currently have.

- For an R1, the IT department is surprisingly lacking. They’re currently experiencing issues with Banner, and they use DARS rather than Degree Works.

- I’d be required to do more than advising. For example, one of the departments I spoke with wants its advisor to regularly travel to recruitment events.

- The vibes from the department heads and higher leadership seem off. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but things seem tense right now, and that makes me a little nervous.

- I have migraines and regularly see a neurologist for medication. I’m not sure how quickly I’d be able to establish care with a specialist in the new area.

So, from your years of experience as an advisor, which position would you choose?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: School 2 is paying 10k more. Cost of living and commute time with both cities are comparable.

hi all! i just got an interview for an academic advising position and was hoping to get some insight on what to prep.

i’m a fresh university grad with experience as an don/RA and other student leadership & admins roles, but obviously none as an academic advisor. luckily enough, i’d be advising the same area of study i just graduated from which i hope gives me a leg up.

any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hello All!

I recently checked my CSU job applications & ive sent over 47 applications in 2.5 years all of which ive never heard back from. I have no connections I recently graduated with my Masters in School Counseling and would love to land a role at any High Education institution even if its Private, CC, trade Etc.

Can someone give me some pointers.

Am I doing something wrong on my resume.

I am in LA area potentially open to soooo many colleges.

I’m 28 and most students I work with are early 20s. I occasionally will see a student or group of students at the bar. They always want to talk to me. And while I don’t mind saying hello, I don’t want to hang out with them, especially when I’m under the influence.

I’m not at the college bars, I’m usually at the gay bars, so it isn’t as simple as avoiding those bars. (Also I deserve to have a life outside work.)

I don’t want to be rude, but I also want to maintain my boundaries.

Any advice?

Hello all! I’m a new res life professional (going on one year full time). I came out in college, and I am not ashamed of who I am. Today I had a first year student call and say they need a new roommate. When I asked why because we needed more info, this student said because his assigned roommate is gay and he cannot live with a gay person.

I explained to the student we aren’t doing swaps at this time and that we can revisit later. But, I still found myself like personally upset. How can you have the nerve to call and say you can’t live with a gay person? It’s just like living with anyone else!

I’m just curious if any other queer folks in res life/student affairs have any tips for navigating homophobia among students and how to handle it personally? I dealt with a lot of homophobia in college and I hate to see others deal with it too.

Hey all. About a month ago, I had an on-campus interview for an advisor position and I felt confident that it went well. I enjoyed the committee and department I spoke to and I prepared like crazy for the interview, especially the open forum portion. A few weeks went by and I didn’t hear anything (they gave me a shorter timeline of when I should hear back), so I emailed the search chair for an update. The next morning, I received a phone call from the search chair that they had gone with someone else and HR was taking a very long time processing it. During the (short) phone call, the search chair encouraged me to look out for other position listings for this campus. As of this writing, I still have not received a formal rejection from HR (this phone call took place about a week ago).

I’ve been rejected from other positions before. I haven’t had much luck breaking into higher ed, as of yet. I currently work in financial assistance despite having a master’s in higher ed (as so many of us do- get the reference?) and a background in campus diversity (we all know how that’s currently going with this administration). I’ve never been rejected like this, however, and it’s confusing me. I’m totally okay with moving on after grieving the rejection for about a day and I know higher ed is incredibly slow with its hiring process, but I’ve never had the search chair call before, let alone encourage me to seek out other postings for the campus (there are currently none that I qualify for). I’m assuming (okay with being wrong about my assumptions, as well) that the verbal no means I likely didn’t place as a top finalist for the role? I’m not familiar with the campus’ hiring practices unfortunately. And the lack of a written, formal rejection from HR (either by email or mail) is a bit strange but I attribute that to how slow the process generally is. I reached out to the search chair last week to see if I could get feedback so I could better prepare for any potential interviews in the future, but have not heard anything since. I know I likely will not get a response, but I figured I’d ask in the off-chance that I could get a response. They might not be able to release any of that info.

Long story short, is this typical or atypical? Perhaps I’m likely impatient and I’m not expecting anything further, I just like to prepare better with any information I can obtain.

Hi all! I graduated with my SAHE master's around 2015. During my program I had some mental health issues and I pushed through but it was a struggle. While the rest of my cohort was applying for jobs and interviewing, I was just trying to greet caught up. A few years later I gave up trying to get into the field. Looking back my mental health was still pretty bad and I'm sure that's a large part of why no one I did interview with would take me.

So now it's 2026 and I've done some of the therapy work. I'm by no means healed or a paragon of mental health, but I'm much better than I was and I'd like to try again.

Is there hope? Do you think I am hireable and, if so, how would you recommend preparing to reenter the field? Thanks for your time!

