I’m getting my sea-legs back
While I may not be working in the Higher Education field at the moment, I am definitely starting to get back into the groove of working with college students. It's back-to-school time, and first-year students are coming to town and doing some school shopping at local office-supply stores, which means they're coming into contact with.... ME.
I'm getting some strange looks when I ask questions like, "Are you living on campus?" and "What are you studying?" On the surface, they're not really strange questions. But when I start following up the housing inquiry with recommendations and praises of why living on campus is an amazing experience, and they should take every advantage of on-campus events and activities, and to be involved on their floor and in their building, I start to get some real awkward stares.
At that point, I have to give my little explanation that I am actually a Student Affairs professional, that I have worked in Residence Life at 4 different schools, and that it's simply a twist of fate that has landed me in retail.
The best part, though, is that my fellow employees have started directing customers to me when parents and students have questions about what is really needed. I heard one coworker say to a customer yesterday, "You should talk to Erik. He's actually a college admin professional." That made me feel pretty good.
So, yes, I'm not "in the field" at the moment, but you can't stop instinct! College students are everywhere. So, my Student Affairs/Student Development/Higher Ed friends and colleagues, know that I am still out here, fighting the good fight for you when you're busy on-campus!
(Although, I'd much rather be fighting the good fight on-campus. *hint* *hint*)
An Open Letter to Target (and every other retail store in the country)
Before I even begin, I want to give you a point of reference so that you might better understand my concern. This picture surfaced on Twitter, courtesy of @cindykane, and it disturbs me greatly.
First and foremost, I want you to understand that yes, I recognize that you are a business and your first responsibility is to your shareholders. That's fine. If you could take some social responsibility into account as you make your decisions, though, that would be fantastic.
Here's my concern: ping-pong balls, Solo cups, and a collapsable table are not, by any stretch of the imagination, what I, and countless other student development professionals would call "college essentials." To advertise, albeit not outright, that drinking games are a staple of a college education, you are mocking, and cheapening the value of the college experience for thousands of students around the world.
Furthermore, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but advertising for college supplies is generally targeted at new college students. Face it, by the time your second year of college rolls around, you have a firm grasp on what is and isn't needed in your residence hall room or apartment. By the time you're 21 years old and a Junior or Senior, you definitely don't need anybody pointing you in the direction of "what you need for college" anymore. By your advertising beer pong equipment on a back-to-school endcap, you are, in my opinion, targeting first-year, and therefore underage students.
As a student affairs professional, this one, seemingly innocuous endcap has been viewed, as @cindykane very appropriately put it, a "slap in the face to goals of higher ed".
It is silly for me to expect you, as a corporation, to mimic the goals of the Higher Education/Student Affairs community. It is not, however, that far-fetched of me to ask that you, as a corporation with a great deal of influence on your customers, to consider your social responsibility and the audience to whom you are selling your product.
We have a hard enough time educating students on healthy behaviors, misleading college stereotypes, and misguided expectations of the college experience. We don't need you perpetuating these illusions by encouraging binge drinking by under-age students.
Social responsibility is easy to overlook as a large corporation. Don't buy into the illusions of the college experience. Don't perpetuate the "Animal House" myth. Help to make the college experience better, more meaningful, and successful for this year's incoming class of students. Don't set them off in the wrong direction with inherently unhealthy goals and expectations.
Signed,
Erik Bates (and, I'm sure, several hundred other student development professionals, parents, and students)
The Placement Exchange: Day 3 (The Finale)
Stick a fork in me, I'm done!
The Placement Exchange is officially over. In all, I had 13 interviews, three of which were 2nd interviews. I'm walking away from TPE with several good prospects and couldn't be more pleased with my decision to attend this year.
Looking back at the Exchange, I must say it was a well-run experience. The best decision the organizers made was having the waiting areas arranged by candidate name instead of employer table number. I knew that I would always be waiting for my interviews in Area A instead of running all over trying to make it to interviews on time. Well done, TPE!
While sitting in the waiting room you couldn't help but notice the nervousness that the candidates were feeling. More importantly, there was a sense of genuine support and care amongst the candidates. As people were leaving to an interview, you could hear quiet whispers of "good luck" from others in the room. That's the joy of this field we are in: there's support at every turn, even in the midst of this incredible competition we're in.
One thing about TPE that I wish we could change. I made every effort I could to not try to compare interviews. By that, I mean I never wanted to know "how many interviews do you have?" Sure, I would ask how many more someone had left in the day, or if they were happy with the number they had or if they had any interviews they were excited about. I just wish we could get away from the culture of comparing one another by how many interviews they have. I'm sure I'm guilty of it from time to time, but I try so hard not to be that person.
Don't get me wrong: we are all going into this process with the best of intentions. We don't ask these questions in an attempt to make the other person feel bad but rather to make ourselves feel better. Deep down, we're trying to calm our own nerves, worried about if we have scheduled enough interviews and if we're on the right track for success.
My rant aside, as I've said previously, I do sincerely wish everyone the absolute best of luck in your search. We may be competing for some of the same jobs, and I may let the air out of your tires if you land the job I'm after, but in the end there are no hard feelings. We're all amazing candidates, and the most difficult job is truly with the employers trying to decide just which of us amazing people they're going to hire.