Being able to maximize college students’ use of social media toward learning is going to be a skill higher education professionals will need to master in order to effectively engage our students. Unfortunately, many university faculty and administrators see social media as a mere waste of time and antithetical to the goals and mission of higher education. On Friday, April 20, 2012 at 2:00pm (EST), I presented a webinar titled Using Social Media to Enhance Student Learning Outcomes as hosted by StudentAffairs.com.

The webinar covered strategies for using social media to develop student learning outcomes as well as how to formulate a plan to assess learning outcomes using such social media platforms as Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress. Here is a small sample of social media learning strategies that was covered during the webinar:

Blogging Learning Strategies:

• Use WordPress as a platform to publish educational information
• Mine blog comments as qualitative and quantitative data

Twitter Learning Strategies:

• Utilize unique hashtags for specific classes and programs
• Employ the “One Minute Paper”: Students will tweet the most important item learned and one remaining question they have
• Teach “Back Channel” discussion so students can summarize lessons learned from the class or program

Facebook Learning Strategies:

• “Piggyback” efforts using blogging, YouTube, and Twitter to post educational links and videos on your Facebook page
• Use “Surveys” and “Likes” as a means to acquire data

This webinar, using CAS standards to develop learning outcomes, demonstrates how college and university student affairs administrators can harness the power of social media as a vehicle for developing, enhancing, and assessing student learning outcomes.

I encourage you and your department colleagues to attend this affordable webinar. Please click HERE to see more details and to register for the replay of this webinar. 

Recently I was introduced to Fiverr.com by my assistant director who gave me a quick demonstration of this awesome little service. In a nutshell, Fiverr.com allows individuals from around the world to sell products and services for $5.00. In return, Fiverr.com keeps $1.00 for the transaction. For all intents and purposes, it’s kind of like a mini-version of Craigslist, but with an actual shopping cart and feedback interface.

Products and services can vary from singing telegrams and flyer designs to resume proof-reading and homemade crafts. We went ahead and made our own services available, which include providing team development activities and program lesson plans for only $5.00 (*see below*).

Sellers also offer “extras” on top of the initial $5.00 for extended services or enhancements to the product or service you are buying. For example, I ordered a professional flyer design for a program I am sponsoring. For an additional $10.00, the graphic artist created it in less than two days. It was well worth the extra money for me!

I thought that Fiverr.com would be a perfect platform that both students and student life administrators could mine for valuable services and to sell services themselves. Student organizations could easily use it as a means to fundraise. Administrators can purchase awesome yet inexpensive commercials and designs for department advertising, messages for staff recognition, and even small gifts that could be used as prizes for departmental initiatives and programs. The possibilities are truly endless!

Take a look at Fiverr.com, and leave us a comment as to how you have used the service or intend on using it in the future. 

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Nothing should be as crucial and important as selecting top-notch student staffers for the upcoming semester or even for various summer sessions. Colleges and universities employ various processes for screening and selecting staffers, which in many cases includes a group interview process. For those of you not familiar with this, a ”group process” is a day when potential student candidates are invited to participate in various activities to assess their worthiness to move on through the job selection process. The length of the group process and the types of activities involved are institution-specific, and many of the activities are handed down from one “generation” of professional staffers to the next.

While a group interview process can be a very powerful assessment tool, I have observed many that were filled with “fluff” activities and ice-breakers that did not help in assessing whether or not a student will be a good fit for the open position(s). Having student candidates solve puzzles or perform the “human knot” to determine if they would be a good resident assistant or orientation leader is just as effective as having medical students sit down and play a card game to assess their level of concentration for surgery. The only benefit of these types of group interview activities are to screen out the “show-off’s” and those who hide in a corner.

Here are some strategies and suggestions for creating effective group process activities:

• Create actual quizzes to determine their level of knowledge about campus information and resources necessary for the position. While most of this information is something that would naturally be covered in training, there is nothing wrong to determine the level of awareness a student has pertaining to job-related information. A 10 to 20 question quiz can be distributed to everyone during a group process. Scored quizzes can serve as a source of valuable information to see if they take the quiz seriously and write mindful guesses even if they do not know the exact answer (or to see if they attempt to cheat!) Additionally, quiz scores can be used as “tie-breakers” should the selection process get down to a few candidates left for one remaining position. (Question examples could include: 1. Where is the counseling center located on campus? 2. What is the phone number for campus police? 3. What are the dining hall hours?)    

