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Hello
everyone!Here is
this month’s ResidentAssistant.com newsletter!
IN
THIS ISSUE:
-O- LAST
CALL FORSTORIES! –
Send any more you have this week!
-O- “Translating Transferable
Skills” – Take your RA experience into the job market!
-O- March Calendar
-O- Issues and programming ideas
-O- Call for Programs!
-O- Site Updates
-O- LAST
CALL FOR STORIES! –O-
I am very excited to announce we have received many, many
story submissions from all over the country!The deadline or submissions was the 29th, but I
wanted to give this one last reminder for any of you who have not
had a chance to email your submission in.Once we have all of them, a panel to choose the top 50 will
vote on them.We will
inform you at that time if yours has been selected.Please send your story this week to [email removed]for more details, go to the website: /archive/inspiration/index.htm
Back to the top
-O- TRANSLATING
TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS –O-
It’s a Sunday afternoon. You are sprawled out on your
futon taking a study break and thinking forward to May and your
graduation.A smile
lightens up your face as you remember the great times that you
have had over the past four or five years -- meeting new people,
attending fascinating classes, and being an RA. As you relive the
memories a frown replaces the smile.You experience the stark realization that you will now be
forced to enter the so-called “real world.”To begin the job hunt, that marks this transition, you need
to assess your skills.
Job hunting
is really not hunting at all.Instead, it is selling. You are selling yourself to a
prospective employer. As a candidate you need to convince a future
employer that you have the skills and abilities her company is
looking for. The most valued attributes in today’s job market
include communication skills, interpersonal skills, and internal
motivation.These are
just a few of the skills you developed as a resident assistant,
community counselor, or peer advisor. They are applicable to
virtually any job.
Now take a
minute to think about the various aspects of the RA position.Translate those into the skills they required.As residents tell you their problems you exercise active
listening and counseling skills. When you plan and publicize a
program on your floor or in your building you are demonstrating
assessment and marketing skills. You utilize public speaking
skills when you facilitate a floor meeting.If you help two roommates deal with a problem regarding
noise you are employing conflict mediation, management, and
resolution skills.
The RA job
has presented you with a rare opportunity to develop many diverse
skills.These give
you an advantage over many other candidates. To optimize this edge
you must clearly articulate those skills to your prospective
employers. Remember that the goal is not to embellish your
talents. Rather, the goal is to accurately identify the skills you
have acquired and incorporate these skills into your resume and
into your job or internship interview. By highlighting your
transferable skills, you make yourself an extremely attractive job
candidate. Good Luck!
Here are a few skills you likely learned as a resident
assistant that can be transferable to other jobs:
-
Academic and
personal role-modeling
-
Active listening
skills
-
Administering
policy, state and federal laws
-
Administration
-
Advising skills
-
Analytical skills
-
Conflict/dispute
management and resolution skills
-
Counseling skills
-
Critical thinking
skills
-
Debate skills
-
Delegation skills
-
Developing
social/personal/academic skills in others
-
Educating others
about university procedures
-
Emergency response
skills
-
Enforcing policy,
state and federal laws
-
Establishment of
normative standards
-
Evaluation skills
-
Facilities
management skills
-
Implementation
skills
-
Individual and
group assessment skills
-
Interpersonal
skills
-
Leadership skills
-
Marketing skills
-
Mediation skills
-
Motivational skills
-
Outreach skills
-
Peer education
skills
-
Planning/development
skills
-
Presentation skills
-
Problem solving
skills
-
Public speaking
skills
-
Publicity/advertising
skills
-
Resource and
referral skills
-
Small and large
group facilitation
-
Staff development
and training skills
-
Teambuilding skills
Thanks
to Gavin Henning for writing this article. Gavin is a member of
the ResidentAssistant.com “Ask the Experts” panel.Gavin is the property manager for Forest Park Apartments
at University of New Hampshire.If you would like to write an article for the ResidentAssistnat.com
newsletter or site, please email
me.
Back to the top
-O- MARCH
CALENDAR! –O-
Did
you know…. March is Academy Awards Month, American Red Cross
Month, National Nutrition Month, National Flour Month, National
Peanut Month, National Professional Social Work Month, National
Women's History Month, National Feminine Empowerment Month and
National Noodle Month.
Mar 2
– Holi (Hinduism)
Mar 2 – Dr. Suess’ Birthday
Mar 3 – I want you to be happy day
Mar 4 – Maha Shhivaratri (Hindu)
Mar 5 – Stop the clocks day
Mar 6 – National Chocolate Cheesecake Day
Mar 8 – Ash Wednesday
Mar 8 – Be Nasty Day
Mar 8 – Mardi Gras
Mar 9 – Panic Day
Mar 11 – Johnny Appleseed Day
Mar 13 – Beginning of Lent (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
Mar 13 – Religious Freedom Day
Mar 14 – National Potato Chip Day
Mar 16 – Freedom of information day
Mar 16 – Everything you do is right day
Mar 16 – Eid al-Adha (Islamic)
Mar 17 – Saint Patrick’s Day
Mar 19 – Feast of St. Joseph (Roman Catholic)
Mar 19 – Holi (Hindu)
Mar 20 – First Day of Spring
Mar 20-24 Disability Awareness Week
Mar 21 – Vernal Equinox
Mar 21 – Naw-Ruz (Bah’ai New Year)
Mar 21 – Purim (Jewish)
Mar 23 - Liberty Day
Mar 26 – Make up your own holiday day
Mar 29 – National American Chocolate Day
Mar 30 – Doctor’s Day
Check out /archive/calendar/
for a ton of information on March holidays.
Back to the top
-O- STUDENT
ISSUES AND IDEAS FOR MARCH –O-
STUDENT
ISSUES:
o
Spring Break – What to do for break, as well as pressure of
going home for some.
o Loss of academic focus
o Continuing Job Stress
o Drug and alcohol use rise
o Mid-Term Pressure
o Living arrangement anxieties for next year
o RA Selection anxiety
PROGRAM
IDEAS:
o
Nutrition/Fitness Programs
o Study Skills
o Vocational Programs
o Non-Alcoholic Social Options
o Study Breaks
o Roommate Roundup
Back to the top
-O- SITE
UPDATES -O-
Be sure to check out the “what’s new” page on a regular
basis to see updates on the site!
/archive/whatsnew.htm
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