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Resident Assistant - Tips & Hints

Assess your skills and comfort level by asking yourself

• How will this position affect my academic responsibilities?
• What will confrontation of my peers be like, and will I be comfortable with it?
• Can I energize and get people involved and excited about the activities in the residence halls?
• Can I remain objective and fair when I address the behavior of my friends?
• Am I a good role model and team player?
• Am I able to keep calm and articulate myself in stressful situations?
• Do people regard me as confident and self-assured?
• Do I have the ability to think on my feet?
• Am I someone people feel comfortable confiding in?

Do Your Homework

• Talk with different RAs prior to your interview and ask them questions about the position.
• Know the job description. You should come to the interviews prepared to talk about the different areas of responsibility.
• Be familiar with the array of campus resources.  Think about how a RA might use these resources.
• Be able to articulate what the Mission statement means to you as a student.

Application

• Before you begin filling out the application, read through it and take time to reflect on the questions in order to best express yourself.
• Be sure to answer all questions completely.

Recommendation

• Be thoughtful of who you ask to write a recommendation for you.
• Provide accurate reference contact information (name and email address) on your application.
• Recommendation forms will be emailed directly to your references, but feel free to follow-up with them to assure they’ve received and submitted them.

Interview Tips

• A candidate’s attire for the interview does make an impression.
• Come to the interviews prepared with questions about the job, challenges, and opportunities.
• You should be able to articulate your thoughts on these and other related areas:
  • Your priorities and what you value
  • Aspects you would like to improve about yourself
  • Your goals in relation to the RA position
  • Your problem solving techniques
  • Your experiences and their impact on who you are today
  • How well you work with diverse populations

In Summary

We want to see that you know yourself and can articulate your strengths and limitations.
Be sure to represent YOURSELF and try not to emulate someone else.

At any time in the selection process, feel free to talk with your RA or RLC about your questions.

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