Advising & Supporting
“The Advising and Supporting competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to providing advising and support to individuals and groups through direction, feedback, critique, referral, and guidance” (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 36).
As student affairs professionals, our vision of practical guidance and support is very different from that of students. We consider student services, education, and programs for special populations as separate entities or departments that work together to counsel and support students. However, a student sees higher education staff as individuals who have supported and advised them along their journey in college. They know the professor who believes in them, the Dean, who helped them get into that Math class, the patient literacy tutor, the counselor who helped them with their career goals, the nice woman in financial aid, the man in the cafeteria who asks how they have been, etc. That is why I think there are many ways to help students succeed personally and professionally.
As student affairs professionals, our vision of practical guidance and support is very different from that of students. We consider student services, education, and programs for special populations as separate entities or departments that work together to counsel and support students. However, a student sees higher education staff as individuals who have supported and advised them along their journey in college. They know the professor who believes in them, the Dean, who helped them get into that Math class, the patient literacy tutor, the counselor who helped them with their career goals, the nice woman in financial aid, the man in the cafeteria who asks how they have been, etc. That is why I think there are many ways to help students succeed personally and professionally.
I learned that as an influential advisor, you should:
My experience in learning how to effectively advise and support students as a higher education professional has been throughout my time at the Career Center for Professional Development. I support and counsel students almost daily as a graduate assistant at CCPD’s office. I have had hundreds of consultations to review resumés, cover letters, mock interviews, revisions to personal statements, job and internship search, as well as career and major exploration.
- Assist students in navigating through various offices and programs.
- Connect students with services and resources to support them in their careers.
- Maintain high expectations of students.
- Ask students about their experiences, what is right for them and what is wrong.
- Recognize the value of students’ talents, skills, and competencies.
- Encourage attendance at activities outside the classroom.
- Communicate that you genuinely care about the student.
My experience in learning how to effectively advise and support students as a higher education professional has been throughout my time at the Career Center for Professional Development. I support and counsel students almost daily as a graduate assistant at CCPD’s office. I have had hundreds of consultations to review resumés, cover letters, mock interviews, revisions to personal statements, job and internship search, as well as career and major exploration.
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I also had the opportunity to advise peer mentors (undergraduate and graduate students) on conducting consultations on professionalism. I created a peer mentor Canvas module with readings and activities. I also let these students shadow my consultations and ask clarifying questions afterward. I have also provided a training session for graduate students for internships and job search meetings.
Finally, I have advised and supported other cohort members on various aspects of professional documentation. I guided some of my classmates to create more pertinent and concise resumés and cover letters. I also have peer-reviewed my classmate’s essays and project content for grammatical and spelling errors. I have suggested making their writing clearer by eliminating unnecessary jargon. Being a support system for university students is rewarding and vital to their growth. In conclusion, as a professional in higher education, one must follow the necessary steps to be an influential adviser to their students and colleagues. These steps are described above, and it can take time and experience to figure them out thoroughly. ACPA: College Student Educators International & NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (2015). Professional competency areas for student affairs educators. Washington, D.C.: Authors |