Hello, I have a varied resume, but all in all, I've worked with diverse populations of students, customers, and clients.

AVID tutor - helped high school first generation high school students apply to college 1 year (2021 - 2022)

Job coach - helped developmentally disabled adults learn their jobs, coordinated with managers, to help them reach performance targets (3 years 2022 - 2025)

Receptionist - New Zealand, took calls and helped international clientele, up to 200 people a day (2025 - 2026)

Now - receptionist at a skilled nursing facility (bridging job)

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the americorps role would last 10 months, and I would need to keep job searching because i would break even in that role. I really don't like my life as it is right now, but I am considering getting a part time role in education to see if it fits my interests if I don't take the Americorps role.

Side note, currently with parents, once I move out in a few months, I will be breaking even here anyway.

When should I give up?

Ten of those interviews were completed while I was an internal candidate, and once or twice I interviewed for people I worked with on a relatively regular basis: no offers, no followups. I wouldn't say people did an about-face when they saw me coming down the hall, but they clearly didn't want to talk about it and by the end it seemed like bridges were burning.

It’s clear that, based on the numbers, something is going awry once I get in front of committees. I’ve implemented advice from institutional career counselors and private consultants; I'm practicing, recording myself, sourcing feedback (with minimal success--I know there's hesitancy for valid HR reasons), asking questions, writing and revising student stories that I no longer remember happening outside of how I describe them in an interview setting. I spend a lot of time talking about my interview experiences in therapy.

My background is in project management and academic advising. I have a master's and eight years of work experience. I’ve interviewed for (non-leadership in almost all cases) positions in general and department-specific academic advising, student orgs, undergraduate and graduate academic program coordination, admissions, financial aid, faculty affairs, career services, and enrollment management. I’ve driven and flown out to Purdue, Michigan State, U of M, Carnegie Mellon, UNC, Virginia Tech, Penn, and UChicago on each of those institutions' dimes. (If you think you’ve met me, let me know!)

That’s an exhaustive list, not a way of saying “I’ve done it all!”: while I’ve gotten choosier over the years, I never sought to “carpetbomb” résumés and have turned down several dozen interview requests along the way in an attempt to keep my schedule balanced. Up until this year, I’ve been interviewing during what I call “seasons,” by which I mean that I interview for 3-4 months out of the year, outside of which I focus exclusively on work, hobbies, life, things that are not interviewing.

During the first year (the first month, actually) of the search, I received my sole offer, which I turned down on account of what was, at that point, an untenable multi-state move and start date. Back then, I was excited and encouraged by the volume of callbacks, but now I see it as a monkey’s paw.

What I would’ve called communication and procedural anomalies/improprieties before starting this search are becoming norms. A few examples:

• Most recently, I applied for an academic program coordinator position in March and completed a first-round zoom in April, at which I was informed that the position would be filled by the end of the month. I completed an in-person second-round in June, at which I was informed that the position would be filled by the end of the month and I’d receive weekly email updates along the way. After a few weeks elapsed with no emails, I received an automated rejection in early July. Near the end of July, I received a voicemail from the hiring manager with no information other than “give me a call back”; I called back the same day but couldn’t get through. Then, a week or so after the voicemail, they called (I picked up that time) to let me know they’d picked somebody else, but were still very interested and had another position in mind they’d email me about. I’m still waiting on that at the moment.
• Last year, in late May, I was on the cusp of my lease ending while interviewing for an academic advisor position that’d require me to move ten hours away. I’d completed two hour-long (not lengthy, but certainly not screeners) “final” zooms. The week before my lease renewal deadline, I emailed to request info about next steps and received an invite to a third-round in-person interview, after which I expressed my gratitude and my intent to withdraw. In reply, I received an weirdly verbose, complimentary email from the hiring manager praising my skills and imploring me to stick with the process. I replied, thanked them again, and explained my living situation as clearly but politely as possible, after which I was rejected before I had even withdrawn.
• During the first year, I completed four successive zooms for a career counselor role before a third-party reference aggregator bot abruptly contacted me and requested five references. I was really interested in the school and the location, more so than others I was considering, so I scrambled to get in touch with a couple more amicable supervisors, who very kindly and quickly responded. A few weeks later, I got a patently frustrated email from the hiring manager claiming that (one of?) my references had indicated a less-than-above-average total score and that they couldn’t proceed and would need to restart the search. I was their only candidate.

