Career summary

Details for Residential Advisors


Description

Coordinate activities for residents of boarding schools, college fraternities or sororities, college dormitories, or similar establishments. Order supplies and determine need for maintenance, repairs, and furnishings. May maintain household records and assign rooms. May refer residents to counseling resources if needed.

Tasks

  • Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs.
  • Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary.
  • Mediate interpersonal problems between residents.
  • Administer, coordinate, or recommend disciplinary and corrective actions.
  • Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students.
  • Counsel students in the handling of issues such as family, financial, and educational problems.
  • Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure.
  • Observe students to detect and report unusual behavior.
  • Determine the need for facility maintenance and repair, and notify appropriate personnel.
  • Collaborate with counselors to develop counseling programs that address the needs of individual students.
  • Develop program plans for individuals or assist in plan development.
  • Hold regular meetings with each assigned unit.
  • Direct and participate in on- and off-campus recreational activities for residents of institutions, boarding schools, fraternities or sororities, children's homes, or similar establishments.
  • Assign rooms to students.
  • Provide requested information on students' progress and the development of case plans.
  • Confer with medical personnel to better understand the backgrounds and needs of individual residents.
  • Answer telephones, and route calls or deliver messages.
  • Process contract cancellations for students who are unable to follow residence hall policies and procedures.
  • Sort and distribute mail.
  • Supervise the activities of housekeeping personnel.
  • Order supplies for facilities.
  • Supervise students' housekeeping work to ensure that it is done properly.
  • Chaperone group-sponsored trips and social functions.
  • Compile information such as residents' daily activities and the quantities of supplies used to prepare required reports.
  • Accompany and supervise students during meals.
  • Provide transportation or escort for expeditions, such as shopping trips or visits to doctors or dentists.
  • Inventory, pack, and remove items left behind by former residents.
  • Develop and coordinate educational programs for residents.
  • Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers.
  • Oversee departmental budget.

Interests

  • Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
  • Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Knowledge

  • Communications and Media -Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Sociology and Anthropology -Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
  • Public Safety and Security -Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Therapy and Counseling -Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Clerical -Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Administration and Management -Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Customer and Personal Service -Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills

  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

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