End of the Search
End of the Search
End of the Search
The student affairs job search is a long one. On average it takes 119 days. That length can be very challenging; especially if you’ve never participated in a higher education job search before.
That’s why it’s helpful to breakdown the specific stages of the job search. This makes each part more manageable. Breaking it down also makes it easier to focus. Examining the search in stages also allows you to dedicate your time and energy to the right areas.
This article will address the period of time that student affairs job seekers find themselves in at one point or another: the end of their search.
The late stages of the search…
The late stage of the student affairs job search is mostly out of your hands. It’s up to the hiring managers, committees, and recruiters to determine whether you’ll progress further in their search. But this also comes with a hard truth: most interviews will end with you not being offered the position.
I have to stress this: you must be okay with that.
Not getting an offer is not a sign of failure or an attack on your character. There are just too few positions with too many applicants. So, it’s highly likely that you won’t receive an offer (or many times, even any future contact) from your interviewers.
It’s not enviable to be left out in the dark like that. But, it’s not something that you can control. The best that you can hope for is an offer. Otherwise, you’ll either receive a rejection or hear nothing at all.
Remember: this is not a failing on your part. This is just life.
At this stage, remember to keep the momentum up! You never want to rest all of your hopes on one job opening, no matter how far along you are. Just because you have an interview doesn’t mean that you should stop looking, especially because most people will be rejected.
Keep applying to open positions, network with colleagues, and conduct informational interviews to keep your chances and opportunities open.
For those who do receive offers from institutions, know that you’ve made it to the next critical and often overlooked phase of the search: mutual negotiations.
Professionals at this stage will want to reach the finish line of this search by taking the first offer and not negotiating with their future employer.
This is a mistake.
Evaluating an offer
Always take the time to at least consider an offer and evaluate your experience with the institution, its people, and your compensation package before returning with a response. You owe it to yourself and your career to consider these options carefully.
Remember that a compensation package can be reviewed, changed, amended, or even upgraded. But you won’t be in a position to make your offer more attractive if you don’t engage in mutual negotiations.
Your salary is just one part of a job offer. There are often other factors that candidates don’t consider that include bonuses, cost of living increases, relocation packages, professional development, insurance, housing, reimbursements, and many other amenities that make up a compensation package.
A time to begin
After completing mutual negotiations and reaching an agreement, new professionals will confirm their offer and begin their transitional process to the new position.
Sometimes this can include physical relocation from one state to another; from one coast to the next; or from one country to another. It also includes setting an end date for your current position, internship, or assistantship as well as setting an agenda for the transition.
This stage officially ends with new professionals moving into their new positions, receiving an orientation of their duties, and finally beginning their role as new student affairs professionals.
Late Stages of the Search Summary
-Most Recruitment Processes End without an Offer: This is a numbers game. There are too many applicants for too few positions. So you may go on many interviews, but eventually, receive an offer from very few of them.
-Being Ghosted in the Process: Unfortunately, this is part of the process. You may conduct a first round phone or video interview with an institution and never hear back. You may get a response after completing a campus interview, but often you won’t. It’s nice to get some sort of notice after completing the interview, but don’t count on it.
-Keep the Momentum Up: Don’t dwell on just one interview at one institution. Keep applying. Keep conducting informational interviews. Keep accepting first-round phone and video interviews.
-Mutual Negotiations: Someone will be selected as the institution’s top choice. If that’s you, then congratulations! Now is the time to begin mutual negotiations with the hiring manager. Remember that there is more to compensation than just salary. Think about the following: bonuses, cost of living increases, relocation, professional development, insurance, housing, meal plans, reimbursements, retirement, and childcare (to name a few).
I hope that you found this article useful! If you need some additional help on your student affairs job search, then check out the eBook The Student Affairs Job Search: A Comprehensive Guide available here.
Happy searching,
References
Block, M. S. (2015, May 15). The Student Affairs Job Search. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from https://www.higheredjobs.com/articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=669
Eng, D. (2018, November 27). Got Ghosted? - Job Hakr: Student Affairs Job Search. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2018/11/27/got-ghosted.
Eng, D. (2019, April 22). Rejected from the Job - Job Hakr: Student Affairs Job Search. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/4/22/rejected-a-student-affairs-job-search-response.
Eng, D. (2019, April 8). Negotiating Salaries - Job Hakr: Student Affairs Job Search. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/4/8/negotiating-salaries-in-student-affairs-nbsp.
Eng, D. (2019, July 22). Getting the Edge: Student Affairs Informational Interviewing - Job Hakr: Student Affairs Job Search. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/7/22/getting-the-edge-student-affairs-informational-interviewing.
Eng, D. (2019, June 3). Network like a Pro - Job Hakr: Student Affairs Job Search. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/6/3/network-like-a-student-affairs-pro.
Cite this Article
Eng, D. (2019, November 11). Ending the Job Search. Retrieved MONTH DATE, YEAR, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/11/11/end-of-the-search
Internal Ref: JHKR678CVLL5J