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Get a glimpse at some of the typical day-to-day responsibilities of a residential advisor on a university campus. Is this something you're interested in doing?

Learn about a day in the life of a residential advisor.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Residential Advisors

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.

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

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.

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.

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.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Personal Care and Service Occupations

Other Personal Care and Service Workers

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.

Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary.

Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure.

Mediate interpersonal problems between residents.

Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs.

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 and coordinate educational programs for residents.

Email software

Microsoft Outlook

Google Docs

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Budgeting software

Microsoft Office software

Survey software

Web browser software

Microsoft PowerPoint

Website development software

Emergency first aid kits

Copy machines

Smart phones

Portable fire extinguishers

Computer data input scanners

Laptop computers

Computer inkjet printers

Wet-dry vacuums

Passenger vans

Telephone answering machines

Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

Very important

Important

How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

Very high responsibility

High responsibility

Moderate responsibility

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a month or more but not every week

How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

Limited freedom

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Residential Advisors

Overview

Career

What Residential Advisors Do

Other Job Titles Residential Advisors May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Residential Advisors

Overview

Career

What Residential Advisors Do

Other Job Titles Residential Advisors May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Residential Advisors

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders