Visiting Days

Prospective students will have the opportunity to interview for a wide range of Graduate Assistant, Research Assistant, and Teaching Assistant positions across FSU’s campus.

For prospective students interested in interviewing during Visiting Days, position descriptions will be available in January in the 2025 Visiting Days guidebook.

In thinking about why you want to pursue your master’s or doctoral degree in Higher Education and your future goals, please share the following in one page, single-spaced:

• What are you hoping to gain from your time as a graduate assistant at FSU?
• What are your post-degree career goals and how might a graduate assistantship fit into your ongoing professional growth and development?
• For Master’s Students: ACPA and NASPA have created a joint list of Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators, which can be found here. Thinking about why you want to pursue your master’s in Higher Education, consider the aforementioned competency areas to assess where you have experience and where you think you could gain more exposure. Based on the intent of our program and the competencies for our profession, please share what you are hoping to gain from your time working as a graduate assistant at Florida State University.
• For Doctoral Students: Please speak to any experience you have in areas of research, teaching, or administration which may have prepared you for graduate assistant work at the doctoral level.

In thinking about the audience of these cover letters, you should be sure to keep a broad selection of locations in mind. Do not worry about making a different cover for each position, as you’ll only be able to submit one for the entire process. Be sure to talk about the experiences you’ve had and what experiences you’re hoping to get, in general, out of an assistantship.

We accept résumés or CVs, whichever you wish to provide us. We recommend all students visit their own university Career Center or otherwise-termed location on campus to assist with making their résumés. However, we recognize not all prospective students are currently at a university. As such, we have partnered with FSU’s Career Center, who has graciously agreed to talk with our prospective students. They have also provided a link to the FSU Resume Writing Guide, found here, and the FSU Interviewing Guide, found here. These guides should provide prospective students with help for a variety of aspects of the interview process. If you need further assistance, please contact the FSU Career Center here.

Please note that the résumé or CV used for your application may be the same as the one for Visiting Days, or you may wish to tailor your résumé or CV for the types of assistantships in which you’re interested.

In accordance with sustainability measures, we do not recommend prospective students to purchase/bring Thank You notes. Instead, if you feel you’ve connected with someone in the process, we recommend you send an email and express your gratitude in this way. 

For Visiting Days, if you attend in-person, we recommend a blend of outfits, as your personal style and budget allow. You will need causal clothes for traveling and social events on Friday and Saturday. We recommend ‘snappy casual’ for Saturday's program, as well as comfortable walking shoes, as a campus tour is included. For interviews, whether in-person or online, we recommend professional business attire.

For online students, we recommend comfortable attire as students will be engaging through virtual Zoom rooms.

If attending in-person, we also recommend bringing an umbrella or rain jacket, as Florida may be rainy during this time of year.

One unique offering that FSU provides to our students, whether online or in-person, is a buddy for the Visiting Days process. Administered through HESA (the Higher Education Student Association) and the HESA Visiting Days Chairs, our current students are paired with prospective students to provide a guide during your time with us. When you register for Visiting Days, you will be assigned a host or buddy from one of our current cohorts. Your host/buddy will serve as your guide throughout the Visiting Days process. They can help you navigate Tallahassee, offer insight to FSU, and answer any questions you may have along the way! The Visiting Days registration form will ask you a few questions so we can match you with a host/buddy.

Buddy Program

If you have decided to make lodging arrangements on your own, we will match you with a current graduate student to serve as your Visiting Days Buddy. Much like a host, your buddy will serve as a guide during your stay in Tallahassee.

Host Program

If you want to stay with a current student while in Tallahassee, the host program is for you! Hosts will make arrangements for you to stay at their home, transport you to and from Visiting Days events, and serve as a friend and guide during your visit to Florida State University. You should hear from and communicate with your host prior to your arrival. Hosts provide a sleeping space, pillows, blankets, and towels for their buddies, as well as assist with helping prospective students navigate the Tallahassee area. It should be noted that hosts are not expected to provide toiletries or food, so prospective students should be in good communication with their buddies.
 

Other Accommodations

If you would prefer to stay at a hotel instead of utilizing the host program, Tallahassee has a number of nearby hotels as options for you. Traditionally, HESA leadership have worked with hotels to get a block or rooms at a discount rate. This cost is not included in registration.

General Assistantship Search Tips

• Broaden your horizons. Interview for positions that might be outside of your comfort zone, as you may have internship opportunities in the future.
• Look at assistantships where you’ll be challenged as well as supported.
• Choose a supervisor you’ll want to work with for the next two years or more, but also know that supervisors may change.
• Make sure the office culture and mission is the right fit for you before accepting a position.

Visiting Days Interview Tips

• If you have time, take notes immediately after each interview. This will help you as you consider your assistantship options and reflect on your Visiting Days experience.
• Come prepared with questions for each employer.
• Be sure to show your personality. Employers want to see if you’ll be a great fit for their office and its culture.
• Consider asking about office culture and supervisory styles.
• Practice active listening throughout the interview.
• Schedule a mock interview at your current institution or have a friend ask you potential interview questions.
• Treat every interview as if it is your first interview and every positions as the position one about which you’re excited. This will help when you get tired or stressed.
• Don’t overthink it! Be vulnerable and authentic. It will pay off, and you’ll end up where you’re meant to be.
• Bring extra résumés, reference lists, and business cards (if you have them). Most employers will have your documents on hand, but it’s always good to have them just in case.
• Silence is okay. Take time answering questions if needed. Reflect on what you’re going to say and don’t speak just to fill the silence.