Residential Advisors

social interests enforce rules communication coordinate activities order supplies personal service order supply first aid safety housing records

Residence Hall Director, Residence Life Director, Resident Assistant, Resident Director

What they do:
Coordinate activities in resident facilities in secondary school and college dormitories, group homes, or similar establishments. Order supplies and determine need for maintenance, repairs, and furnishings. May maintain household records and assign rooms. May assist residents with problem solving or refer them to counseling resources.
On the job, you would:
  • Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students.
  • Observe students to detect and report unusual behavior.
  • Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers.

Knowledge

Business

  • customer service
  • management

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security
  • law and government

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Social

  • understanding people's reactions
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Concern for Others
  • Self Control
  • Cooperation
  • Integrity
  • Leadership

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Electronic mail software

  • Email software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology

Word processing software

  • Google Docs Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
some college or
bachelor's degree
usually needed

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about residential advisors.