Transfer Evaluation Coordinator (Student Affairs Professional)

Kayla W. "As a student affairs professional, I help students be successful and to ultimately obtain a degree. My goal is to help students at my university to have a well-rounded college experience and to leave the university with a degree and the knowledge and experiences they need to be successful human beings. More specifically, as a Transfer Evaluation Coordinator, I work with students who have earned college coursework and credit to determine which course credit equivalents that they will receive credit for at my specific university."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) Bachelor's degree (in any field) is required for my specific position, but other positions in Student Affairs may only require a high school diploma.

Importance of GPA somewhat important

Kayla's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Science)
Kayla's College Major: Mass Communications with a focus on Public Relations, and a minor in Marketing.
Kayla's College GPA Range: 3.1-3.5

Salary

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$30,000-$50,000
can vary depending on location or institution

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

As a student, I worked as an orientation leader (orienting incoming freshman to campus and the world of college, etc.), as well as an ambassador for the Admissions department. I gained experience by volunteering as an undergraduate.

How important was networking to landing your position?

Networking is huge in the world of higher education. I didn't specifically know anyone in the department I now work in, but I went to the institution as an undergraduate student and I think that helped.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

Typically, I work Monday through Friday 8-5, but have to work about 3 Saturdays and 3 Sundays each year for special events (e.g., graduations, preview days, orientations). In my specific position, I sit at a desk most of the day doing evaluation of transcripts/data entry, answering emails. I see students from time-to-time. Working in this position is very behind the scenes in the world of higher ed.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

I would say that my position matches up about 99% with the job description that was posted when I was hired.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Honestly, there are more women in the field of Student Affairs than there are men. If anything, I believe it may help to be a woman in Student Affairs. However, diversity is a huge part of the higher education world and people of all ethnicities, races, genders, etc. are accepted!

What is the best thing about your job?

I get to help students to find, understand, and develop their dreams. Working in higher education is rewarding and something I am incredibly passionate about.

What is the worst thing about your job?

There are a ton of policies that sometimes upset the student and their families. These policies are not meant to hinder, but it sometimes feels like they do.

How demanding is your job?

The institution that I work at is growing very rapidly, which means that more and more students are attending, but we still have the same amount of people in our office. It can be a large workload that seems to never end, and it can also be very tedious work. However, thinking about how much it helps the student to become who they want and need to be makes it all worth it.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

YES! I work in the Registrar's Office, but this position can be housed in Admissions at other institutions. I could move up from my position to my supervisor's position, which is the head of the Transfer area. Above the Transfer area manager is the Registrar. Also, working in Student Affairs, it is often that people may move from area to area on a campus, this includes stepping up into higher roles, such as Area Directors or VP or AVPs of divisions. I plan on staying in the field of Student Affairs for the rest of my life, and would love to become an Area Director at some point.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

It is very important to have a passion for the student. Fun, bubbly personalities and being a people person is important. Anyone looking to work in higher education should be able to follow policies and procedures, be a hard-worker, optimistic, and have a great eye for detail and accuracy.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

BE YOURSELF! As mentioned before, diversity is something that every institution is looking for. Don't try to fit into some kind of peg.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

ABSOLUTELY! I'm actually going back to school to earn my Master's in the field.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Kayla's sites here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Business Transformation Consultant

Jasmin C. "I help companies with their business transformations with IT enabled change. Essentially that means that when a huge company needs to change their business, implement a new system, or bring in some new technology, I help them get the most out of the technology so the business is ready for it. My job involves working closely with business users and tech teams by being the one in middle!"

Education

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Required License(s) Bachelor's degree

Required Degree(s) No, but I have a diploma in business analysis (which is very useful) and am a member of the British Computer Society.

Importance of GPA somewhat important

Jasmin's Highest Degree: Jasmin went to school in New Zealand
Jasmin's College Major: Biology specializing in Genetics

Salary

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[Note from Nicole]: According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for a Business Transformation Consultant is $62,682.

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

A degree which focused on critical thinking, a passion for technology, experience working in teams, and people skills!

How important was networking to landing your position?

Not at all. I applied for a graduate scheme.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

As I'm a consultant, every day is hugely different. One day I can be working from home, designing a new business process, the next I can be wandering around a manufacturing warehouse, following an engineer around to see what they do, the next meeting senior execs to present findings. That is what I love about it—you will never get bored! It does involve working with a huge range of people, finding out about what they do, redesigning processes, developing change strategies, and helping implement them!

