Professionalism
This area gives us an opportunity to prepare you for work outside of the context of being a para professional on campus. There will be a transfer of knowledge from what habits you form in college concerning your work and other areas of life.
Make being on time a priority:
Different RD’s may have respective views on what on time looks like. It will be important to have this conversation with your RD. When you know you are going to be late communicate with your RD. This allows your supervisor to know that you are on your way and are considering their schedule.
Dress appropriately (staff meeting, 1 on 1’s or 2 on 1’s):
Being an RA can at times feel like a laid back job where any attire may be appropriate, but there are guidelines that should be considered and adhered to. Casual clothing is appropriate. Even jeans and t-shirts are appropriate. However, when choosing your outfit consider the fact that you are going to a meeting for a job. Jogging pants, jeans with holes and revealing clothing are not appropriate.
Develop self-awareness:
Negativity in the staff can bring the entire group to a different place. Instead, think of something that can be done to improve and then do something to help create that positive change. Talk with your RD about what you need to work through. They may have ways you can help the staff move forward.
Offer to help:
The work of an RA ebbs and flows similar to the seasons. This is also true in your life and the lives of your colleagues. You may experience rough seasons and seasons of joy. Be willing to help fellow staff members and Residence Life as a whole through each season. When an individual is willing to lend an extra pair of hands it helps the staff progress in healthy ways.
Be responsible:
In any role we all have failed or made a mistake. Be willing to admit your mistakes, errors and do what you can to correct them. Try your best not to have your mistake become a reoccurring theme.
How to best construct an e-mail:
Subject line:
Be sure that the subject line is relevant to the reader and the content of the e-mail. For instance if your e-mail is about a Pancake breakfast and you need people to RSVP. Then your subject line should not be;
“Breakfast” or “Food” but “RSVP for Pancake Breakfast”
Structure:
Put the main points of the e-mail in the first sentence. This is specific to Messiah and something students have come accustoms to include a seven second version at the bottom of the page.
Add your signature at the bottom. Include appropriate contact information (name, phone number and e-mail address).
Things to consider not including:
Vagueness: “This needs to be done by 5:00 pm today.” Be specific about what you’re writing about or asking others to do. Otherwise you will not get the information you need or replies with questions. Avoid using ALL CAPITALS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING. Also, avoid using all lower-case letters as this shows a lack of attention to detail on your part.
Text speak: PLZ, ttyl, some may know what you mean and others may just not be aware or misinterpret the information.
Things to be sure to do:
Be brief and polite. Remember to use the words please and thank you.
Be sure to proof read and edit the e-mail before hitting send. If needed send the e-mail to someone else to proof read for you. CC: your supervisor when sending an e-mail to your floor or section. Also include your supervisor on any communication with professors or the Engle center about a student in your hall or apartment.
E-mail etiquette:
It is important to check your email at minimum every 48 hours to stay on top of your email. Reply promptly to serious messages or send a brief response to inform the individual or group when you will be getting back to them. In this situation it is best to under promise and over deliver; meaning you should give yourself ample time to get back to them with the reality that you will finish before the deadline you communicated.
Social Media:
Social media has become a way people interact daily or weekly. For some bad habits have been formed and they use social media without realizing the broader effects it can have on their lives and the influence it may potentially have on others. This section is geared toward helping us think critically about balancing the personal and professional on social media. Keep in mind that our relationships tend to be fluid. Meaning someone who is a friend now could later become a boss or colleague.
Separating the personal and professional can be hard in your role as an RA because your role is a live in role. Yet, there are still things that need to be considered and have potential to create good habits. Ultimately how you interact with social media is up to you.
Currently how do you primarily use social media? Is it a place where you vent? Are you authentic and transparent? Do you hold back some thoughts and reserve them for personal dialogue? What type of pictures do you post? The answers to these questions will help you engage the content below from your personal frame work.
Things to consider when posting on Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc):
Audience: Who are the people that read your post both now and in the future? Use language and information that will be compelling to your audience (within reason).
Content: Is the content you are about to post something you want to be a part of your image as a person and professional? Venting on social media can show your passion for a given subject or it can damage your image. At times as individuals our minds change and what you think on a subject now may change with time and further knowledge.
Context: Often context is lost on social media and a post that means one thing to you can mean something totally different to the reader. Be sure what you post has context or do not post it.
When posting for an event for Residence Life:
Professional accounts are often linked to personal accounts in our contexts so both are readily available from one platform to the next. This has potential to help connect individuals to one another and create great networking opportunities. It also has potential to help us collaborate or idea share.
For programing purposes: Be sure the content is specific and communicates all the details: the when, where and why or time, place and reason for gathering. Use appropriate pictures to draw in your audience. After a program post pictures to the page and tag those in the pictures. Be sure to let students know you will be posting the pictures on social media prior to posting.
For educational purposes: before posting an article or other educational materials give context for the post. Do not expect the reader to make the leap with you to the relevance of the content. Paint a clear picture as to why they should spend time reading the article. Do so in three to six sentences or you may offer too much information where they chose not to read any further.
Big picture: Often employers use facebook and other social media outlets as a way to prescreen candidates. What you have posted could have an effect on your job prospects. It also has the potential to create ramifications for the company or potential loss of job. To think more about strategies that could be employed go to the link below in the reference section hbr.org it is on research done by the Harvard Business Review.
References:
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/workplacesurvival/a/professionalism.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/developingessays/a/profemails.htm
https://hbr.org/2015/03/how-to-separate-the-personal-and-professional-on-social-media