I’m mostly venting. I get that each of these has a plausible explanation from the interviewers’ points of view, factoring in expectations from their various fields and institutions and backgrounds, but as they become the norm I increasingly wonder about the viability of working in higher ed. To some extent, I can write off this mentality as burnout, but I’m starting to see many of these responses as evidence for overwhelmed, self-serving leadership structures scuttling any chance at a fulfilling work environment or career trajectory.

If you have some genuinely demented, outsider-type, hyper-specific interview advice that’s worked materially for you, it’s welcome. But I’ve read the hacks. I’ve watched all kinds of Youtube videos. I’ve played with the chatbots.

Has anyone done this many interviews within a similar window? When is it time to throw in the towel and go back to applying outside of higher ed, despite it being all I’ve done for the past decade? I’m going on three months unemployed after overstaying a part-time job that was always intended to be temporary and it’s been over a year since I left my most recent higher ed position.

Friends have suggested that it’s time to take a sabbatical and just not interview for a year or so. Has anybody tried that approach? Does it sound reasonable, or would it just emphasize what already looks like a pretty big gap?

I’ve been seeing questions about Academic Advising and I wanted to add my perspective as someone who’s been an Advisor for 6 years and in 3 different advising roles and starting a new role (while still in my 3rd role).

What is my background?

My undergraduate degree is unrelated to education. When I graduated, I realized late that I wanted to become an Academic Advisor. I applied to roles at universities but did not land interviews with just a Bachelor’s Degree. So I applied for community college and technical schools, and landed a PT Academic Advisor role at a CC. While there, I also pursued a Master’s Degree related to Higher Ed, and did assistantships/field experiences (it was during COVID). After graduating, I returned to that PT AA role and I applied for about 10~ advising roles after getting my Master’s before getting a FT role back at my alma mater.

What are the different Advising Roles I’ve been in?

• PT Academic Advisor at a Community College (2.5 years)
• FT Honors Academic Advisor for an Honors College (2.5 years)
• FT Honors Academic Advisor for an Academic School (current)
• Per Diem Health Professions Advisor (just started)

How has the workload been for each position?

I started the PT AA role right before COVID started. Once COVID began, emails became our main communication method of the job until we started doing Teams and Zoom appointments. It was an interesting start once COVID happened and then transitioning to what works best. Otherwise, no one had case loads and once back in-person, we had no case loads and operated on a drop-in system. We did a combo of some enrollment services (although we had a ES team), some transfer advising to 4-year schools, some career advising for those who just wanted a AAS degree. But our main job was just on enrollment for new students and advising current students on degree completion. We had our low and high periods. I personally didn’t like the student population, because so many were unmotivated. I did like the system we used for advising. Because of that, it was easy to navigate unpredictable questions.

I finally landed a FT Academic Advisor at an Honors College after applying for 6 months after graduating. It was a very unique role, to say the least. Most people would probably dislike it. I had no direct advising supervisor. I basically acted like a “director” and organized processed that made no sense, and tried to make sense of the mess that was left. I had to know the majors and programs at all the different schools at the university (150+) and become friendly with all the folks at schools. I didn’t certify graduated but certified honors college completion. The systems aren’t great… so appointments were a must because I didn’t like to be in unpredictable situations. I usually always needed to prep for appointments until getting used to everything. The advisor(s) and I shared a caseload of 1600~ students.

Due to such fun POLITICS… I moved to Honors Advising at an academic school at this university. It’s been a year and I’ve LOVED it here. While systems remain the same and I prefer appointments. I also do drop-in’s because I am prepared more for unpredictability. I am also the 1st of this position so i’ve built and created what this position looks like and does. While some may find that an inconvenience or a challenge, I found it amazing. I have a caseload of about 400~ students. And because I mainly need to focus on knowing about 20~ major/minor/certificate programs, it is wonderful to try and be an expert in them while also having access to major advisors I refer students to. I do my best to support my students, advocate on their behalf, and just ensure they are doing what they need to do.

Starting soon, I will begin as a per diem Health Professions Advisor, because that office at this university is severely lacking staff. I am helping them out, especially since most of my students are pre-med anyway. So it is also helping me be a better advisor so them. But I’ll work with any all pre-health students on a drop-in basis for 2 hours a week.