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

I would say there isn't a typical job description! Every role is so different, the main thing is being really adaptable and willing to learn. It is a huge learning curve on each project but it's just about getting stuck in.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Being in tech, it is a hugely male-dominated industry. Being a women doesn't really affect me day to day, other than mainly being around a lot of male colleagues. I do wish more women thought about tech as an option though. There are so many jobs in tech which don't require a technical degree or sitting and coding—yes, I do quite a bit of tech work, but all that I've picked up since I joined.

What is the best thing about your job?

The variety—every day is different and interesting. There is a huge opportunity to gain experience in a huge amount of things and progress.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Travel and hours—as I'm a consultant, I'm expected to travel to clients at least for 3 days of the week which can lead to a lot of time on the road (another reason why there are less women in my industry). When work is busy, it can be very demanding on time but it usually balances out over time with the project.

How demanding is your job?

Hours can be tough sometimes but it does tend to balance out—you have some really busy times where you'll be working all evening, and then some quieter times. The travel can take a lot of time, but I balance it with working from home too. It can definitely be mentally tough as you are thrown into a totally new situation every 3-12 months, which takes a bit of getting used to!

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Yes, you can work up the consulting grades to vice-president. I'm working on it!

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

People skills—the ability to communicate and form meaningful relationships—is definitely the most important. Following that is the ability to absorb and process a lot of information about a business and present it logically, with a tiny bit of tech knowledge in there too.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

I think most people don't think of this career, but I really encourage you to even if you don't have a tech degree—we take people from any degree background! You will need a good degree result/ GPA though, and some experience is great (I did a year at a healthcare company, and that helped in building up my communication and people skills).

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

I think so! It can be tough in some aspects but it is really rewarding and interesting work.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Jasmin's sites here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Virtual Assistant

Samara T. "A Virtual Assistant (VA) comes alongside people such as business owners and bloggers, who are needing help with administration tasks or the "extra" tasks they do not have time for. A VA will manage social media pages, write posts, network with prospective clients for the business, create images, schedule posts, respond to comments, engage readers, and viewers, or handle administration tasks. Their job is to relieve business owners and bloggers with these "extra" tasks, giving them time to focus on expanding, connecting with clients, viewers, or other businesses, and put their attention towards growing their business."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) None

Importance of GPA not very important

Samara's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree
Samara's College Major: Events Coordination and Management
Samara's College GPA: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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There is no "typical" salary. It depends on you.

You can charge by the hour (typically $10-$25/hour depending on experience and tasks),  you can charge a fixed rate per month, or you can charge by task (e.g., per article or image), which would be considered contract work. 

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I got my job by seeking out opportunity. I knew that this was what I wanted to do, and I sought out the jobs on my own. I contacted bloggers who I knew were bigger and would likely need help, and presented what I could offer them. Over time, after contacting enough people, I found my first client. Finding my first client led to finding my second client because it gave me more experience. What got me started was the desire to do something and willingness to not give up, even when I was turned down more times than I was accepted. Being an Events Coordinator really helped with this position. You have to be organized, good with people, and be able to manage many tasks. As a Virtual Assistant, you are often working for more than one client and have to balance many tasks and accounts. You need to manage your time to fit them all in, in one day. My previous experience really helped me with this, and also gave me the confidence I needed to reach out to people and network.

How important was networking to landing your position?

Extremely! The way you get positions like this is by networking with other bloggers and business owners. The field of "Virtual Assistants" is still a growing industry. Many business owners do not even realize this is a thing. The only way that I have gained clients is by networking with bloggers and business owners.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

This one is a hard one to explain. This is one job that I do, but it is not my main job. Most afternoons I spend in cafes doing my VA work and my own blogging work. I usually spend time scheduling social media content, researching, creating posts, networking, and promoting the bloggers work on different platforms. It is an incredibly flexible job, as I can do it from anywhere and all I need is the internet. If I have a really busy day with other responsibilities then I will catch up on my VA work in the evening. I also do not need to do it every day (although I do for the most part). I can schedule things to happen on days but not actually do it that day (e.g., social media posts). There is no day that looks the same, which makes it a fun job.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

No, it does not. You do not have to be a woman to do this.

What is the best thing about your job?

