Director of Assessment and Planning, Division of Student Affairs at the University of Houston
Student Affairs professionals need to start talking about why we sell students on the importance and value of transferable skills, but rarely do we ever hire people with transferable skills. Instead we value people who have followed very specific, well worn, career paths. If those specific experiences are so valuable, why are we not making them part of the job requirements, or at least preferred experiences? The difference between our espoused and practiced values is dramatic and troubling.
Spot on 💡
I read another post that questioned hiring based on knowing how to use tools (which becomes irrelevant once the next tool becomes available) instead of hiring for having learning agility, ability to troubleshoot, innovate thinking, etc.
The narrative has to shift 🤔
Director of Assessment and Planning, Division of Student Affairs at the University of Houston
Student Affairs professionals need to start talking about why we sell students on the importance and value of transferable skills, but rarely do we ever hire people with transferable skills. Instead we value people who have followed very specific, well worn, career paths. If those specific experiences are so valuable, why are we not making them part of the job requirements, or at least preferred experiences? The difference between our espoused and practiced values is dramatic and troubling.
Student Affairs professionals need to start talking about why we sell students on the importance and value of transferable skills, but rarely do we ever hire people with transferable skills. Instead we value people who have followed very specific, well worn, career paths. If those specific experiences are so valuable, why are we not making them part of the job requirements, or at least preferred experiences? The difference between our espoused and practiced values is dramatic and troubling.
Change is hard but it’s necessary. In the era of AI and automation we must reimagine and shift what we thought was the norm.
Let’s lead with collaboration and transparency.
Director of Assessment and Planning, Division of Student Affairs at the University of Houston
Student Affairs professionals need to start talking about why we sell students on the importance and value of transferable skills, but rarely do we ever hire people with transferable skills. Instead we value people who have followed very specific, well worn, career paths. If those specific experiences are so valuable, why are we not making them part of the job requirements, or at least preferred experiences? The difference between our espoused and practiced values is dramatic and troubling.
This is a necessary growing "trend" that we have seen in higher education, particularly in student affairs, referenced in scholarship and testimony for some time now. When considering the Return on Investment (ROI) of a student affairs professional's transferrable skills, we must receive answers to the following questions: under what conditions makes a transferable skill valuable, in what ways is this transferable skill an institutional investment, and how exactly is this investment of a transferable skill "returned" to the professional by their respective institution?
ROI of a skillset has been frequently limited by a transactional lens, where skills viewed as desirable in student affairs are dependent on the quantitative skill-screening and the quantitative output of a professional.
In the process of deconstruction and redefinition, we can understand that ROI of a skillset is reciprocal and qualitative in nature; student affairs as a field is in desperate need of holistic and qualitative expansion.
At its core-- innovation is dependent on the acquisition of relevant skills and the ability to redefine existing processes by means of (creative) transfer. As the needs of our students, our professionals, our education, our society, and our world change, higher education and student affairs have the responsibility to adapt.
Director of Assessment and Planning, Division of Student Affairs at the University of Houston
Student Affairs professionals need to start talking about why we sell students on the importance and value of transferable skills, but rarely do we ever hire people with transferable skills. Instead we value people who have followed very specific, well worn, career paths. If those specific experiences are so valuable, why are we not making them part of the job requirements, or at least preferred experiences? The difference between our espoused and practiced values is dramatic and troubling.
One of my favorite things about my team is that we all come from a variety of professional backgrounds. We each bring a unique viewpoint and approach to the work we do and the ways we support students. This allows us to learn & grow while also adapting to student needs.
It’s time student affairs as a whole starts focusing on transferable skills on job descriptions. As someone who made a functional area change (residence life to academic advising), there are so many ways in which my res life training adequately prepared me for my current role. Thankfully my position didn’t require “x years of experience doing this exact role”.
I often think about my future in higher education and remember the interests and passions I had during graduate school- student activities, programming, volunteer services, accessibility services, etc. but when I see job descriptions for these roles, they are only looking for direct experience in those functional areas for non-entry level positions.
Let’s do better to practice what we preach!
Director of Assessment and Planning, Division of Student Affairs at the University of Houston
Student Affairs professionals need to start talking about why we sell students on the importance and value of transferable skills, but rarely do we ever hire people with transferable skills. Instead we value people who have followed very specific, well worn, career paths. If those specific experiences are so valuable, why are we not making them part of the job requirements, or at least preferred experiences? The difference between our espoused and practiced values is dramatic and troubling.
Student Affairs Update: I am currently knee deep in comprehensive exams, my last semester of course work, & the job search for post grad! I wanted to create a space for any advice my network has as I navigate the job search pool and this soon to be next chapter of life! Feel free to drop some nuggets of knowledge below in the comments that I can learn from and essentially all those that read this post!
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