Residential Advisors

Also called: 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
Word processing software
  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel

Education

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

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$35,720
$ 25,580
$ 51,480

Explore More

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
Word processing software
  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel

EDUCATION

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

JOB OUTLOOK

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$ 35,720
$ 25,580
$ 51,480

EXPLORE MORE