It is flexible. I can do it from anywhere since all I need is the internet. I have also learned so many things, gained a lot of experience, and connected with some wonderful people.

What is the worst thing about your job?

You do not always have enough work, and have to seek out more opportunity yourself. It is not a typical 9-5 job where you show up and get paid whether or not the day was very busy. I do not mind this aspect of the job, but it can be unpredictable at times (at least until you are well established with a couple good, reliable clients).

How demanding is your job?

It is not very demanding, but does take time. It is important to take time and do the job well, but it is not a job that will keep you up at night. (At least it shouldn't.)

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Yes, I can advance, for example, by taking on more clients, establishing a business to help others find VA work, using my experience to connect bloggers/business owners with VAs, or training people who want to become a VA. At some point, I will definitely take the next step and expand this position. At this point, though, my focus is not fully my VA position because I am doing other things as well. When these other things end, I will take the next step, and further my career and position as a VA.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Being organized, creative, attentive, willing to learn, sociable, knowledgeable in social media, and blogging, knowledgeable in a few social media platforms and scheduling tools, and determination to not give up.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Often times I hear people say, "Well, I am not experienced enough and don't know what I have to offer." My response is this: if you have/had a blog, even if it is new, you have something to offer. You know how social media works and have at least a basic understanding of at least one blogging platform. The most important part of this job is the willingness to learn and research when you do not know the answer. I am learning all the time (new things, new programs, better ways to do things, etc.). And when I don't know something, I spend time with my trusty friend Google to find others who do know.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes! If I could do it over again, I would pursue this first and would have skipped other things. Although those other positions in the past gave me more confidence to reach out to people and network effectively, I would have much rather started with this from the beginning.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Samara's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Content Marketing Manager

Rachel M. "A Content Marketing Manager is responsible for a company or product's content, from start to finish. This includes creating a content strategy, producing the content, marketing the content, and measuring the results."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) Typically a Bachelor's degree in a similar field is required

Importance of GPA not very important

Rachel's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts)
Rachel's College Major: Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations

Salary

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It varies greatly on the location of the company, as well as the numbers of years of experience the employee has. But for a ballpark, I'd say between $60,000 and $100,000.

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I found out about this job from a recruiter at the company. My now boss found me on LinkedIn, liked my credentials and writing, and the rest is history! I would say that it was likely my experience in SEO (search engine optimization), as well as my freelance writing projects and personal lifestyle blog, that really helped me get this specific position.

How important was networking to landing your position?

For this specific position, none. Which I'm proud of! It's great that people can network their way into jobs, but not everyone is lucky enough to have that opportunity. They say marketing is all about who you know (which is mostly true), but for me it's been more about working hard.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

I start my week off on Monday with lots of meetings with my team members and coworkers. Throughout the week, I'll be writing content, promoting it, and tracking its results. There really is no typical week, but my mind is always revolving around content. "Oh, that would be a good blog post idea" is said aloud least twice a day.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

A lot, for the most part. I rarely say "no" to opportunities though, so when someone asks for extra help on something that's NOT in my job description, I tend to help out. That keeps things interesting and exciting, though!

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Sometimes, yes. Since I work in the technology industry as a non-technical employee, sometimes people think I'm "just a dumb marketing chick." I also look pretty young, so I get a lot of people who treat me like I'm fresh out of college and don't take me seriously in my role.

What is the best thing about your job?

I love the creativity to it. I'm passionate about writing, content, and marketing in general (which is why I am a freelance writer and blogger in my spare time), so the fact that I get paid for doing it is so awesome. I love being able to use my brain to come up with creative ways to present my thoughts and ideas, and ultimately help my company succeed.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Content is everywhere. Every business needs content to survive. So it can be tough to really do something "groundbreaking" that will "stand out from the crowd." Sometimes it can feel like everything has already been said or done.

How demanding is your job?

I'm very lucky that my company values work-life balance (specifically my manager and teammates). Yes, some days I'll stay a little late or answer emails on the weekend, but that's MY choice. I also have a fairly long commute, so I can't just leave the office and be home 10 minutes later. This helps motivate me to leave on time and get home early enough to make dinner and relax with my fiancé and cats.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Definitely. I was originally hired as a Content Marketing Writer and was then promoted to Content Marketing Manager after a year. So I think I just went through that advancement, actually.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Creativity. Excellent organization skills. Passion. Being a good writer (obviously)!

