Jack of all trades

I have come to the point where I realize I am definitely selling myself too short.  I have unfortunately gone from good to ugly, to bad to degrading.  I am hoping when the next move does present itself, it is for the better.  I need to start going in the right direction.  The past two positions I have taken have been two major step backs.  I knew that going in, but I thought I would make the best of it and make it even better.  I was wrong on both.  No offense to community colleges out there, but working at one, you don't get much respect.  As much as you want to spout about you are the academic vice president, or the executive vice president, many of you are in that position because of your connected county croonies got you there.  The CC I was at was very poorly run, and very reactive in all of its decision making.  I really thought I was living out the show "Community".  That show played on the stereotypes of community colleges, not about the students, but moreso the education and it's administrators.  That show is spot on many of the times.  I suggest if you have not taken the opportunity to see Community, definitely tune in on Thursday nights on NBC.  Even if you have no experience at a community college, you will definitely get a kick out of it.  And who doesn't love Joel McHale????

OK, back to my position at said CC.  I took the position of admissions advisor.  Which is basically an admissions counselor at any other CC, but this particular CC really had some bad titles for all their positions.  Basically anything that would be a director elsewhere, was a coordinator here.  Anyway,  I should have known when the recruitment department didn't really have a physical space.  It was kind of lumped inbetween academic affairs and registration.  Being next to registration made sense, but being next to and practically on top of academic affairs, not so much.  The way the area was set up almost looked like i was the admin for the academic affairs office. I don't know how many times faculty or other departments would come in asking me to make a copy or do this or do that.  And I would politely tell them I was not part of that department despite my physical location.  This caused lots of tension between recruitment and academic affairs.  It was an unforeseen blessing in disguise that I came though. I fought tooth and nail for us to have our own space.  It was awkward and uncomfortable to meet with prospective and current students in this space.  I would be advising a student and the VP would come out of his area talking about confidential information or dropping f bombs.  Many times students would want to cut their time short with me because they felt so uncomfortable.  I brought this up to student affairs and it fell on deaf ears.  It really made work unbearable.  I was there to help prospective students with their college search and current students with their advising, and didn't have a proper space to work with these students.  This was my job and I couldn't perform to full capicity because of this unfortuneate setup.  Finally after a year and after I had moved on because I just couldn't take any more, they have finally moved the recruitment office to a new location.  However, I hear that they have to go into another department to make copies (which we were doing a lot of with different flyers, mailings, etc.).  I feel bad because my immediate coworkers were awfully nice and supportive and are stuck in this place.  That department got no respect whatsoever.  Yes, I know how much recruiting do you really need to do at a community college, but everyone has to keep their hand in the big student pot, otherwise you lose your edge.  But they way things were done here...they wanted to stay competitive and recruit more students, but you need to have a place that will make students feel welcome, and that wasn't it.

I started my search shortly after being there because I saw so much disarray that I certainly did not have the ability to change ( I could but if your name wasn't connected to the county, no one wanted to hear you or your "ideas").  I applied to many positions, and exhausted my job search by applying to anything and everything I was qualified for and overqualified for (as I did with this position here at the CC).  I knew I was overqualified for this position but thought I could use my knowledge and experience to make a difference.  What I didn't realize is that a CC is a big political pool.  I was offered an interview where I am currently at, and was excited.  The position on paper sounded great.  Dealing with admissions, overseeing all student matters, coordinating events, etc.  However the position said education required, high school diploma.  How could a position that sounds so familiar at what I did previously ask for such little education.  I spoke with and met with my supervisor and she seemed great.  I could relate to her.  She was ambitious she could see that in me.  I had 3 interviews for this place. 3.  Oh, and I forgot to add, there was also "homework" assigned to me.  Yes, homework for an interview.  I had to submit a writing sample and edit a website page.  For what I am constantly referred to as a secretary.  I should have known that a place that makes you jump through hoops for a secretary labeled position was not the place for me...but again I thought, I will make the best of it, it puts me geographically where I would like to be. 

I was very wrong again with my decision making.  I am referred to as "I should be a mother hen to the grad students".  When I hear the term, "mother hen" I think of an old lady who tries to be a motherly type and smothery type of person.  I don't want that to be part of my job.  I don't have my own kids yet, I certainly don't want to be that way to already feeling entitled grad students.  I will be a mother to my own kids not to this spoiled ones.  There are other various tasks that come my way that make me go "huh"?  I have to be a photographer and take pics of all the grad students for the display case downstairs.  Before I got here there was someone on staff who did just that, took pictures of staff and students, made any type of prints, etc.  Of course now that I am here and this guy is no longer, that I guess falls on me.  I don't even have my picture in the case (my predecessor is up there in my position, as with all the other boards around the building).  Why should I have to use my own camera for this.  Like I want pictures of these students on my camera. I should have lied and said I don't own one (that would make the mouth drop of the chair who probably makes 10x what I make in a year).  But I am not a good liar at all.  This is the person that constantly refers to me as a secretary.  I love it, it makes me feel so special. 

Another "issue" that has come up is who will stock the graduate student kitchen.  The grad students have their own lounge on the fourth floor of the building.  The floor also houses another department.  The other department constantly complains that the grad students take their tea and coffee, which I have been ordering for them as of late (before me I don't know who did it, as my predecessor never did).  I have sent many an email telling the grad students that they are only to use their space and not the other departments space.  But what more can I really do. There are 114 grad students.  I am on the second floor and they are on the fourth.  These students are old enough that I shouldn't be acting like their "parent".  There have been countless meeting about such a frivolous issue.  So now I am housing break room products in my office for the grad kitchen on the fourth floor.  If I put it in the cabinets up there it will just walk.  I have put in numerous requests to have a lock put on the cabinets, however my work orders have been ignored.  I didn't know I would the supplier and keeper of the grad kitchen. 

It has made me realized though I can't sell myself short.  I need to find something that will fit my needs and qualifications.  I am tired of these positions where I am jack of all trades doing ridiculous stuff no one else wants to do.  I didn't work hard all my life to be that person.  So here is hoping my next move is the right one.