What roles have you had throughout your time at Berkeley?
In addition to my student roles in front-line student services, I’ve been in advising for different co-curricular student group communities like service-oriented, professional, and publication-related groups as a student life & development specialist. I’ve also proudly advised our undergraduate student government, the ASUC, for a number of years as a student life and development specialist, prior to switching to supporting them as a financial services analyst.
What factors do you think helped you switch positions successfully within Berkeley?
I had a number of supportive staff members and peers who actively encouraged me and helped make recommendations to help me establish a process to continuously assess, recognize, and achieve my goals. Also, I had to be authentic to myself and recognize that I wanted and needed to make a change for me, despite the voice in my head amplifying fear and uncertainty of a jump into a different career path and not letting it get in the way of my own happiness.
Want clarity on your goals? Visit the Goals section on the Grow Your Career page.
You made the jump from advising to finance. What would you recommend people do if they want to do something similar?
Talk to people who currently work in the field you’re looking to jump to so that you can understand potential changes in climate and culture. Make a list and take time to really understand why you’re considering leaving your current position. Am I bored and/or not feeling challenged enough and want to develop my skills to a higher potential? Will the new field I’m considering give me the ability to learn and grow in a positive way that will prepare me for the next stage in my career? If the answer isn’t clear for both, reconsider the field and motivations for that move.
Check out this resource on how to do an informational interview. See more tips on the Wisdom Café homepage.
Similar to your trajectory more people are currently advancing along varied directions that comprise a “lattice,” instead of strictly “up the corporate ladder.” What factors do you think helped you grow and switch positions successfully?
I was able to apply related skills I developed in my Student Affairs position into the position I now perform in Finance. One of my advising roles was advising students and student organizations on the usage of the various student fees, awards, and grants they were receiving from campus and other outside entities. By taking time to understand from colleagues in Finance as well as additional personal research into campus processes, it made the transition from Student Affairs to Finance in this aspect easier.
If you have a job or career in mind that you want to pursue, it may be beneficial to put in the time to develop those skills by either doing some of the related work or ask your supervisor if it’s something you can incorporate in your Professional Development plan.
If you’d like to advance your career with today’s methods read about the corporate lattice model- here.
Any final words of wisdom to staff looking to grow their careers at UC Berkeley?
Be active and reach out, Berkeley is a very relational campus and joining campus staff organizations and networks is a great way to find out about any opportunities that exist or may be coming up soon. The campus is a microcosm of the larger world and there are a multitude of career paths and choices that help support our amazing student communities. Also, never stop reading about current trends and technologies affecting higher education. Being on top of the next potential development, being aware of the contributions you can make in light of it, and being able to speak of your skills and passions to support it could help you in that leap to your next moment of your career path!
Robert is a Finance Coordinator within the ASUC Student Union. He’s been a part of the UC Berkeley community for over 10 years. To set-up an informational interview e-mail rjittri@berkeley.edu or connect on LinkedIn.
Know someone (including yourself!) who has changed jobs at Berkeley? E-mail us at wisdomcafe@berkeley.edu to be featured.