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

I originally wanted to be a journalist, but was constantly told it wasn't a good idea since it was too cutthroat and that the industry was dying. So I switched to Public Relations, thinking I could use my writing skills there. Ultimately, I ended up in digital/online marketing, using a mixture of those skills from my college years to pave my own way into a "content marketing" career. My advice would be to trust your gut—don't switch your major because someone tells you to. Complete a few internships—they'll help you decide what you do and don't like. Lastly, don't be afraid to work for free! You are not entitled to a job at any time in your life. I started a blog in my spare time to improve my writing skills. I wrote for websites for free to build up my portfolio. Those free gigs have helped me get where I am today (and now I rarely need to do work for free)!

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Definitely. I wish colleges would revamp their communications programs to include newer areas like online marketing or content marketing. Those are the jobs that journalism/PR graduates are getting these days.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Rachel's site here and her portfolio here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Freelance Graphic Designer

Alexandra S. "As a freelance graphic designer I feel like I wear many hats on top of just designing things such as websites, print material, ads, etcs. Because I work for myself, I also spend my days interacting with clients (sales and project management) as well as invoicing (the financial side). But the most fun is when I have that all out of the way and I can put on some good music, open a design program like Photoshop, and start moving images, text and color blocks around to start building out a design."

Education

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Required License(s) None are needed, but anything extra you can show clients or a potential boss is always helpful. There are endless awards and certificates you can get to help boost your credibility.

Required Degree(s) None for freelance, but a BA or BFA for an entry-level position is required.

Importance of GPA not very important

Alexandra's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science)
Alexandra's College Major: BFA in Graphic Design/Photography and a BS in Communications
Alexandra's College GPA Range: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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For freelancing, the sky is the limit (and same goes for the low end). It really varies.

A word of advice for freelancers though: don't sell yourself short. If you have the talent, take what you want to make per hour and multiply that by at least 1.5—then charge that.

For a company, an entry level designer should be making around $35,000 - $40,000.

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I worked for two different agencies for a total of four years while freelancing on the side. One day, I decided enough was enough with the desk job and rigid hours, and took the leap to full time freelancing. I had a couple small clients but nothing even close to enough to be able to pay my bills. But with a few months savings, the risk was more than worth it. I'm still not at the same income as I was at my last full-time job, but becoming my own boss was one of the best decisions I've ever made and the salary cut is more than worth it.

How important was networking to landing your position?

Networking was extremely important to land my agency positions—I was offered both jobs based on people I knew recommending me. Once someone a company trusts says you're the best for the job, the interview process is so simple. For freelancing, I network all the time when I'm looking for new clients. To be a freelance designer, you really need to feel comfortable talking to people.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

Being my own boss, no two days are ever the same—which I love. Some days I focus on my blog (myurbanfamily.com), some days I focus on design work. Others are split between the two. There are days when I spend most of my time on Skype with clients and there are other days when I lose 6 hours in a design and realize I skipped lunch. Because every hour I put into my job directly translates to income, I also adjust my hours based on need or how busy I am that week. Some weeks are slow and I'll take a day off. Others I end up working 8-5 and then again 10-1 am.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Yes. This may sound generic, but when you have clients, some tend to not feel your opinion weighs as much because you are a woman. Which always makes me laugh because design is such a visual concept and those types of clients are usually the ones who will also admit that their wife decorates their home because that is a feminine thing to do. Sometimes the correlation is lost.

What is the best thing about your job?

Making my own hours and being (mostly) in control of how much or little I make at a given time.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Ha, same as above. Not having a 401k, health insurance, and set vacation days can be a downside as well.

How demanding is your job?

Dealing with clients is the most demanding part mentally. And if you're working in an office environment, you generally don't have as much of a hands on experience there.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

In the agency world, you generally move from entry-level designer, to senior-level, and then to creative director if you're looking for another step up. Many designers are happy to stop at the senior-level though. For freelancing, you really have full control of how and when you want to grow.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Having an open mind, creative instinct, and knowing how to communicate with others is very important. Also, clients can't always tell you very clearly what they want until they see something visual. Being open to criticism and having dialog back and forth is important.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

If you're going the freelance route, make sure you have some savings to fall back on in the start. It's an uphill climb, but so worth it.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes!

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Alexandra's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->