Changing Functional Areas
Changing Functional Areas
Changing Functional Areas
Moving up and around in student affairs is one of those aspects that comes from working in the field. Very few student affairs professionals find themselves in just one functional area throughout their whole career.
But how do you take experience in one functional area and apply it to another functional area? What if I started in residential life but want to move to academic advising? What do I do with all of this experience in community standards now that I want to work in admissions? What if I want to make a transition to another role at the university or out of student affairs entirely?
This article will review changing functional areas in student affairs. It includes steps on mitigating this transition including connecting to colleagues in other functional areas. Skills and responsibilities across functional areas are reviewed and itemized. The steps necessary to make an internal transfer (within the same university) are reviewed in addition to how to have this conversation with your manager. The process leading up to your move to another functional area including transferrable skills and actionable steps are covered in depth.
Connecting to other Functional Areas
Rest assured that you don’t have to spend your entire career (or your life) working in just one part of the field. That means that even if all of your experience is JUST in one area (like residential life) then you don’t have to stay there. There are many ways to move in, up, and around student affairs, higher education, and your career in general.
Working in student affairs makes you both an expert and a generalist in the changing landscape of student affairs roles. That means that you can take your skills and abilities from one area of the field and apply them to other areas. Those could be other functional areas like academic areas; different areas in higher education like educational technology; or event to non-profit work or private industry.
However, there are challenges to making these moves and transitions. Often that includes how your applicable experiences and skills would translate and apply themselves to a different job and different responsibilities.
Make no mistake: understanding how a candidate’s skills from a past role in one area would apply to a different role in a different area is difficult; especially for hiring managers. However, the challenge always begins with the job seeker. It begins with YOUR ability to adequately and effectively market your skills, education, and background into the new functional area, role, or industry that you want to work in.
First, you’ll want to make sure that you fit at least 70% of the expectations for a role outside of your immediate area of responsibility. This is easier from one student affairs role to another student affairs role. But this could also be difficult moving to other functional areas of the university or leaving higher education as an industry to work in other fields. However, concentrating on what skills and responsibilities you currently have and then applying them to new opportunities is the first step that ALL job seekers need to take to make this transition.
Skills and Responsibilities
One of the biggest assets to working in student affairs is how big, varied, and diverse the field is. We have colleagues that work in athletics, student activities, community standards, opportunity programs, and everything else in between.
Perhaps the area that has the highest demand for student affairs professionals is in housing. Here, individuals are often called upon to deal with emergency situations at nights and on the weekends. Housing is a demanding functional area that also provides student affairs professionals with lots of varied skills and responsibilities.
All student affairs professionals should look for their next position based on title but more importantly roles and responsibilities. This list of responsibilities are what outlines the demands of the new position as well as what the hiring manager is looking for.
This is where you should make your greatest and strongest argument for the new role in both your cover letter as well as during your first round interview. Remember: student affairs demands a wide variety of skills and responsibilities from its professionals. With this in mind you can set yourself up to make the argument that your skills are transferrable.
Let’s go back to looking at the transferable skills of housing professionals. These individuals are often called upon to mitigate and manage crises that happen when on duty. The skills necessary to manage those crises could be used as a basis to work in event management, conference services, and programming. These are functional areas where individuals are often called to work after hours for weekend and late night events.
Likewise, housing professionals can also argue that the skills they gained from mitigating roommate conflicts could be used to settle disputes in community standards or judicial hearings.
Internal Transfer
Moving from one position to another one is always a challenging endeavor. Sometimes student affairs professionals will move from one role at a university to the same role at different college. Often BOTH the roles and institutions could change in the move.
Perhaps one of the simplest moves to make for student affairs professionals would be to remain at the same institution but change the functional area that they work in. This type of move is called an internal transfer.
Internal transfers are handled differently from organization to organization and from institution to institution. Challenges here are often easier to mitigate because your functional area will change but your internal knowledge of the institution will remain the same. In some cases your relationship with your current manager could be good enough where you could easily move to another functional area with little challenge.
There are benefits to doing this. Most of it comes from your compensation and benefits package as well as your establishment and sustainability of relationships with your current coworkers. However, one of the risks of an internal move is navigating the relationship change (and possibly internal politics) of leaving one unit for another one.
Knowing this, you may still need to apply, interview, and be approved through a traditional search committee hiring process. However, in this case as the internal applicant you already posses all of the valuable internal information that would speed up your assimilation into the role.
Despite this, you should take your application and consideration for an internal transfer to a new role as seriously as any other interview. You should be prepared to have the conversation with the hiring manager about your relevant skills and your overall fit for the role. Start the process as you would any other position and create a specific resume and cover letter for the role that outlines both your interest and your argument for why you should be hired.
Working with Your Manager
You’ll need to first evaluate your relationship with your current manager for this transition like all transitions in student affairs and throughout your professional career. Your relationship with your current manager will inform the next steps that you can take in moving and applying for positions outside of your direct functional area.