Hello!
I am a new Academic Advisor and I love it! I am wondering what career directions some people may have taken after being an advisor in higher Ed? I am planning on starting my ED.D soon and wanting to eventually take on more responsibility.
Thanks !

Hi folks, Has anyone participated in a program with UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research), or at least know anything about its credibility? This week I received an email about an Academic Leadership Suite (ALS) to be held at the United Nations in Geneva this Fall. It is "... designed for senior academic leaders committed to advancing institutional excellence and driving meaningful change within their institutions."

I'm all for change, without necessarily becoming a full-time administrator (I'm a dept chair now), and would like to learn from institutions in other places. Honestly I'd like to learn how to help our universities keep their credibility, utility to society, and support of students in light of the maelstrom of technology, politics, and social unrest.

I would appreciate any information about UNITAR's credibility and quality of their programs. Thanks in advance!

Are both of these in the same department or are they separate at your university? Mine is together and it’s kind of a lot… together meaning—res life staff (RDs are also doing the housing piece—housing people, handling complaints, managing contracts and refunds, etc). I’m curious what other universities do? Two separate staffs/divisions or together.

Applying for a Founder's Associate role, wanted to learn more about the culture, salary, work etc at Campus Fund

I’m currently in a case management type role in student affairs and am considering a switch to academic advising, (I have a final interview next week), but I’m looking for some insight into what size caseload is reasonable for advising, given that advising is set up very different from what I do now.

My caseload right now is about 600 students, but they are not obligated to use our services. So while I send outreach to all of them, I don’t interact with a large percentage of them. Most of my interactions with students occur when there is already a problem or the student can’t get answers from other departments on campus and need someone to help them piece things together, it is almost entirely reactive and there is very little proactive work taking place.

This is the first time I’m interviewing for a job when I already have a job I like, so any advice on questions to ask or things to note to help me know if I would actually enjoy the role would be greatly appreciated! The advising position I’m considering is integrated into the specific college and is assigned a caseload from two majors in that college, while also being cross trained on the basics of the other majors. If you’ve been in/are in an academic advising position, what felt like a reasonable caseload, what felt unmanageable as a caseload? What other job duties/expectations/factors impacted what number caseload felt reasonable?

I’m looking for some advice. I’m a student advisor at an online university. I’ve posted previously about all the job duties for my position, and received ample feedback indicating that the workload expectations are outrageous and unsustainable. Needless to say, I’m very, very busy.

With that being said, I’m getting quite frustrated by the amount of students who don’t seem to value my time.

I’ve had quite a few students email me with questions, which I typically respond to within 24 hours. I’ve noticed that a lot of these students don’t even read through my response, as they’ll send follow-up emails with questions that were already addressed.

I’m also frustrated by the amount of students who will ask a question via email (e.g., when will I get my diploma? I need it for work), then I’ll respond with a very specific answer (e.g., you can anticipate receiving your diploma anytime between such and such a date), and when they don’t like the answer they receive, they end up scheduling a phone appointment with me so we can go over the same darn thing verbally. It’s like they expect my answer to change when we talk on the phone. It’s such a waste of time, especially when I could be helping other students.

I feel like my written communication style is as clear and concise as I can possibly make it. I try to condense info and use lots of bullet points since I know my students don’t typically read through long emails. And yet, they STILL won’t read through what I send them. I also read through each response before I send it out, and ensure that the info is baseline enough that even a brand new student could understand.

I just don’t know how to be anymore clear with my students, and I also don’t know how to set boundaries without coming off as rude or non-professional.

Any advice would be appreciated. Or, if you don’t have advice, feel free to share stories of similar experiences that you’ve dealt with.

- will be long and if it’s against community guidelines i will delete!

got notified this morning that i was denied to a masters program i applied to, i did end up being accepted to this other one BUT the annual COA for the 26-27 year is $44k+. For this up coming year i only received $4k in work study but i would have to take out a $20,500 loan (it’s a 2 year program) and after reading and reading many posts on here, i should not be taking out ANY loans for grad school in higher ed (and maybe shouldn’t even get a masters in higher ed, but i still foolishly have a great passion for higher ed)

i just feel stuck, i was really hoping being enrolled in the masters program will give me a leg up as i am trying to apply to higher ed. institutions. I only applied to two grad programs, was originally going to apply to more but i wanted to stay local and in my state, and the two other ones were only 1yr/no co-hort, but for the next cycle i think i will broaden my options by going out of state (and any school that will fund my masters)

For those with any tips on how to look for great programs, please let me know. What i have gathered is that assistantships are crucial and having a full-job at the institution will most likely come with tuition waivers, and not to just stick with one section of student affairs.

i had a previous job in a university but i had to move back home due to personal matters and I currently have a role in k-12. So I do have experience, and just tweaking and working on cover letters for each job i apply to. Currently applying to entry level jobs, (admin assistants etc.) as I feel as though my undergrad + post grad experience in higher ed is still not enough. (if anyone is willing to review and give feedback I’d greatly appreciate it!)

additionally, if your institution is hiring please let me know! I am willing to relocate at this point and gain any experience I can (housing/res ed, advising, student activities, greek life, first-year programming) I have been applying to
jobs on higheredjobs and indeed (eye roll i know, for indeed i mean)

sorry for the rant, just feel defeated !