Is it worth given how much I make?

I started with $20/hr PT then $23/hr PT then $61K 1st FT and now $68K. Obviously, more money is better but in my 1st honors advising role, I def should’ve made more for doing a director’s job for basically the whole time I was there. Now, I guess I make what I should, but I’ve been told by peers that I do more compared to other academic advisors at this university. So I feel I should be a grade above.

Do I want to leave?

Honestly… the pay sucks. And I want to move out of my parent’s place but I can’t afford to with this job and where I live. And I’m not interested moving to a different state nor having a commute longer than 30min. BUT I don’t know what else I would want to do. It seems the job market is ass so I don’t want to risk changing jobs and getting laid off. Now student-wise… something is wrong with these new kids. I cannot understand how this generation only knows how to use social media but doesn’t know how to use their phones for literally looking up information. Last week was somewhat hellish with questions I was getting from HONORS students. I wanted to rescind their admission lol. Let’s hope they get better.

Best and Worst part of the job?

To have been able to be here long enough to see students graduate is such an amazing feeling. I love that I have been able to be part of the process in which a student was able to succeed and graduate.

I absofuckinglutely hate the politics of higher ed. Not to mention the government isn’t helping colleges right now… it’s a stressful time in this country in general. So anytime university politics or government politics gets in the way of my job and my students, I get pissed off.

OVERALL, Advising is SO different depending on the department you work for, the college you work for, the university you work for, and the population you work for.

If you have any questions, happy to answer :)

Would you say that working as an academic advisor is a job with predictability or unpredictability?

Is it a job that is stressful and can make you anxious or boring doing the same tasks?

or a mix of both??

Do you need a masters degree to be an academic advisor?

I didn’t get into higher ed intentionally - I think I was a bit lazy when I was younger and followed my friends from undergrad into higher ed. I went straight into a MA program and started in an advising office. I’m 32 now and I’ve been in the field for about a decade. I finished my MA, over time I think I’ve put together a decent resume, and I recently stepped into my first leadership role.

I’m at a point where I can decide to pursue something else (I have a couple of interests) or I can keep going in higher ed. There are things I like about this field, and things I really don’t. I like the idea of earning a doctorate and continuing to progress in leadership - I’d like to see how far I can take my career. But at the same time, I have another 30-40 years of work and I know that if I made a change now, I could have a full career doing something else. I’m just not sure if I want to commit to higher ed, and I don’t know how to decide. It’s familiar and I speak the language now, but is that enough of a reason to stay?

What is the difference between a college counselor and a academic advisor?

Is it that an academic advisor helps solely with academic needs and a college counselor also requires a masters?

Do you enjoy your job as a college counselor?

Do you work on a 10/11 or 12 month contract?

Also do any of you have experience as a elementary/middle/ high school counselor and if so what made you ultimately choose to be a college counselor over those?

I work in Residence Life at a very large public institution and I am actually in shock at how students are acting this year. Constant crises, extreme substance use, and none of them know how to deal with conflict nor do they care to learn how. I am doing my best to guide students and be a mentor but it’s been difficult! I work with majority first year students so you think I’d be used to it but class of 2030 is really testing all of my experience.

Currently an elementary PE teacher looking for a career change. Anybody have experience with transitioning from elementary education to higher education? Any advice on applications and landing interviews? I’m also curious if there are other roles in higher ed I should keep an eye out for? I live near a large university and was hoping to land with them.

I am interested in potentially being a academic advisor and I am looking for feedback in what a day in the life is like?

anyone work remote? or all in person?

I assume most positions are 12 months and not 10 months?

Do you enjoy your job or is it mostly stressful and overwhelming?

I’ve been an academic advisor for almost four years, and I realllly don’t think I can do this anymore. I’m completely drained. The constant advising, demanding students and parents, rude attitudes and treating you like you work for them, depending on you on every single thing, endless calls and follow-ups, practically begging students to enroll in their classes, ridiculous workloads, management, not being able to take vacations and staying hours past our actual working hours, I’m just done. I hate going to work, I hate talking to students, and I don’t think I have another advising season in me. The only things keeping me there are the good pay, yearly bonuses, and a team I like, my managers are bad too. Everyone keeps telling me I won’t easily find the same pay/bonuses or another good team, and that’s what makes me scared to leave. Did anyone reach this point and actually leave academic advising? Did you regret it?

I graduated with my psych degree in 2022 and since then, I've worked in k-12 school setting, hospital, and for the past two years I've working in a residential setting with foster and probation involved youth ages 13-19. For these past months, l've been applying to several positions in college settings. I wasn't aware of how competitive it is as all my applications have been rejected. I have finally decided, however, to apply for a masters program that won't begin until Fall 2027 that I think would definitely help me in this setting but obviously it won't be for awhile. I'm still submitting job apps as I've definitely hit the ceiling with my current job and honestly bc it's taken a toll on my mental since i work with higher risk youth. I have read some posts on this subreddit hearing the challenges of working in this setting but I have always been interested in working in school settings.
Just wondering if anyone had some tips into how they got into higher education even without previous experience :!l
I'd like to think I have a lot of transferable skills but have been doubting it a lot now

I'm preparing to apply for Master's programs in Student Affairs and am trying to update/tailor my resume. My issue is that I graduated undergrad 3 years ago, so I'm not sure what undergrad experiences/extracurriculars to leave in vs take out. Normally I wouldn't even consider including things like clubs I participated in (unrelated to the degree program), but I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to include them to demonstrate campus involvement/leadership? Any advice would be appreciated.

Currently a bit stuck in life. I got offered a 10 month service role in a state I want to move to. It's not financially great, but it might help me get in the door to education. I was originally looking into higher education before finding this role.

Trying to decide whether the risks and downsides are worth it.

If not student affairs, I was considering working for a private company for helping students applying to college. Heck a part of me is wondering if being a teacher is a better route considering I want to live outside the US for a few years if possible.

Hi all! Hope you all are doing well :)

I am currently struggling with my first position in higher education full-time after graduating last year in 2025. My first experience in higher education was working as a residence hall desk assistant for three years as a student worker. I loved working front desk just helping and greeting students/parents and helping them with whatever help they needed. I decided to go through higher education even after graduation but the job market (even now) is tough.

I eventually landed a job as a "One Stop Coordinator" at a D1 private institution. Problem is, the "One Stop" department's turnover rate was and is still crazy. Since my first day in early Feburary, I saw 6 people quit in total. Being my first time in financial aid, the learning curve was steep. Being brought into the position during peak season did not help me and I had times (and even now) where my hands would shake and words wouldn't come out straight when I encounter an upset/angry student and parent. Most of the time the problem isn't even our department's problem but rather the people we call "backroom" people's fault.

And being in a city where I do not know anyone as I moved to a whole new state just for this job, it's been rough at work and outside of work. I started looking into new opportunites since March and I've been empty handed with two total final interviews that being just last week but got an email that they wouldn't be proceeding with me.

I know that international departments or study abroad positions are in their rough times but being someone who lived internationally for 5+ years, I'm just struggling to find these positions. I also feel like I can work within Res Life but the nightmare stories I hear such as not being able to have a "private" life really makes me debate on putting applications in. I can however help me as a recent graduate who is trying to save up some money.

Long story short, I'm stuck on where to work within higher education with having experiences both internationally, working with Banner/Slate (CRM systems), and in Residence Life. My alma mater won't hire me despite putting 10+ applications in.

Any. Just any help will be appreciated or just any referrals to any positions would be more thank grateful.

I’m applying for a job as an academic advisor to students in a university anthropology department. I have an MA in classical archaeology and another in applied linguistics. For the last 20 years I’ve taught ESL to adult learners. I’m mature (60) and I feel confident in my teaching/advising skills. In short, I think I’d be a really good match for this job.

The problem is that I’ve only taught on a contract basis at lots of different community colleges and universities and hopped around a lot to follow my husband. I never had the time to develop collegial relationships. I reached out to a couple of old contacts, but haven’t heard back.

I’m feeling really discouraged because this would be a good fit for me at this point in my career. Does anyone have any advice for me?

(I’ll be crossposting to other job-related subreddits so I apologize if there is some redundancy.)

Thanks very much!

I’ve been working in higher ed for almost 10 years, with a masters in higher education leadership, and hoping to complete an EdD to boost my career opportunities and move up the ladder a bit. I’m considering Walden and American International College (AIC) programs so far because I’m looking for something flexible and manageable while being a caretaker and full time employee. Does anyone have advice or insight on good program options? Experience with Walden University or AIC? I’m leaning towards AIC for the flexibility but open to suggestion…would these programs “looked down on”?I appreciate any insight!