• Include activities that require them to create or demonstrate something job-related. I like to see job candidates actively show me effort and motivation. If they give a half-hearted effort during an interview process, they most likely are going to perform in a similar manner if they are hired; past behavior usually predicts future behavior. One example: Having them come prepared with a leadership portfolio to present to the group will allow you to see if they actually do the work ahead of time, the quality of the work, and if they present well to the group. The presentation is particularly important since you are hiring for positions that require high levels of interaction with people. A handful of candidates may simply self-select out because they do not want to put the time and effort into this project. An example for screening orientation leaders could be to break them up into smaller groups with a current employee and have them give impromptu campus tours. Each candidate could give a short five minute walking tour while the other candidates ask questions posing as new students. Each candidate would get the opportunity to serve in each role (i.e., tour guide and new student). Given that not every situation can be trained for, this allows you to see how they think on their feet, handle potentially difficult questions, and also to see if they are a good sport when given the opportunity to ask questions to a fellow candidate (i.e., Did they try to stump them out of malice and competition? Were they helpful despite not being the guide? Did they even ask questions? Did they take the activity seriously?)  

Keep in mind that a group interview should only be one part of the entire screening and selection process; the group process should be seen as one tool in your toolbox along with individual interviews and application materials.

Please leave suggestions of group interview activities that have and have not worked for you below in the comments section.

With that being said, here are five smart protocols to help guide student leaders in their use of social media:

• Do not post something publicly that you would not discuss with your members – As a student leader, you represent a whole host of varied and diverse interests of those individuals that you serve. Your personal opinions may not represent the opinions of the entire group. Posting something that you would not discuss with you group could turn members against you.
• Do not use social media to undermine your advisor or university administrators – While it may not be uncommon for you to disagree with the decisions and / or opinions of your advisors or university administrators, how you handle your personal opinions is going to set you apart from others. Posting an underhanded and negative comment will most likely anger your advisor, definitely won’t win you any favors, and it could cost you the respect of those that look to you for leadership. Online cheapshots will only make you look foolish; don’t create an online crusade. Likewise, do not create a “fake” account to complain and whine anonymously. If you have something to say, do so privately or as a discussion topic during a regularly scheduled meeting. Good leaders have integrity and courage to be proactive with difficult and uncomfortable circumstances.
• Avoid posting personal and “inside jokes” – The easiest way to alienate others is by not including them in the fun. A good leader is inclusive and makes everyone feel a part of the group. Posting jokes that only a select few individuals can appreciate and understand on organization-related pages undermines your ability to create and maintain team cohesion.
• Respect confidentiality – As a student leader, you will most certainly be trusted with information related to finances, upcoming decisions and announcements, and personal data. Other students are not privy to this information, and it is important that you keep it to yourself and not post it using social media. You should also use special care when chatting online or through text when it relates to sensitive information, because you may not always be communicating with the person you think you are. One mistake can have far-reaching consequences. And as a general rule of thumb, do not discuss confidential information online.
• When in doubt, ask your advisor – If you have a question or concern related to posting information online, have a discussion with your advisor or supervisor. Seek clarification and understanding before proceeding forward because it is always better to be safe than sorry.

What are some other protocols and / or practices that you utilize on your campus related to student leaders using social media? Please share your comments below.

Now that the job search season is in full swing with both NASPA’s Placement Exchange (TPE) and ACPA’s Career Central at the Convention (C3), I thought it would be helpful to provide a perspective that is infrequently discussed. What qualities should candidates look for in potential employers during job interviews? While new professionals and “soon-to-be” graduates are eager to land that new job, I challenge them to thoroughly analyze and assess the people that are doing the interviewing rather than simply doing and saying anything in order to get a job. A career in student affairs is a lifestyle so take time to make sure that you will be working for and with people that can and will provide you with a healthy working environment.

Here are some questions to consider when interviewing:

• HOW ARE YOU TREATED? This I feel is a snapshot of the climate of how it may be working with these folks (and their department) so it is important to take note of this. Ideally, interviewers should be respectful, positive, and take an interest in what you have to say considering that they invited you to interview. If they do not, this can be an indicator of other issues surrounding these particular staffers and /or the department and institution itself. During one of my first professional interviews at my first ACPA conference many years ago, I had two administrators hassle me when they found out that I was an ice hockey fan. They started making disparaging comments about the sport and placed me in a very awkward and uncomfortable situation even before the actual interview began! As I am sure you would agree, this was an inappropriate way for them to “break the ice” and start the conversation. Interviews should be professional and not glorified hazing rituals. Steer clear of those who treat you poorly.
• HOW DO THEY TREAT EACH OTHER? Likewise, how do your interviewers treat one another. You can get a better sense of this when on an actual campus interview as there are normally multiple individuals rather than a conference interview that may only have one or two people present. The dynamics of these relationships are a gauge of colleagiality or a lack thereof. Does it appear that they have fun together? Or is there a stiff and regimented type of feel? Or do you see overt instances of a lack of respect among these staffers? I have been on a handful of campus interviews in which individuals bad-mouthed their colleagues and / or supervisors outside of the interview room. Take mental notes of how each of the staffers treat and interact with one another. Also be sure to take notice of those on the search committee who are not interacting with their colleagues and what that may signify.
• WHO IS DOING THE INTERVIEWING? While there can be a wide variation as to the institutional role of the staffers performing the interview, it is important to note what role these individuals have with the position you are applying for. Even though you would assume that you should be interviewing with the person who would be your future supervisor, this may not be the case. You could be interviewed by an executive (i.e., dean, assistant VP, etc.) someone from human resources, or even someone in the same type of position for which you are interviewing. It should make institutional sense as to why this particular person in their particular role is interviewing you. If not, this could be a clue that something is amiss. Some institutions may simply be interviewing as a formality to meet a paperwork quota when they already have someone in mind for the position. So be on the lookout for this and do not be discouraged if you do not get a second interview.
• ARE THEY PREPARED? I am empathetic to the fact that job interviewing can be tiring on top of all of the other tasks administrators have to do, but I strongly feel that if candidates should be on their “A-game” so should the interviewers. Poor preparation, off-the-cuff questions, and a semblance of scrambling can be symptoms of larger problems with their department and / or leadership.
• DO THEY STRAY FROM THE INTERVIEW? While interviewing at a NASPA conference years ago, I had two interviewers at a table who became distracted by maintenance workers attending to a lighting issue on the interview floor. They focused their attention on what was happening with the lighting fix rather than my responses to their questions. By that time, unfortunately, I knew that my interview was essentially over. Needless to say, I did not get a second interview and found that someone from their own institution was offered and accepted the position. At this point in my career, I probably would send a formalized “Thanks, but no thanks” card after having an interview like that. Furthermore, keep an eye out for those who turn the conversation from interview mode to social mode. If they veer way off course from a typical interview protocol, try your best to steer it back to what you have to offer them. If it becomes obvious that they are not interested in what you are selling, feel free to tactfully wrap up the coversation, politely thank them for their time, and dismiss yourself. Do not needlessly waste your time, particularly when there are other potential interviews to schedule.
• DO THEY OFFER THE JOB? While getting a job offer is the goal of interviewing, being offered a job too early may be a sign of desperation and poor decision-making on their part. You could be walking into a departmental mess rather than a well-oiled machine. While I personally have not heard of any of my colleagues getting an offer at a conference interview prior to a campus visit, I do know folks in other professions who have had offers during the first interview much to their dismay. Be weary of over-eager employers. As the adage goes, fire fast, hire slow.

When it comes to feeling out a potential employer, go with your gut because you are probably correct. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t a good fit. Most student lifers are not formally trained in how to interview and hire a candidate, and this can be very telling during interviews. While I am not suggesting that you completely dismiss an institution in which you got a bad vibe during your initial interview, I recommend that you choose wisely when offered second interviews at multiple colleges or universities as your time, financial resources, and emotional well-being are precious.

Just as much as they are interviewing you, you should be interviewing them as well. Good luck to you in your search!

What are some other “red flags” to look out for when interviewing? Do you have any personal “red flag” interviewing stories that you can share with our readers? Please share your comments below.

Combating apathy can be one of the most challenging aspects of leading or advising a student organization. The book Motivating the Middle: Fighting Apathy in College Student Organizations by T. J. Sullivan aims to offer concrete solutions for this often reoccuring problem on our campuses. T.J.’s premise is that there are three different types of student organization members: the Top-Third; the Middle-Third; and the Bottom-Third. The “Top-Third” are your organization superstars that participate in everything and are high achievers. The “Bottom-Third” members, on the other hand, are those individuals who are doing the bare minimum, if that, in terms of organization involvement.

T.J. suggests that student leaders concentrate on developing those “Middle-Third” members who are not the stellar achievers, but who do indeed participate and engage more than the “Bottom-Third” individuals. They may simply be involved in other activities, have other responsibilities, or just simply want to be involved under their own terms. By developing these particular members, the organization can benefit from increased participation and renewed vigor.

