Starting a New IR/E Job

Our August blog post focused on the exploration of career advancement in IR/E sparked a question from our colleague, Claire Goverts, who asked if we have advice for professionals starting a new job in IR/E. Some of the leaders to whom I spoke have recently started new roles and some have been active in the onboarding of new staff members, providing multiple perspectives on this topic.

IR/E Leaders

• Erika Farfan, Associate Vice President for Institutional Research, Kenyon College

• Adrea Hernandez, Executive Director for Institutional Research, University of Notre Dame

• Laura Palucki Blake, Assistant Vice President of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Harvey Mudd College

• Lindsey Palumbo, Data Analytic Specialist, Franklin & Marshall College

Research and absorb

You may be overwhelmed by all the new information and people you are exposed to in your first months on the job. It would be terrific if everything was written down so new employees could download all the information they need, but the truth is it takes some time and work to learn all you need to know.

• Take the campus tour that prospective students take. This connects you to students and introduces you to the way current students speak about the institution. Plus, you learn your way around campus.

• Read. In addition to the current strategic plan, mission, and accreditation materials, read the institutional alumni bulletin. This gives you an idea how the institution speaks about itself and what types of data are being shared with the larger community.

• Network at events. Make connections at the new employee orientation and follow-up with those colleagues. Attend campus events and introduce yourself. Sign up to volunteer for events like move-in and commencement, where you can meet students and colleagues in a fun setting.

• Cautiously uncover minefields. Ask your supervisor and other colleagues you will be working closely with what topics are more sensitive. It might be best to avoid them, at least at first.

Say, “I’m new.”

Colleagues tend to be gracious to new employees, giving them a brief period where they are freer to listen and ask. Use this newness to your advantage. In an academic setting, you can get away with claiming to be new for at least one year.

• Request one-on-one meetings. Find out who the units are that are important for you to know and request meetings with colleagues at your level in those units. Keep the meetings informal but prepare questions in advance to keep the conversation moving and help you learn how they use data and information.

• Sit in on meetings. You can use your “I’m new” pass to attend meetings you might not otherwise be invited to and, if it is appropriate, you may find yourself invited in the future.

• Listen first and share second. You were hired for a reason and the institution is looking to you for new ideas. However, it can be off-putting to regularly refer to your previous employer, so be thoughtful about the language you use when you share ideas. Avoid saying, “At X Institution we used to…”.

Make a strategic impact

While you are researching and learning, you may see opportunities for improvement. You may even have been hired specifically to improve certain aspects of the institution. Pay attention and note these, and then jump in where you can. But be conscious of balancing your enthusiasm for change with the necessity of understanding current systems and processes.

• Look for an easy win. You will endear yourself to your colleagues if you can make a visible impact quickly. Find a project in your area of expertise and tackle it. When she started, Laura updated the data presentation on the IR/E website. Adrea introduced institutional survey guidelines. Lindsey offered a Lunch and Learn to share Excel tips and tricks. These early wins build trust and relationships and highlight your skills.

• Use “We Language”. In addition to avoiding reference to your previous employer, using the word, “we” in your conversations reinforces your commitment to your new role. It also draws folks in to shared ideas and encourages buy-in.

• Be careful not to overpromise. Colleagues will have all kinds of ideas for what they think you should focus on. Attempt to strike a balance between the “we” and the “me”. You want to show that you can follow through in a timely manner.

• Speak positively. Avoid gossip and negative conversations as much as possible. And be kind when you speak of the person who held the position before you. Honor their work while making improvements of your own.

• Organize. Make space for organizing files and processes. Having a new person can be a good excuse for a unit to implement new systems. But always ask before you reorganize files. It is important that knowledge be managed in ways that work for everyone. Learn the organization processes in use by your unit.

Be Kind to Yourself

It can be lonely and overwhelming in a new job. Self-care is critical to your success, so be kind to yourself.

• Give yourself grace. You will make some mistakes. You will say some things you wish you would not have. Forgive yourself and learn so you make fewer mistakes in the future.

• Leave notes for your future self. You will be learning many new things. Take notes. These notes will mean fewer mistakes and make life easier for you when you are asked to replicate a process.

• If you are lonely, reach out. IR/E units tend to be small. Sometimes it is even just you. Take advantage of what Erika calls the “humanness of higher ed”. Talk to colleagues about their lives outside of academia. If you are shy about personal sharing, pick a couple of things you are comfortable sharing. They make it easier to break the ice. As an example, here are ours:

Adrea raises sheep and is proudly from El Paso, Texas.

Erika enjoys horseback riding and sewing.

Gina has two Siberian Huskies and is a fruit and vegetable gardener.

Laura is a Formula One Racing fan and avid collector of shoes.

Lindsey enjoys the farmers market and has color coded her clothes closet.

We hope these ideas are helpful for those of you starting new roles in IR/E. Best wishes to you on the new position. For those IR/E veterans out there, be kind to the new folks. Mentor them. Share this list of helpful advice. To quote the late U.S. Senator from Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, “We all do better when we all do better.”