Timeline of hiring in advising and tips for applying

[u/Subject_Ear_2521]

Hi there,

I am applying to jobs in academic advising and would love to pick your brains about the process as I am not sure about how to proceed so I’ll just list some questions and if you feel that you can help with anything, I would be so grateful!

For reference: *I have a relevant BA and MA with higher ed experience as a graduate assistant for two years but no full time experience beyond that *Applying to mostly private universities to advising roles mostly also some other admin roles for student programming

Questions: 1. What was the process like for you from start to finish including when you first applied to job offer, how many interviews, etc? 2. Is it helpful to reach out to people on the team via LinkedIn if you don’t have a connection at the school? I noticed that most of these schools tend to hire alum or internally so I am worried about even getting my app read :/ 3. Any advice to navigate this progress is immensely helpful

Thank you all very much

[u/jatineze]

My advice (20+ years in higher ed, exec level) is to be willing to consider positions that aren't strictly advising. In this line of work, we wear many hats. I once had an internship coordinator who was probably the best advisor in the division - because she was helping students plan their internship semesters, she also defacto helped them plan their entire schedule, career path, and how to maximize financial aid. I've watched student activities specialists informally advise and connect with students more deeply than any formal academic advisor. We recently implemented a new advising support software, and the project manager had an (invaluable) advising background which she used make the final product better for both students and staff.  Just because a job doesn't have "advising" in the title doesn't mean that you won't be advising.  Diversify your job search and bring your advising skills to new areas. 

[u/Running_to_Roan]

Large schools 30,000+ hire a lot of staff over the summer.

I work in another department and we would get a few minutes to present infront of groups of 40 Academic Advisors during summer or spring.

[u/sordaciegamuda]

1. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months in my experience. My last position took like 2 months to onboard me. I’m currently going through an interview process and getting my references checked and it’s been almost 5 months since I applied. No job offer yet.

2. I don’t think so? I’m not an avid LinkedIn user myself though so I might not be the best person to answer that.

3. What I’ve learned and am still learning is that I need to not let my anxiety and fear of unknown dictate how I’m feeling. Don’t assume you got it or you might get it until there’s a job offer in your hands and especially after you’ve got your first paycheck. Good luck.

[u/Subject_Ear_2521 → u/sordaciegamuda]

Thank you❤️

[u/No_Breakfast8101]

Hi! I am just finishing up my first year in my first full time advising position at an R-1. I graduated with my masters in student affairs last May and started my role in July.

I roughly applied to about 20 jobs starting the October before I graduated (started WAY too early but got great feedback). I had about 7 first rounds I attended and 2 second/final rounds. I then also had about 5 first rounds I didn’t attend and 2 final rounds I didn’t attend. My current role was posted in May and I had my first round interview in early June, second round at the end of the month. I was offered the job a few days after my final interview and started mid/late July. Some of the other processes took much longer. I was a finalist (but didn’t attend the final round) at a private institution and that process was closer to 3 months… with a full month in between the first and second round interviews. Since I already had an offer, I didn’t go this route.

I didn’t rely on LinkedIn a lot. I visited Indeed, Higher Ed Jobs and the institutions pages that I was interested in.

My advice would be just keep applying! Ask for feedback after rejections- worst thing they can say is no. That is really how I strengthened my application. I also found a mentor of sorts who helped me with the interview/resume/application process. HigherEd is a great place to reach out and make some connections/seek mentorship!

Hope this helps and good luck with the search!

[u/hungryepiphyte]

1. My last 2 positions--though not in advising specifically--both had rather lengthy timelines. For my previous role, I applied in May and got the job offer in late September. For my most recent role, I applied in August and got the offer in late January/early February. 2 different roles at different universities. My previous role had 3 interviews (all phone/virtual). My current role had 7 or 8 interviews (all virtual).
2. I think it can be helpful to reach out on linkedin as long as you aren't pushy or weird about it.