The book is 64 pages in length and is easily readable in under an hour’s time. Where many student life leadership instructors miss the mark by offering theory-dense texts that may be largely academic and undigestible for student leaders, Motivating the Middle is a leadership resource that offers concrete solutions for solving organization member apathy. This book is not only appropriate for students, but for student life professionals as well. I highly recommend this book as a text for any type of leadership course your campus offers or as an appropriate resource to include during organization board training.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com by clicking HERE. For bulk purchases of 20 or more books, contact T.J. Sullivan at sullivan@campuspeak.com and mention “StudentLifeGuru” to receive 20% off the list price. The first 50 people to share this post on Twitter by clicking below will be entered into a raffle to win a signed copy of T.J.’s book.

Valentine’s Day is that one special day each year to express love and friendship with the people in your life.  This is also a perfect opportunity for your campus organization to spread love and friendship in your community through volunteering, donating, and participating in charity work.

1. Organize or attend a V-Day Event. V-Day is a world-wide movement created to end violence against all women and girls. Click here to read more about V-Day. See how the University of Cincinnati has organized their V-Day Event this year.

2. Collect new and / or unopened perfume, bubble bath, lotions, and make-up. Any kind of feminine luxury item that a person in crisis could find comforting will do. Donate these items to a women’s shelter. ”College Feminist Connect” posted an article describing their call to Action: Break-up to Make-up.

3. Maybe your closet is overflowing with Valentine Teddy Bears or other stuffed animals given to you by all of your admirers. Organize a “Teddy Bear and Friends” stuffed animal drive. Donate the assortment to a homeless or women’s shelter where there are bound to be children that can take comfort in a cuddly toy during a time of need. Here is how Connecticut College and Amherst joined forces in their Teddy Bear Drive to benefit a local Children’s Hospital.

4. If you have creative flare, you can make Valentine cards and centerpieces to take to a senior care facility. Here are several links with great craft ideas: Family Fun, Kaboose, Martha Stewart, All Free Crafts,  Origami, Candy Free Cards, Valentine’s Day Messages. Talk to coordinators at the senior care facility to work out specific needs at the facility. For instance, candy may be off limits do to dietary regulations.

5. Many hall councils and other campus organizations sell some kind of flowers, candy-grams, or Valentine wishes. Here is a social media take on a traditional idea: Sell Facebook-grams or Twitter-grams on your organizations page or account. For a nominal fee (like $1.00) students can place orders prior to the holiday. Post or tweet the Valentine wishes and donate the money raised to an animal shelter like the ASPCA. Here are some examples of Valentine SMS.

What are some ways your campus organization gives back to the community on Valentine’s Day or any day during the year?  Our readers want to know. Please share your comments below!

Happy Valentine’s Day 2012 from StudentLifeGuru.com.
We LOVE our readers!
@studentlifeguru @reslifesynergy @mhelfrich98

Following up on a blog post titled 10 Secrets to Recruiting & Screening for Great Resident Advisors, I thought it would be helpful to create a post and free handout related to the interview process for all student leader positions. Crafting appropriate interview questions for interviews can be challenging, particularly if you do not already have an existing interview protocol already created. Consider the following for your next interview process:

• Make the interview process itself an educational experience for the student. I had a colleague at a previous institution who set up resume writing and interviewing workshops prior to the actual interview process. Student candidates were invited to attend these short (30 minutes) workshop that were held in a lecture hall. Tips and suggestions were given to students related to interview practice, appropriate dress, follow-up, and information on how to seek out services at the career center for additional help and preparation. Even if they did not get the job, they still walk away with invaluable life-long skills that will help them after they leave college.
• Student leader interviews SHOULD NOT be an officially sanctioned “hazing” experience. The goal is to illicit important information to see if a candidate is qualified and prepared for the student leader role and not to make them “pay their dues” in order to get the job. You want to make the experience as educative and positive as possible. Keep in mind that most of us student affairs professionals got our jobs after a typical phone interview and a visit to campus with various meetings. If your student leader hiring protocol is more involved than what you went through to get your own position, you may want to rethink the process. (Remember that they are students.)
• When crafting questions, first list the qualities and skills that you need these student leaders to possess. Then develop your questions to assess for these particular attributes. For example, if you are hiring campus tour guides, you would list qualities such as: enthusiasm, ability to remember many facts and details, sociable, and quick to think on their feet. A question like “How would you respond to a parent touring the campus who asks what students can do on the weekends?” gets to the heart of their ability to think on their feet and demonstrate if they are knowledgable of campus activities and services. Not only are you going to see if they give an appropriate answer unrelated to partying, but to see if they can actually list activities available on the weekends.
• Test interview existing student leaders. When you have your questions selected, do a test run with the student employees you already have. If your current student staffers are stumped by any of the questions, it is going to be certain that new candidates will not be able to answer them either. Get their feedback on their own interview process and what they think is important to include in an interview. They are out in the field actually doing the job so respect their experience and utilize them as an added resource. Additionally, include them in on the interview process as well so this becomes educative for them. Not only can they list this on a resume, but they will be able to implement what you taught them if they end up in hiring roles themselves in the future.  