Do you have a good relationship with your manager? If so, then reach out to them about your desire to move to a different functional area. It’s okay to be nervous talking about this. You can best alleviate this feeling by stating why you’d like to move and how a change in functional areas will help you grow and develop in your career.
This often works best for those that work at smaller institutions, colleges, and universities because teams are often smaller and working relationships are closer. In these environments it would be beneficial to bring up the option with the hiring manager for the other area about your desire to change and move on.
Some managers may take this change and movement personally. Oftentimes losing a staff member means that everyone else has to take on additional duties until a successor is found and hired. It’s okay if your supervisor reacts negatively. Often this is a reactionary first measure. It’s okay if your current manager feels like this is an inopportune time or a bad idea. Rest assured that you shouldn’t be discouraged if they think so.
Remember: moving on and up and student affairs is done to help you in your career. That inevitably means that others can and are left behind. However, your movement opens up opportunities for others in the field. Though this cycle we grow and develop in the profession.
Reviewing the Move
At this point you should have had time to discuss the move with both your current manager and your future supervisor. Now it’s time to review the logistics of the opportunity in more depth. One of the first things to consider if this is a vertical move (i.e. to a more senior or a less senior position) or a more horizontal move (i.e. with about the same amount and type of responsibilities) in the new role.
It’s not recommended that you take a less senior role during an internal transfer. That’s why it’s also important to determine if there is room to move up in the field if you’re taking on a new role. If so, then that means that you’ll also be in a position to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. Both of which make you a marketable professional.
While reviewing the move, you also want to make sure if changing functional areas also makes sense with your career goals. Will this move help you take a step (or leap) into what you want to do later in your career?
Lastly, for an internal move, you’ll have to determine how long you’d like to stay with the college or institution. If it’s for the foreseeable future than an internal move could be a great step for you. If you’re not planning on staying around for that long then it’s worth your time to look for new roles in a different functional area outside of your institution.
Transferrable Skills
One of the most common topics that come up when discussing changing functional areas in the field is the concept of transferrable skills. Transferrable skills are skills that you’ve developed in one functional area that you can then apply to a new role. Knowing what your transferable skills are and how they apply to your new position are key to making this kind of transition.
Transferrable skills fall over many functional areas and disciplines. But, the most common ones that are referenced in student affairs work are technical skills, communication, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and project management.
Technical skills are often related to a specific platform such as a learning management system (i.e. Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace) or to a specific student information or case management system. Often institutions will use the same or similar platforms. So being able to relate your knowledge and applications to these platforms will serve you well.
Communication skills are applicable to all professional areas – not just student affairs. Being an effective communicator means that you can convey message, meaning, and intent with those you interact with. This includes different mediums as well such as talking in person, over the phone, over a web conferencing platform, and via text. Being able to communicate effectively and then having the other parties act on that communication is a great asset to have no matter what position you are in.
Critical thinking involves the ability to analyze facts, data, and information and form a judgment that affects future actions. Often this requires individuals to review complex and robust amount of information such as survey data; interactions with past students; or trends in higher education as a whole. Thinking critically and then acting on said analysis is difficult. That’s why critical thinkers in student affairs are sought after. Knowing how to interpret large sums of information that then form policy decisions and considerations is a respected skill set.
Teamwork comes from being able to connect, lead, collaborate, and cooperate with other student affairs professionals. Most likely within the same office or team as you, but often times extend to others areas of the university. Being able to discuss and work with others is essential towards accomplishing goals; especially goals that require more than just the time and expertise of a single person.
Leadership is much like teamwork but often requires student affairs professionals to lead more than just their peers. Leadership is a disciple that is often covered in student affairs graduate programs. However, there is no replacement for real, applicable, and experiential application that comes from actually leading others in a functional area. That means that being able to identify and rely on your assets as a leader makes you a competitive candidate.
Project management has become a more desired transferrable skill as the scope and impact of student affairs work sometimes escapes the regularity of traditional responsibilities. Sometimes specific teams of individuals with diverse backgrounds and abilities need to be assembled to tackle a larger problem. Someone skilled at project management including scope, budgeting, impact, and assessment will be a sought after professional.
It’s important that you choose the transferable skills that you share with your hiring manager wisely. It’s also important to note that you don’t necessarily need to meet all hiring requirements for a position that is outside of your direct functional area. This can be done by following the formula where you state prior role; explain your responsibility; and then list the skill that it taught you.
For example:
“In my prior role as a resident director I was often called upon to mitigate roommate conflicts. To do this, I first reviewed any incidents of past issues with students in our student information system [technical]. I then communicated to both parties via official institutional email [communication skills]. I worked directly with my resident assistant [teamwork] as we formulated our strategy for leading and resolving the issue based on student developmental theories [critical thinking]. We then co-lead the resolution together [leadership]. In the end I documented my process in order to teach it to other resident directors and assistants at our next staff training [project management].”
Action Steps
Moving to another functional area in the same or different university is a challenge. Know that you’re not alone here. Many others in the field will make the transition like you.
Just know that making this transition is not an easy step. It requires foresight, planning, and a concerted effort to evaluate where you are now in your career to help you determine where (and how) you want to get to the next step. That’s why it’s important to have a goal in mind for where you want to be in your next position compared to what you’re doing in your current position.
You can start creating this goal by first examining, connecting, and interviewing other people in the field who may be in other functional areas. This is your first step in researching others parts of student affairs that you may be interesting in working in.
The next step would be to get some functional experience in that area. It helps to volunteer for or join committees or projects that are occurring in that field. You can do this now by asking the director for the area that you want to work in for any available opportunities. Likewise, you can also work with a professional organization like NASPA’s Knowledge Communities where you can connect to other professionals working in different functional areas.
Through this activity you will begin to develop applicable and experiential knowledge based on your work. Sometimes this includes learning a new functional vocabulary for the area as well how interactions with students works in a new role.
After you’ve done your initial homework, it’s time to create a transition plan. Where do you want to go next and what do you want to do there? Think about if/when/how you want to share this information with your current supervisor.
It is very easy to doubt yourself during these challenging stages. It’s okay. New things are scary. But planning, taking small steps, and expanding your network are all small things that you can start doing right now to help you with the eventual transition. Doing this work now means that you’ll be ready when the time comes to make the move.
Takeaways
This article reviewed changing functional areas in student affairs. It included steps on mitigating this transition including how to connect with colleagues in other functional areas. Skills and responsibilities across functional areas were reviewed and itemized. The steps necessary to make an internal transfer (within the same university) were reviewed in addition to having this conversation with your manager. The process leading up to your move to another functional area including transferrable skills and actionable steps were covered in detail.
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
7 do's and don'ts of switching jobs within a company. (2018, July 16). Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.jobstreet.com.ph/career-resources/7-dos-and-donts-of-switching-jobs-within-a-company
Doyle, A. (2020, January 31). Tips for Transferring to a New Job at the Same Company. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-transfer-jobs-at-your-company-2060645
Dzierzanowski, S. (2018, October 04). 7 Effective tips on switching jobs within your company. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://medium.com/@Skillroads.com/7-effective-tips-on-switching-jobs-within-your-company-b96ea36a386b
Eng, D. (2018, November 09). Competing Against Internal Candidates. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2018/11/9/compete-against-the-internal-hire
Eng, D. (2019, August 19). Targeted Cover Letters. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/8/16/targeted-cover-letters
Eng, D. (2019, July 30). Searching with a Supervisor. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/7/30/searching-with-a-supervisor
Eng, D. (2019, October 07). First Round Interview. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2019/10/7/first-round-interview
K, Dixon. (October 23, 2019). Narrow Down Your Next Student Affairs Job Search with These Tips. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.presence.io/blog/narrow-down-your-next-student-affairs-job-search-with-these-tips/
Kaufman, C. (n.d.). If you're considering an internal transfer, ask yourself these 10 questions to help you determine if the move is right for you. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/before-making-internal-move
McCord, S. (2020, June 19). How to Know if You Have Transferable Skills. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.themuse.com/advice/this-simple-formula-makes-highlighting-transferable-skills-easy
Moore, E. (2018, August 31). The Do's and Don'ts of Changing Roles Within Your Company. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/dos-donts-changing-roles/
Omoth, T. (2017, April 27). Should You Make an Internal Career Change? Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/should-you-make-the-move-up-the-internal-ladder
Smith, A. (2020, June 19). Want to Transfer to Another Job Within the Same Company? Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.themuse.com/advice/transfer-job-within-same-company
Stobierski, T. (2019, August 6). 8 Transferable Skills to Help You Change Careers. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.northeastern.edu/bachelors-completion/news/transferable-skills-examples/
Thai, J. (2018, January 05). Conquering the internal transfer. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://wavelength.asana.com/workstyle-new-job-same-company/
Thompson, E. (2014, October 17). #CSAM14: Finding Your Functional Area and a Day in the Life. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://studentaffairscollective.org/csam14-finding-your-functional-area-and-a-day-in-the-life/
Troxell, T. (2020, January 10). Changing Functional Areas in Your First Job Search. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.naspa.org/blog/changing-functional-areas-in-your-first-job-search
Vann, J. (2020, June 19). Do You Really Have Transferable Skills or Are You Just Unqualified? Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-is-transferable-skills-unqualified-changing-careers
Vann, J. (2020, June 19). Do You Really Have Transferable Skills or Are You Just Unqualified? Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-is-transferable-skills-unqualified-changing-careers
Yate, M. (2018, February 09). The 7 Transferable Skills To Help You Change Careers. Retrieved July 28, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2018/02/09/the-7-transferable-skills-to-help-you-change-careers/
Cite this Article
Eng, D. (2020, July 28). Changing Functional Areas. Retrieved MONTH DATE, YEAR, from https://www.jobhakr.com/blog-1/2020/7/28/changing-functional-areas
Internal Reference: JHKR7TLFX79BX