Running Head: Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

Madison Weber

Northern Arizona University

Running Head: Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

Jacob Eavis- Interim Director of International Admissions and Recruitment

Preparation for the Interview

As I began to think about who I wanted to interview for this assignment, it was

important for me to choose someone who works in the Center of International Education. I did

not want to choose someone in the Study Abroad office but instead international admissions. I

found Jacob Eavis, the Interim Director, to be a good person to interview based on his view

points and experiences throughout the office that led him to the position he is in today.

After setting up the interview with Jacob I prepped the follow questions:

1. How did you move into your position and career path?

2. What are some things you feel set you up well to move into this position?

3. What are some things you do daily in your position?

4. Where do you find the most amount of joy and fulfillment in this job?

5. Knowing different positions in the office you are the Interim Director for, do you

have any advice for a young professional wanting to work for you?

6. Are there any key characteristics you feel set people up for success for work in

International Admissions?

7. Can you explain to me most of the student interactions someone in your position

gets?

8. If you had the choice of any job at any school, what job would you switch to?

9. Do you have any advice for a young Student Affairs student trying to navigate NAU?
Running Head: Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

Along with having a list of questions written out, I also looked into Jacobs educational

background and LinkedIn page to gauge a better understanding of his competencies before the

interview.

Key Interview Points and Personal Thoughts

How did you move into your position and career path? Jacob stated that for his situation

its not what you know but who you know. He then went on to say his personal situation was

based on timing of positions opening up, the luckiness to move into those positions when they

did open and his passion/drive towards helping students.

Personal thoughts: As I have grown older I have been told networking and personal connections

are large aspects to get you into positions in the future. I think after hearing Jacob state his

career happened much of the same way, it offered a sense of trust in our conversation. This

made me respect him and his answers because he was coming from a place of honesty to me

and showed me he cared about giving me a clear perspective to not mislead me. This also made

me want to build a relationship with Jacob and know the importance of getting him to know me

and myself if I want to work for him in the future.

Knowing different positions in the office you are the Interim Director for, do you have

any advice for a young professional wanting to work for you? Jacob essentially said to just get

your foot in the door and try out different positions. One of the key things for him was

knowing how people fit in with the office culture and others in the office. He then went on to

say when he looks through applications and resumes, if he knows how someone will interact in

the office setting and fit in well with the department, he is more likely to choose that person.

He also stated that if you do not get your dream position at first, get any position in the
Running Head: Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

department, make those connections and work your way up. On a more experienced based side

he stated language ability looks good on a resume, trying to get involved in the office through

my graduate experience, admissions work could be useful and having some type of

international experience.

Personal thoughts: This brought me back to the importance of getting my face recognized and

being known. As he listed some of the experiences he looks for, I felt I would be a good fit in the

position of an international recruiter from my international experience as well as studying

abroad. Along with this, I recognized that through his office he gets various student affairs

experience with having to work with many offices on campus. As he mentioned possibly getting

admissions experience if I do not get into international admissions and recruitment first, it

made me realize I can gain transferable skills that will still get me to my end goal.

Are there any key characteristics you feel set people up for success for work in

International Admissions? Jacob stated being an extrovert could really help although much of

his staff right now is not naturally extroverted. This personality type however would help in

situations where you have to recruit people abroad and be able to talk to others or build

personal relationships. Jacob also mentioned interpersonal and intercultural communication

skills are important. Along with this, being a collaborative person and not competitive. He put

an emphasis on not being competitive due to having to go abroad and be with various other

schools to recruit students. He stated with this, he appreciates the culture of CIE at Northern

Arizona University (NAU) due to it not placing a huge emphasis on simply getting international

students to come to campus but actually finding them a school they will thrive in and
Running Head: Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

accomplish their goals. Jacob was very student oriented in this position and said the most

important skills for employees to have is compassion and empathy for others.

Personal thoughts: I have personally been struggling within a housing setting lately, knowing it

is not a department for me long term. I do find joy in my position but feel it does not fully fulfill

me on a personal level and at times does not line up with my values or what I find important.

After hearing Jacobs answer to this one particular question, I felt so drawn to the position. This

answer shocked me almost in the sense that if encompassed all the traits that I value as well as

views that I personally hold in my daily life. I appreciated his perspective on not just getting

students to attend NAU but really focusing on the student and their personal needs. This was

the first time I felt excitement and hope that there is a position that I can feel satisfied in

through all aspects of my personality and find people who place value in very similar things.

Overall Reflection with Career Aspirations

Going into the experience, I honestly did not know too much about Center of

International Education (CIE) and all it entailed. I knew I did not want to go into study abroad

but focus more on an international focus of bringing in students. Through that I chose (quite

randomly almost) someone dealing with international admissions and recruitment without fully

knowing what the position was. Through my conversation with Jacob, I felt myself noticing and

realizing how his position and role encompassed many of the dreams I associated with my

future. I have always been an internationally focused person but also loved student affairs.

Lately I felt that those were two separate parts of myself and I would have to find compromise

on both levels to reach achievement career wise. After talking to Jacob I feel the position as an

international recruiter and later possibly moving up the chain of command to become a
Running Head: Student Affairs Interview-Jacob Eavis

director of international admissions would fulfill me in all aspects of my personality and life that

I feel I do not receive being in housing. I spoke to Jacob and am planning on hopefully doing my

internship next year under him. With this he stated the internship his office offers gives people

development in all areas of international students as well as some advising of students. After

graduation I would love to become an international recruiter, being able to travel to various

countries and make partnerships while directly serving and helping international students.