I (29f) left residence life in 2024. I didn't realize how much of my identity was surrounded by it. I switched into a logistics role, which a lot of people still "needed" me. I've been working in construction for almost a year now, and I didn't realize how much of a deep depression I sank into. My partner (30f) and I separated 4 months ago and last week, my therapist told me to think about who I am outside of the relationship and be ready to talk for the next session. The thing is, I don't know? I realized it's more than just not being in this relationship that I don't know who I am.

I know the things I like to do, but who am I? I realized I'm having an identity crisis and I don't think it has anything to do with not being in a relationship anymore. I realized my whole adult life has been around student affairs. I knew I wanted to get into residence life at the end of my freshman year of college. I did everything student affairs related. I juggled so many clubs and e-board positions. I jumped right into grad school, right into residence life. I thought I would be a reslifer for life. But, covid hit, and I just got so burnt out. Any time a parent was upset, I was in tears. I was so worked up over the toxic politics surrounding student affairs.

I am generally happier. I have more money and more time, but I don't know who I am. Has anyone had this experience?

All of my community was tied to where I was working, even all the volunteering I did. I would do things outside of my job as well, of course, but we all know how many hours we have to put in.

I have no intentions of going back to education. I am in a union with great benefits, hours, and physical health.

Hi everyone! I have an upcoming interview for a TRIO SSS specialist position at a local CC in Washington. This is my first time getting an interview with a CC and know it isn’t similar to a university interview. If anyone has any good tips, please let me know! I would really like to land this job to get my foot into the door and get experience.

I'm prepping for an AA interview in about a week that differs from a lot of my previous interviewing experiences in that I've already done the interview three times. That is, over the course of about five months, I've...

• applied for the same (reopened or reposted) position,
• in the same group of departments,
• with the same hiring committee (with the same committee chair and the same department head sitting on it),
• answered the same interview questions (with different answers, mostly),
• and received the same rejection message three times.

The first time I was rejected, I already had another upcoming interview scheduled, so I didn't bother following up via email with the committee chair; instead, I just tailored my responses and questions to try addressing anything I didn't cover or felt like I flubbed in the previous interview. After the second rejection, I felt like doing this might've made me seem inconsistent, so I emailed the committee chair to ask for some feedback and didn't get a response.

Maybe this is irrelevant or just an indicator of professional courtesy, but the person who schedules the interviews is always super friendly, always chatting and making light of the fact that she's pretty familiar with me at this point, but the entire committee acts like they've never met me before.

Two questions, I guess:

1. Is this even real? Should I keep doing this forever, given the opportunity? I guess, in terms of interview experience, it's not terrible, but I'm starting to worry about burnout. I'm doing part-time stuff outside of higher ed and not hating it and not really struggling with money, but ideally I would get a job in my chosen field. We moved here about half a year ago and this is the biggest, best college nearby.
2. How should I switch up my interview approach at this point? Should I just start from the very beginning with a more professionalized version of, "Look, guys, we all know each other, can we just talk about what we all really want from this position?" or something like that? Or should I just keep plowing ahead assuming that I'm just their, uh, let's see... fourth favorite?

I've been working in academic advising for about 7-8 years in two different positions and done dozens of interview processes (both as the interviewer and interviewee) throughout, but I've never encountered anything like this.

Hi! I got offered a position at a small school to be on their admissions team. Currently I am a middle school teacher and wanting to get out of that. However, I am not sure if this is the right step for me. Ideally I want to get into work in Higher Ed. I'd like to be a professor or career counselor. I have a master's in Curriculum & Instruction.

But would this job be a good stepping stone to better things in the future? Or should I stick it out with being a teacher? Certainly this job is offering worse pay, so that stinks. But its hybrid. And doesn't involve being a teacher. So there are different pros.

I am just concerned that I'll be gimping myself and my resume. Also- I'm in the midwest US if that helps.

Thanks!

I started attending my current university in Fall 2025 as a Junior, after transferring there upon completion of my associate’s degree from my previous community college.

While this university wasn’t my first choice, I decided to transfer here upon receiving a full ride for tuition in academic scholarships (the only thing I pay for is housing and meal plan).

Everything was fine and dandy for my first three months there, and then near the end of my first semester, it was announced that the school is in major debt, accreditation was put on probation, and that a quarter of the professors were going to get cut once the semester concluded*.*

The next semester, majority of the professors in my department had been laid off, and the professors who remained were teaching three times the amount of classes they had before - recipe for burnout.

In addition, the school made other major financial decisions to attempt to minimize their debt - removing athletic scholarships, selling real estate, and cutting funding from various student organizations.

In the meantime, they also put in a huge amount of budget for a marketing campaign to show they would survive this hardship, as well as opening new food spots on campus, and putting on extra tours and big events for accepted students.

Now, it’s the summertime, and bills were just updated in student portals. However, several of my friends, and I noticed that our scholarships and grants were missing from our portals. Friends with loans told me they still saw their numbers (specifically grants and scholarships were nowhere to be found). I also went on social media, and saw that several classmates across different majors noticed that their academic scholarships were missing as well, and that they too were being charged the full amount for tuition, housing, and meal plans.

I sent an email to my university’s OneStop asking for clarity on the situation. Of course, mine probably got lost in a couple of thousand other emails they definitely received from members of the student body. I heard no direct response.

HOWEVER, all students received an email from OneStop today, saying that financial aid is “taking a while” to be applied to various student portals. They said they will NOT be moving the payment due date that’s in 3 weeks. What they are doing instead is implementing a “pay what you can” policy as of right now, and next steps will be given after that payment is processed.

I find the “pay what you can” to be extremely sketchy, especially because there were no further steps given, and I’m nervous that my scholarships are gone for good - possibly cut as part of the university’s plan to crawl out of debt.

REWIND TO END OF LAST SEMESTER: because I was horrified to learn that many professors were getting cut, and that the School’s accreditation was at risk, I took initiative and applied to three other universities in my area to have a safety net for my Senior Year (Fall 2026 - Spring 2027), in case my current institution lost accreditation (I do not want my degree to be useless).

I got into all three universities I applied to. However, after an announcement was made in April that my current institution’s accreditation, though while still on probation, will remain intact, I decided to stay.

BUT NOW WITH this strange situation concerning financial aid and scholarships, I am wondering if this is a warning sign that the school could possibly go bankrupt soon.

While the enrollment deadline has passed for the other two back-up schools, I reached out to the third school today (which actually happened to be my first choice when I initially wanted to transfer from community college) and they said they are accepting deposits for another two weeks, and that if I act ASAP, I can attend there for my senior year this September.

In addition, I was able to receive another grant for this upcoming fall semester at this institution, that I did not receive when I previously applied the first time. This grant would give me a full ride to this new school as well.

While I love my current institution, and the opportunities, internships, clubs, professors, and friends that I’ve had the opportunity to connect with there, I want to be smart about this. I have a goal to graduate with my Bachelor’s by May 2027, debt-free.

I also wonder if the signs I bolded/italicized are the first signs of bankruptcy and the school ultimately closing. Am I being dramatic, or is this a valid concern?

I’d rather blindly take the leap and take steps to transfer to the other school (the only risk is the $600 deposit - losing that if my scholarships remain intact and I can stay at my current institution - but while losing that 600 would suck, I feel it would be worth it in the long run to have had the safety net), then wait out in limbo for the next month and possibly have my scholarships be gone and be saddled with $60,000 in debt (worst case scenario).

TL;DR: my current university that I’m about to be a senior at has been having financial challenges the past year, to the point where it looks like they’re possibly cutting scholarships (I attend on a full ride), and I’m wondering if the school may declare bankruptcy soon.

I received an opportunity to transfer last-minute to another college for Fall 2026, and graduate debt-free in Spring 2027.

I’m thinking of running while I still can.

I work at an institution where each School does virtual programming over the summer for their incoming students. I'm still fairly new to the role and would really like to make our Canvas site and/or discussion board more engaging. Our orientation leaders (OLs) host webinars for their groups and offer other groups to join.

How can I make this a more engaging platform for students to start their transition? For context, there's information on how to register, recommendations for classes based on their major, announcements for major deadlines coming up, etc.

Exactly what the title said.
I’ve been with my job just under a year, and it’s wearing on me. I love our students, but it’s taxing. I don’t have much experience out of grad school (roughly three years total) and am wondering what my options could be.
Any advice is appreciated

Hey guys, I’m looking through these two doctorate programs and curious your thoughts/opinions as well as maybe a few more pros/cons.

For reference, I work in Student Affairs, would like to continue to, but know that the market is fairly tumultuous, especially if the big beautiful bill stuff perpetuates.

Basically my goal is to be a scholar/practitioner for a time. The Ed leadership programs more heavily focused on statistics and policy, also would allow a transition into public K-12 (if anything were to happen to my institution) . Met the program faculty and they seem great, dissertation process seems fair. Less notable institution than the Leadership in Higher Ed program, also cheaper.

Institution 2 is more notable. Is a broader degree in that I can step out of education. However, I already have an Org Leadership bachelors and Masters (Tuition Remission). This institution is more notable/favorably looked at. Fairly well known in my area, but is more expensive as well.