How'd you get that freaking awesome job?

Title
Study Abroad Advisor

Education
M.A. Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education
B.A.  Political Science (minor in Spanish & Econ)
        Ball State University

Study Abroad
2010  Edinburgh Napier University (semester)

It was partially through luck and partially through the fantastic opportunities I had at Ball State in both undergrad and grad school. A master’s degree was required for my position, as is the case for many International Education jobs, so I knew I needed to get an advanced degree in order to be competitive. During my graduate studies at Ball State University, I was intentional to gain as much experience in International Education as possible, namely by undertaking a practicum in the Study Abroad Office. 

There, I was not only able to get a look into the workings of an office, but also to learn about trends within the field, challenges facing study abroad offices, and new opportunities laying ahead. While my time spent in the office was fairly brief (one semester), I was able to pick up relevant language to use in interviews for full-time positions and the ability to confidently discuss some of the practical competencies I acquired while in the office (giving study abroad presentations, using student management software, fielding student questions, engaging best practices with student advising, etc.). These newly-acquired skills directly impacted my ability to get first-round interviews, and then to secure a full-time position at Indiana University.

What's the Strangest thing an advisee has asked you?

 I think the strangest thing someone has asked me came from a parent. They asked if we could help their student pack for their study abroad experience. Definitely not in the job description!

big office vs. small office: any thoughts from a 1st job perspective?

I think, as a professional, we are able to wear as many “hats” as we choose. With that being said, it can sometimes be more challenging to do so in a larger office, since roles and responsibilities tend to be a little more defined in nature. However, working in a large office such as IU’s, I have been intentional with what I want to pursue which has worked out very well for me. I would say, typically, a larger office has more support- both with other colleagues and from the entire university, so a larger office may be an easier transition into the field, rather than a smaller office which may not necessarily have as much support.

If you could visit any program in your portfolio, where would you go?

Israel! We have a partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and I would absolutely love to visit sometime soon!

What's the toughest job interview question you've been asked? 

The toughest interview question I have been asked was probably a hypothetical question in which the interviewer asked how I would manage a certain situation. Since these are on-the-spot questions, and every office operates differently, this question challenged me to make sure I was answering diplomatically, but also in a way that exemplified my understanding of best practices in the field and a genuine concern for student welfare.

3 words to describe the job search process?

Narrow, specific, niche

Anything you'd do differently along your career path?

At this point in my career, I do not think I would change where I am. However, if I were to change how I, personally, did things, I would say I would have been more intentional in understanding the university structure and how our office fits into that. Working at a very large, public university such as IU, university administration can sometimes be a challenging structure to navigate correctly. If I had been more intentional about understanding all the different layers, I think I would have more quickly been able to better identify campus resources for my students.