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“What should I do next in my job?”
“How do I move up in my career?”
“I’m uncertain whether I have the right mix of soft, hard, and power skills to make this my career. What are the skills I need anyway?”
Do any of these questions sound familiar?
According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC),
Navigating a career path within the college and university admission and enrollment management field can often be difficult for some admission professionals. This sector tends to encompass individuals with varied experiences and the nature of the work within these departments requires a broad skill set.
As most enrollment professionals come to the profession from a background entirely in admissions or financial aid, there’s a lot of learning on the job and fewer resources for formal training available. So, what are some of the basics you need to
know? A good enrollment management leader:
Can creatively solve problems.
Nobody has the budget or the resources that they want, and if you do, you’re the envy of everyone. You not only have to be thoughtful about what you invest in but also be willing to take
a chance on new solutions to age-old problems. You are trying to connect with students whose wants and desires can be fluid so it’s important to understand the difference between temporary and long-term change and adjust accordingly.
Understands their institution’s appeal to students.
It’s a competitive market and knowing where you stand, both at a micro and macro level will help you build upon your strengths. How is your institution different?
Why do students choose to apply? Who are the students who see success? What influences the students you want to attract?
Can build a team around them.
You can’t do this by yourself, even if you are amazing at what you do. Let’s skip the Marvel Universe analogy for now. Learning to work with your peers and create a team that balances
out your weaknesses makes your department stronger. Surrounding yourself with people who think, act, and work like you will limit your perspective and your growth.
While there aren’t a ton of formal resources out there for this profession, there are leaders who have learned (sometimes the hard way) what creating a career in enrollment management requires and are willing to share those lessons.
On Wednesday, November 2 at 3:00 p.m. EST, AACRAO is hosting a webinar panel of college and university executives who will share the strategies and tactics they’ve utilized to chart their own career success in the Admissions and Enrollment space. During the hour you will learn:
- Paths that enrollment and admissions executives have taken to build their careers
- Key turning points in career development
- Skills that enrollment and admissions executives have heavily leaned on in their position
- The most surprising skill that impacts a career
- Ways that those skills are fine-tuned through experiences and training programs
- Mentorship and its role
- Developing a personal brand: Is it important?
- Balance and how it affects the ability to succeed in College Admissions and Enrollment
Register for the Admissions and Enrollment: Building a Career From a Job webinar on Wednesday, November 2 at 3:00 p.m. EST (12:00 noon PST).