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Residential Advisors

Under the title Residential Advisors, workers coordinate activities in resident facilities in secondary school and college dormitories, group homes, or similar establishments. You may also need to communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students. On the six-type interest model it reads SCE, meaning helping, teaching or caring for people comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Plan on one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree; O*NET labels this medium preparation. Strength in social perceptiveness, active listening, and speaking helps most here. A regular part of the work is to observe students to detect and report unusual behavior. People who want helping, teaching or caring for people usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.

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.

Main tasks

  • 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.
  • Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary.
  • Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure.
  • Mediate interpersonal problems between residents.

Skills

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Coordination
  • Time Management

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
  • You are comfortable relying on social perceptiveness and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 2.3 out of 7 here.
  • You need to start within a few months, with no training period.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SCE takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.

Preparation

Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Some College Courses. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Hall Coordinator
  • Residence Director
  • Residence Hall Director
  • Residence Life Coordinator
  • Residence Life Director

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.