Residential Advisors

Description

Coordinate activities in residential facilities in secondary 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.

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

Knowledge

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.
Psychology: 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.
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.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Sociology and Anthropology: Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: 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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Work Activities

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Work Context

Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Contact With Others: 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?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Coordinate or Lead Others: How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety: How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
Deal With External Customers: How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work: To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Freedom to Make Decisions: How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Frequency of Conflict Situations: How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?

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.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Work Style

Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence: Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Social Orientation: Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Work Values

Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Related Occupations

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

Social and Human Service Assistants

Dietetic Technicians

Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants

Childcare Workers

Personal Care Aides

Recreation Workers

Lay Titles

Area Coordinator

Assistant Dean of Students

Associate Dean of Students

Associate Dean of Women

Community Educator

Cottage Parent

Cottage Supervisor

Dormitory Counselor

Dormitory Supervisor

Hall Coordinator

Hall Director

Head Resident

House Father

House Mother

House Parent

Housefellow

Housing and Residence Life Director

Housing Assistant

Housing Director

Residence Director

Residence Hall Director

Residence Life Coordinator

Residence Life Director

Residence Supervisor

Resident Advisor

Resident Assistant

Resident Director

Residential Assistant

Residential Counselor

Residential Life Director

Residential Supervisor

Sorority Mother

Sorority Supervisor

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $11.79 hourly, $24,520 annual.

Employment (2008):: 83,760 employees