Resident Assistant Application Workshops

RA Information

Workshop Schedules

Resume and Interview Workshop

Thursday, Jan. 28 at 8:00 p.m.
Towers Social Room (Basement)
Facilitated by Housing Staff

These workshops are specifically designed for this process; if you want additional help please contact Career Services (836-5359).

Reference Tips

Ask people who will give you a GOOD reference (look at the form and think if they can honestly evaluate you in all areas).
Ask people to write a letter in addition to filling out the form.
Ask your references to talk specifically about skills you have that would help in the RA job.
Do not ask friends (aka: if you are friends with an RA in another hall but they are not YOUR RA they are a friend – maybe not the best reference).
Stick to only 1 high school reference if possible.
Ask the hall director in the building you are applying to when the references are due (some want them on the application due date while others might be more flexible).
Check in with the hall director to see if all of your references have arrived.

Who to ask:

Your RA (if you have known them longer than 1 ½ months).
Hall director (if applying in another hall).
An advisor to an organization you have been involved in (RHA, Senate, etc.).
A Student in a leadership position in an organization you have been involved in (President/VP of RHA, Senate, etc.)
Employers from jobs in you had during high school or summer.

Sample Resume

Click here for a sample resume used for RA Applications.

Cover Letter Tips

The goal of the cover letter is to introduce yourself and to express your interest in the open position to a potential employer. In this case, it’s the RA Selection Committee in the hall you are applying in. This is your chance to make a positive first impression and stand out to the committee.

Cover Letter Format - includes four parts.

Header – The header includes the sender's address, the recipient's contact information, and the date.

Introduction - The introduction briefly states the specific position desired, and is designed to catch the employer's immediate interest.

Body - The body highlights material in the resume and/ or job application, and explains why the job seeker is interested in the job and would be of value to the employer.

Closing - A closing sums up the letter, and indicates the next step the applicant expects to take.

When writing your cover letter write it as if the selection committee has no knowledge of whom you are. Use this as a way to introduce yourself to the committee.

Your cover letter should be no more than one page. Make sure that your spelling and grammar are correct. You can make a positive first impression with a well written cover letter, however, you can make a poor first impression with a letter with words misspelled or grammar mistakes. That is not how you want to start this process.

Difference between the Cover Letter and a Resume

The resume’ tells the committee about things that you have done including skills and background. The cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell the committee why you personally feel that you are the best person for the job. Here, you can inform the committee on what you would bring to the RA position and also about your greatest strengths.

Good luck on the group process and if you have any questions about the process please contact the Hall Director of the hall where you are applying.

Interview Tips

Before interview tips:

Ask questions or get tips from the hall director or RA’s
Clean up your facebook pictures and profile
Check in with the hall director if all of your references have been received
Don’t violate a j-code policy
Just because an RA or Hall Director encouraged you to apply for an opening does not make it that you are a given for the position
Being a hall council executive also does not guarantee you a position

After interview tips:

Don’t open your letter in the lobby
If you have questions/concerns only address your hall director, don’t address the students on the committee
If you did not get selected, make an appointment to speak to the hall director to get feedback for future interviews
Don’t bad mouth people who may have gotten hired instead of you
Be modest if you got the position

Group Interview Tips

The main goal of the group interview process is to see how you interact with the other RA candidates. You are going to be working on a staff of anywhere from 4 to 17 other RAs. Being able to communicate effectively is essential to being a successful RA.

There are three main types of activities that will be held during the group interview process. You may have anywhere from 3 to 6 activities depending on which hall you apply in. The three categories are: Ice breakers, Creative/ Problem Solving, and Consensus Building. Each category helps the committee make decisions about how you would work with others on an RA staff.

The best piece of advice we can offer you when preparing for the group interview is TO BE YOURSELF! Do not try to act like who you thing the committee wants you to be. That may cause you to act differently than you normally would and may give the committee an inaccurate view of who you really are. If you act like you normally would, then the committee will have an accurate representation of who you are and how you work and communicate in a group.

Each Hall Director has different expectations or views on how to dress for the group process. The best thing here to do is to ask the Hall Director of the hall where you are applying. That way you get accurate information. The activities that may be done in each process may have you moving around a lot or even sitting on the floor. We want you to be comfortable but also to look appropriate for an interview. The best description would be casual/ professional. That means you need to look nice, but you do not need to be in your best clothes. It is something that is comfortable but in which you still look nice. No t-shirts or shorts or jeans with holes in them. Do not wear flip flops or slippers.