Our hiring problem


The number of positions I applied to:
6 in 2014 (was offered a new position in the beginning of March)
27 in 2013
11 in 2012
22 in 2011
I was granted 6 interviews in total (11% of the jobs I applied to).

States where I applied includes: NY, NC, IN, TX, IL, FL, virtual/work from home, and VA.

I applied to positions that included: Admissions counselor/advisor, academic advising, campus activities, retention, HEOP, veterans services, internship advising, program coordinator, orientation and first year programs, financial aid, tutoring coordinator, staff assistant, and office manager.

The six interviews were for: two part-time positions (2011), 1 interim position (2011), 1 staff assistant position (2011), 1 veterans services coordinator (2014), and 1 office manager (2014). I was offered: 1 part-time position, the staff assistant position, and the office manager position (where I am now).

My experiences include: over 2 years in higher education, studying abroad, MS in Higher Education/Student Affairs, BA in Political Science, Master’s thesis on veterans in higher ed, working with prospective students and faculty, scheduling for multiple people, hiring and training student employees, training and working in a new SIS, maintaining records, event planning and management, office management, collaborating with faculty, academic advisors, and administration, assisting with orientation and commencement, being an RA, sitting on campus-wide and college-wide committees, building databases, and creating and cultivating a web presence.

So, yes. I think we have a hiring problem in higher ed and student affairs. I think it’s fair that our professionals look elsewhere. I think TPE is a big rip off (both for time and money) and I will not use it next time unless there are stats of actual placement of those who used it. There is no shame in leaving the profession, because the work and experiences we have can be utilized outside of higher ed and we can still do good (but with better pay). If we continue to shame those leaving for a different field and entering from a different field, our field will suffer.

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