How did you get started in higher education?
I contacted the undergraduate admissions office at Duke University, my alma mater, shortly after graduation and volunteered to help with student recruitment in the town in which I was living, since not many students from that area considered attending Duke.
The admissions office supplied me with materials and training and put me in touch with the alumni office, which oversaw all the alumni admissions advisory committees. I started attending college fairs and interviewing student applicants. eventually, when I moved back to the city in which Duke University is based, I was able to start working for the admissions office and then the alumni office.
How did you find out about the opportunity with the Alumni Association?
I grew up in Boulder as a faculty child and kept in touch with what was going on at the university. Through my professional contacts I heard that the CU-Boulder Alumni Association director had left and that an interim director was in place. I knew that the position would open up eventually, and kept in contact with people in the field so that I would know as soon as the job was posted, which happened about 18 months later.
How did you prepare for your interviews?
I researched the CU system, the Boulder campus and the CU-Boulder Alumni Association in particular, both through materials sent by the search firm and through the web. I spent a lot of time on the CU website, becoming familiar with the university and with the alumni programs, and talked with former staff members. I then made a list of the ways I felt that that the overall alumni program could be enhanced and specific ways to do so.
What was the most difficult part of your interviewing process?
The first round of the interviewing process, in which you’re interviewed by a large group of people whom you’ve never met before.
What is the best piece of advice you have received about job hunting and interviewing?
Research your prospective area well, be prepared, and then relax and be yourself during your interviews.
What suggestions do you have for people currently looking for a new role or are looking to make a career transition?
Go on a series of informational interviews. Talk with people who are in the fields in which you’re interested so you get a sense of what the possibilities are and what the jobs really entail. People in the workplace are very open to giving these types of interviews, and they can be an enormous help to those looking for new career paths.
Any advice you have for someone who wants to get into higher education?
Go on some informational interviews in a variety of higher education areas ― admissions, student affairs, development, alumni relations, etc. You’ll get a sense of which area you’re drawn to and will be able to better narrow down your choices. Also look into degrees in higher ed administration.
What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned in your professional career?
Listen to others, be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. Keep in close touch with colleagues in your field so that you’re aware of the latest trends and best practices
