Those who are considering going into a Chief of Staff role will benefit from this training. You may currently be in Advancement, Faculty, Institutional Research, outside of higher ed, or other role, but find that your skills make you a strong candidate for this type of work. The position for which you are applying may not necessarily be called “Chief of Staff,” but can also be Special Assistant to the President or other titles.

First, we will look at Chief of Staff job descriptions and explore the important details they reveal as you consider this position. For example, does the role support the President or someone else? What unique challenges is the institution facing? Is this a new role in the institution or replacing a previous one?

Second, we will discuss important questions to keep in mind as you interview. Are you finding a connection with the person you would be supporting? What are your habits of mind when it comes to work? We will also talk about the possibility that Chief of Staff might not be your only role. For example, a Chief of Staff may also be involved in Title IX work, fundraising, and other tasks.

Activity: Bring a job description, if you have one. Let’s unpack and analyze it. What questions should you ask? What nuance is in the description? We will also workshop how to adjust your CV and cover letter to match a Chief of Staff posting. We ask that you bring drafts of these, if you have them.

Finally, we will talk about considerations for how your career can progress. What skillsets are you building? How can you qualify and quantify those? How are these skills transferrable? What are other common paths for post-COS?