Click HERE to receive a free “Individual Interview Questions for Student Leaders” handout, which lists 30 different interview questions that can be adopted for your own interview processes. 

Please feel free to share this resource with your colleagues.

1. Set the Context for the Position – Community assistants and resident advisors fulfill crucial roles on our campuses. Not only do they help us run the Housing & Residence Life business, but they are educators, role models, and potential life-savers due to the prolific mental health and alcohol & other drug issues that we must manage. If the perception is out there that the RA role on your campus is another “work-study-esque” position or simply another extracurricular activity, then you may be setting yourself up for subpar performance from potential candidates.

2. Be Explicit About Your Expectations During Recruitment – Make sure that you fully communicate to recruits your honest expectations of RA’s. Be explicit about pay, hours, on-call, responsibilities, programming, alcohol use, and role modeling. As I tell students looking to become an RA, “It not only a job, it’s a lifestyle!” I stress that if they want to do the “college thing” (e.g., partying, flexible schedule, many activities, flippant social media photos & posts, etc.) they can take advantage of those opportunities, but DO NOT become an RA as it will be a lose-lose for both of us.

3. Don’t Rule Those Out that Talk about Room-and-Board – Typically one of the first interview questions we ask candidates is: “Why do you want to be an RA?” Many professionals can be easily turned off when a student responds with the often-dreaded, “Because it pays room-and-board.” However, do not simply throw them to the ”no” or “maybe” pile because of this response. Keep in mind that this could be the first time this student has ever had a job interview and is simply being honest. You should assume that every RA candidate is applying for the free room and not the higher student affairs philosophic ideals that made us into ResLife professionals. Some students are simply more saavy than others in responding to this question. However, it is you job to effectively assess whether or not a candidate has the skills to fulfil the job and not become insulted by an honest answer.

4. Use Meaningful Assessments for Hiring – Remember, you are hiring individuals to fill important roles and perform specific tasks, to achieve goals for the department, and honestly to make your job easier. You are NOT hiring them because they are good at ice-breakers or other non-job-related group activities. These types of group process activities can actually be counter-productive and may not assess anything other than showing that they are good at the “human knot.” Create candidate evaluation processes that allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of campus services, how they have been a role model, their ability to listen and follow instructions, and ability to work on a team. Examples include: having them lead a campus tour; developing a portfolio of their previous leadership and volunteering experiences; and planning, marketing, and implementing an actual hall program. In short, make them demonstrate, present, or create something.

5. Ask Meaningful Interview Questions – It pains me when I hear of colleagues creating and asking interview questions that have little or nothing to do with the attributes or qualities needed to be a good RA. Granted, I have a clinical master’s degree in mental health counseling so I was trained to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health problems. I translated these skills into assessing and “diagnosing” whether a student would be a good fit for an RA position. Past behavior usually predicts future behavior so you need to be able to seek out information related to teamwork, leadership, good decision-making, patience, and loyalty among many other qualities. Asking a candidate what their favorite color is or what kind of fruit or vegetable they would be and why is really not helpful. Your role is to assess a candidate’s ability to work on your team; a job interview is not meant to be cute or simply an extention of another ice-breaker. Ask them to describe specific examples of their experience with leading a project or team. Ask them about their pet peeves and hot-button issues and when one of those situations has arisen for them (and how they handled it). Ask them to describe a supervisor they did not respect and why. Ask them what they are most proud of and why. Again, ask behavioral-related questions to assess whether or not they would be a good fit on your team and a hard-worker.

