Maria Lauro Higher Education Career Trajectory Paper Spring 2012 D.

Calhoun

Career Trajectory What do I want to be when I grow up? My higher education career aspirations would be to remain on the administrative side of higher education, as an advisor or senior advisor to the student body. Im a people person and the most rewarding part of my job is customer service. I strive to go above and beyond for the students. I currently have daily interactions with students as part of my Enrollment Management Specialist position at Georgia Highlands College. I foresee the advising position as an expansion of my knowledge of the student service departments. For me to learn advising would be the next step in my career growth. As a result, I could contribute more to the student services department holistically. At Georgia Highlands College, we often refer to the area that I work in the HUB, as a onestop shop. If I were to add advising to my repertoire then the statement would certainly apply to me. Advising is the only student service department in which I have limited experience. I have previously worked in financial aid for four years and in admissions for two years. Furthermore the only times that I assist with the registration aspect of advising are during peak time and student orientations. Short-Range Goals My short term goals are as follows: speak with my Campus Dean regarding cross training to ensure that it doesnt interfere with my current position. Also, I will need to request permission from the Vice President of Advising to sit in on web conferences and training sessions. I will also need to partner with our campus advisor, Laura Walton to

Lauro 1

Maria Lauro Higher Education Career Trajectory Paper Spring 2012 D. Calhoun

schedule days and times to cross train that work best for her. I will also continue to assist with the registration process during orientations and during drop/add. Long- Range Goals I will need to use the skills that I gain from the advising cross-training to remain current. I will need to actively seek out the most up-to-date changes. I will also need to continue to practice the advising skills by requesting that the advisor refer students to me when they are absent or away from the office. It is important that I gain perspectives from several advisors to understand the true breadth of advising. I will need to continue to update my credentials to reflect my career diversification and I will actively pursue job opportunities internally and externally. Qualifications Institutionally, the position requires bachelors degree for the advisor position with a preference in higher education student service experience. According to www.higheredjobs.com the ability to navigate Banner and DegreeWorks systems are vital parts of the advising position. Also, the amount of advising experience depends on the college. There were some colleges in Florida that preferred ten year experience in advising. In addition to experience, I will need to gain a good grasp on programs of study and how they will transfer out to other universities be a better advocate for students. I will need to complete the Masters program at Georgia Southern University to qualify for the Senior Advising position.

Lauro 2

Maria Lauro Higher Education Career Trajectory Paper Spring 2012 D. Calhoun

Trajectory 1. Seek my Campus Deans input regarding my career aspirations 2. Seek approval from the Senior Advisor to be mentored by and mirror an advisor 3. Request training time with my on campus advisor 4. Ensure that I set aside time for professional development 5. Make provisions to attend advising web conferences and training sessions 6. Hone my skills by continuously practice 7. Actively seek out ways to continue with my professional growth 8. Continue with my education 9. Additional exposure to training sessions and growth of advising experience 10. Remain at my current institution for several years to receive the proper amount of training 11. Actively seek internally and externally for my dream job Needful things to realize my career goals As I reviewed the website, I found that I have several needs that will have to be met before my aspirations can be realized. I will need permission from my superiors. I will need career development time away from my current position. I will also need the willingness of my campus advisor to allow me the appropriate amount of time to mirror her day to day operations. I will also have to request permission from the students and ask for their patience while I learn this new role. Additionally, I will need to actively seek feedback from my mentors and the students so that I may improve my skills. Above all, I will need to be patient and forgiving of myself, because Im sure to make mistakes along the way.
Lauro 3

Maria Lauro Higher Education Career Trajectory Paper Spring 2012 D. Calhoun

Lauro 4