Realizing How to TPE

by Dylan Ruffra
@drcards


Over the past semester, I have been spending a lot of time working on my job search process. I have been really thinking about what I want to do in my next position and looking at the different schools that have opens. In early January, I decided to sign up for The Placement Exchange (TPE), to interview with different schools I was interested in working at. Going through the experience let me meet quite a few different employers that got me excited for the future.   Being at TPE I learned about that process and tips that I wanted to pass on to future attendees.

  1. Do Your Research- For each school and position you apply for it is good to do your research about the school and the position. Almost every interview that I had asked me about why I was interested in their school and their position. Having done the research really helped me know how to answer this question.  At the end of interviews, I always tried to ask a question that was specific to the department that showed I had researched their school.
  2. Be Open-I think the biggest thing that I have learned in this process is to be open to where you are applying. I tried to start setting limits but then I realized it might have not been the most realistic thing to do. At TPE there are lots of different schools in attendance who may reach out to you while you are there. I would suggest not writing anything off until you know what they have to offer and do your research on the school.
  3. Get to Know Others- Waiting in the different waiting areas can be a real stressful time. Something that really helped me was getting to know the other candidates in the same waiting area as me. Learning about their student affairs passion areas and what schools they are applying too, you start to form a connection with them about the process. Having these, different connections helped foster a support system during the different interviews.
  4. Take Time For Yourself- I think the second biggest thing that I learned from this experience was to realize the importance of taking time for yourself. I had a couple times where I scheduled back-to-back interviews and I learned how great breaks are. A great suggestion that I would offer would be to relax at the end of the day. Having that time alone to yourself at the end of the day is always a great thing.

 Reflecting on my time at The Placement Exchange was helpful for me. I even got to catch up with colleagues that I have not seen in a while. Having this opportunity gave me a lot of different things to think about and I am excited to see where my process goes. 

Student Affairs - the First Years

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