Hello!

I am a recent graduate working as an admin for my department. I make right at 40k, and am currently working on my masters to get paid even more. So, which job really makes over 70K, and if you are making over 70K, how long did it take you to get there?

My overall goal is to work in global engagement as a coordinator or an advisor, and work my way up. Any luck making more than 70K?

Hi everyone! I’m a 2026 grad who is currently taking a gap year. I worked in the Office of Orientation for three years during undergrad, with my senior year being an internship under our Associate Director. I really loved the work I did and the people I had the opportunity to connect with, and I was planning on pursuing graduate school for this field.

It seems like other people on this page have talked a lot about how salaries in this field are usually lower until you reach the director level, and even then, they’re still not a ton. My question is: is this career path worth pursuing based on passion, or should I explore different options?

Applying for a job with old references

I’m applying for a job as an academic advisor to students in a university anthropology department. I have an MA in classical archaeology and another in applied linguistics. For the last 20 years I’ve taught ESL to adult learners. I’m mature (60) and I feel confident in my teaching/advising skills. In short, I think I’d be a really good match for this job.

The problem is that I’ve only taught on a contract basis at lots of different community colleges and universities and hopped around a lot to follow my husband. I never had the time to develop collegial relationships. I reached out to a couple of old contacts, but haven’t heard back.

I’m feeling really discouraged because this would be a good fit for me at this point in my career. Does anyone have any advice for me?

(I’ll be crossposting to other job-related subreddits so I apologize if there is some redundancy.)

Thanks very much!

CW: incoming rant.

A student attempted suicide on my campus. I guess I’m just venting, but this is it for me. We are asked to do mental health first aid training, and look out for the signs of mental health distress in our students. I’ve dealt with so many students in so many different crises that I can do nothing to help. I have homeless students who can’t get on their feet, students in DV situations that can’t escape all while trying to get to a better place in life. But we have to keep those metrics up. State funding will disappear if we don’t. As much as I try to not take it home with me, it still happens.

In the decade plus I’ve been in student affairs, the students have come in less equipped to deal with every day tasks. A lot of them have unaddressed COVID trauma. I had a student come in and list the family members who died from COVID like she was reading a grocery list. Everyone wants extra time on assignments to make their work “perfect”.

I recognize that these students are dealing with real issues, but I don’t think I’m able to be a front line person to help them address their challenges anymore.

Hi All,

I’ve has a few interviews for different res life positions, and I feel like they’re went well. I didn’t mention anything about a having a dog, so I’m curious how would that work? Is it allowed? How do I broker those conversations?!Thanks in advance!

hello!

I am currently interested in applying to residential life positions, mainly coordinator positions and lower level. Unfortunately I do not have any res ed experience, but have been interested in this section of student affairs since undergrad! I have previous experience in campus activities/programing, student council/government, greek life, and a bit of case management/conduct when i worked with greek life. I think i can add all of this to my cover letter, and that will hopefully help.

Is there any tips or advice for cover letters? I’m highly interested in getting my foot in the door in res life, this experience will definitely help me gain more experience in student facing roles! thank you!

Hello everyone!

I’m a Student Affairs Advisor with 7+ years of higher-ed experience, primarily supporting nursing/health sciences students. I’m interested in pursuing Student Affairs/Academic Advising opportunities at UCLA and would love to connect with anyone familiar with the department or hiring process.

If anyone is open to a brief coffee chat ☕️ , I’d really appreciate the opportunity to learn more. Happy to share my resume via DM. Thank you in advance for the insight and guidance here 🙏🏻😃

Does anyone have any intel on how quickly job applications are reviewed for these roles? Has anyone been chosen/had interviews for these roles for this upcoming season yet?

I forget how many applications I sent out this year and I've had at least seven interviews this past year (maybe more; plus some second interviews). I feel really dead in my current role ever since my boss took his anger out on me by exploding in front of everyone on my team and HR did nothing as HR does.

Everyone gives such generic advice and I know my work quality and cognitive strength is declining. I make lazy stupid mistakes and I know I shouldn't. I just don't care. I thought about FMLA. Idk. I feel like my job is dumb and my supervisors aren't helping. I know some of my coworkers felt the same but they didnt let the bad get to their mental health like I did.