6. Don’t Take on a “Project” – While it is the hallmark of student affairs professionals to be compassionate and always looking out for the best interests of students, you must be more discriminating when you are hiring staffers. I’ve seen many colleagues in the past hire someone who they said was “A good kid,” and the experience ended up being a workplace nightmare in the end. NFL teams do not recruit players because they may have “potential” with training and the ability to become a good athlete. They take great candidates and make them better. This should not be any different in Residence Life. If you have someone you want to mentor, get them involved in other ways, such as hall council, RHA, or other departmental opportunities rather than having them apply for an RA position. If they step up to the mark during that “trial run,” potentially consider them for next year.

7. Be Weary of Colleagues Trying to “Dump” Someone on You – Unfortunately, the politics of ResLife staffing can be similar to the drafts and trading practices of professional sport teams. In this regard, it is easy for a colleague to push one of their ”ne’er-do-well’s” onto you rather than effectively supervising them. The kicker is that this colleague may come to you with promising statements about an individual, but in fact is simply looking to get rid of a problem (e.g., “I think they’d fit great on your staff!”) If you do consider such a move, make sure you screen this RA like you would a candidate just applying for the position and treat them as such.

8. Be Weary of Overcommitted Candidates -  Let’s be honest. Students who are already over-extended with their activities are usually not a good candidate for an RA position. Not only does this become a scheduling problem, but can also be counterproductive academically for the student. This is especially true for those students working off-campus. Research in Pascarella & Terenzini’s How College Affects Students illustrates that students who work more than 15 hours a week can suffer academically. This is not to say that you should always rule out students in other engagement-heavy activities, but keep in mind that students in athletics, band, internships, practica, social Greek organizations, and student teaching are always going to have loyalities split between you and their other responsibilities.

9. Use Social Media as a Screening Tool – Because Facebook and Twitter and other social media platforms are so ubiquitous in the lives of our students, it only make sense to see how they represent themselves online. Recruiting and training RA’s is expensive and very time-consuming, and you should take advantage of every piece of evidence about a candidate before hiring them. By looking at their public social media information, you can easily ascertain whether or not this person would represent your department and team in the best light. An RA is in a very public role, and their social media presence is a part of that presence. As I say, “If you are going to post it, I am going to see it.” You can also specifically include discussions and questions related to social media use during the selection process with candidates (e.g. Without using names, give me an example of when you saw something an RA posted online that you thought was inappropriate?)

10. Hire a Diversity of Skills & Talents to Complement Your Own – It is very easy for those in supervisory positions to hire people that are exactly like themselves. Make it a point to recruit and assess for those skills in individuals that will complement your strengths and weaknesses and those who are already on your team. This will bring a greater depth of skills diversity to your staff that you may be lacking. Get your existing RA’s involved in the screening and selection process to help you look for individuals that have qualities and skills that your staff does not already possess.

What are some secrets of the screening and hiring process of RA’s that you can share here with your colleagues?

Conference season is fast approaching with the major student affairs and higher education-related conventions occuring within the next few months. Conferences are packed with educational sessions, professional networking opportunities, and the chance to socialize and reconnect with colleagues and friends from across the country and world. I would like to offer some suggestions on how to make the most out of your conference experience.

• Spent Time to Meet New Colleagues - I am confident to say that we are all friends in student affairs! We share the same professional culture and experiences and love discussing what we do. Nowhere can we do this more than at national and regional conferences. Introduce yourself to colleagues you are sitting next to during sessions, attend Tweet-Up’s, and participate in conversations related to what is going within our profession. Making new friends and professional connections is not only fun, but can also help you down the road if you you ever need to contact someone  outside of your own campus for objective advice or ideas.
• Make the Most of Using Social Media – With the advent of application-ready hand-held devices, we all have the ability to share our thoughts and the thoughts of session presenters with those who are not in attendance at the conference. By using a conference-related Twitter hashtag, you can create tweets by sharing snippets of the educational information you learn during sessions as well as your own feedback (this is called the “backchannel“). Not only will this help you to pay attention to the main points, but this is basically public note-taking that you can refer to later and that your campus colleagues and superiors can follow as well. In this regard, you have a lot to share when someone asks you, “So what did you learn at the conference?”
• Do More Than Just Interview –  For those of you who will be interviewing and networking for new positions, particularly graduate students, do not spend your whole time at the conference interviewing. By only interviewing, you are missing out on a whole host of other educational opportunities and chances to interact with professionals you normally would not have. Set a reasonable limit as to how many interviews you will schedule and take the rest of your time to participate in other conference activities.

Enjoy the conferencing season, and I hope to see you at #ACPA12.

What are some ways in which you maximize your conference experiences?