Understanding Anticipatory Socialization for New Student Affairs Professionals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of how new student affairs professionals experience the process by which they enter their first position out of graduate school, also referred to as anticipatory socialization. In this constructivist grounded theory study, data were collected from participants who experienced and managed aspects of their anticipatory socialization. The results provide insight on hiring practices, strategies for preparing students for the job market, and provides understanding for new professionals transitioning to professional roles.

“It’s a matter of not knowing”: Examining Black first-gen women administrators’ career socialization and preparation.

“…Any discussion of Black first-gen professional women's experiences in the workplace requires examining the overall professional preparation and socialization processes. Multiple researchers have explored workplace socialization within and relating to HESA contexts (e.g., Antony, 2002;Hirt, 2006;Liddell et al, 2014;Lombardi & Mather, 2016;Perez & Haley, 2021;Tull, 2009). Some scholars have found the challenges associated with HESA socialization as shifting but interconnected to broader global (in)stability (Antony, 2002), access and resource allocation (Baker, 2013;Hornak et al, 2016), and the need for greater reasonable ACPA/NASPA and CAS standards buy-in from new practitioners (Eaton, 2016).…”

“…Institutional socialization reflects how higher education institutions socialize employees into their organizational culture by managing expectations and norms. HESA graduate programs contribute to this socialization process by providing students avenues to gain professional confidence as a practitioner (i.e., internships, assistantships) while orienting them to the field's professional values and standards (i.e., academic coursework; Lombardi & Mather, 2016).…”

Exploring Evolving Notions of Supervision in Student Affairs

“…Much of this research explores individual dimensions of these models including, but not limited to, problems of professional retention (Renn & Hodges, 2007; Tull, 2006), recruitment and hiring (Estanek et al., 2011), workplace relationships (Strayhorn, 2009), workplace preparation (Renn & Jessup‐Anger, 2008), and connections between supervision and separation (Tull, 2006). The main focus of supervision research centers on problems of professional socialization (Antony, 2002; Baker, 2013; Liddell et al., 2014; Lombardi & Mather, 2016; Tull, 2009). As socialization is primarily concerned with preparation for and transitions into a particular setting, most supervision research is hyper‐focused on new professionals.…”

“…Within extant research, there is a common focus on the role of student affairs graduate preparation programs in the development and onboarding of new professionals (Antony, 2002; Baker, 2013; Liddell et al., 2014). There is also emphasis on graduate students’ ability to navigate, find, and understand institutional and functional area fit (Browning & Palmer, 2019; Lombardi & Mather, 2016). Since graduate students are socialized and tracked into functional areas based on their pre‐professional training, campus engagement experience, and professional development (Domingue, 2015), we believe there is a need for nuanced, identity‐centered approaches to graduate student placement.…”

Complexities of Social Identity and Professional Role Transitions

“…Career development in student affairs involves multiple role transitions throughout one's life span. Researchers have explored the transition experiences of graduate students (Perez, ), new educators (Dinise‐Halter, ; Hirschy, Wilson, Liddell, Boyle, & Pasquesi, ; Lombardi & Mather, ), mid‐level educators (Wilson, Liddell, Hirschy, & Pasquesi, ); senior student affairs officers (Biddix, ), and faculty members (Kniess, Benjamin, & Boettcher, ). The literature addresses transitions between institutional types (Davidson, ) and functional areas (Magolda & Carnaghi, ), highlighting how educators adjust to new institutional missions, workplace cultures, and approaches to supervision.…”