student assistant

graduate researcher

academic advisor

research assistant

graduate assistant

Georgia State University

Role: I serve as an academic advisor within GSU's University Advisement Center.
 
Workload: Generally handle a caseload ranging from 350-600+ students based on how many advisors are staffed. Otherwise, the work can vary including training other advisors, teaching freshman orientation classes, serving an advisement role at New Student Orientations, serving on departmental committees, completing various advisement campaigns to targeted student populations, and rarely completing advisement events outside of office hours. 

Work Environment: Standard office but there is variable flexibility to work some days at home and virtually. This is with the oversight of your supervisor and any obligations like a New Student Orientation or event that requires being on-campus, then it will overrule any virtual day. 

Opportunity for Growth: The workday is quite full with student appts. to the brim, which is what management wants. There's no real interaction with other departments on campus. I only visit the main campus when I have to teach a class or go for an orientation. Even still, there is very minimal cross-departmental interaction. There is certainly no room to develop any technical skills or program management skills in the role itself. Additionally, the salary is flat and there is minimal chance for promotion past AA2 which will give a 3k maximum raise. Up from there is only leadership roles, which have minimal pay increase and take the job from being a 9 to 5 to a vocation where you work until the work is done. There is also free tuition, but I find many coworkers holding on to the job solely to stick out their degree. 

Overall: This is a good job for someone who does not rely on one income to survive and enjoys emotional labor as the biggest payoff of the job. Me being a part of a 2 income household is the only reason that I've been able to keep the job in addition to rare salary increases from the school and government that stacked. A raise which will not follow me with another position at the school, so there are jobs that are "promotions" that I would have to take a pay cut for. Otherwise, you are on an island and the only real leadership you work with is your supervisor. The higher level leaders I have no engagement with them besides waiting for the next policy shift or operational change. I happen to have the best manager and can say that is one of the few things besides inflation keeping me on the job. 

Avoid working in the Academic Advising Center. They want people with Masters degrees and pay salaries that require you to either be married or live with your parents or a roommate to survive. Leadership is poor..there is little transparency, bad communication and just an overall lousy environment to work in. They cannot keep people...the center is a revolving door where they constantly lose people and hire new ones. If they hire good people, they leave within a year because they will not tolerate such a hostile environment to work in. GSU invests so much time and money into training and cannot keep anyone because of the environment as well as the poor salaries. Most people I know have second jobs just to be able to pay their bills. At least if salaries are poor there should be some benefit of working there, such as a positive work culture or some other benefits. For example, GSU has received a ton of grant money and one time had a ton of extra food leftover from an event (potato chips, water etc...) and advisors asked if they could have some, and they were told absolutely not. The food sat there and then eventually got shifted somewhere out of sight. Can't even get a bag of chips. There is absolutely ZZERO care or compassion for the employees, starting from the very top. The attitude of "if you don't like it, go somewhere else" trickles down from the VP to the directors. And that is what happens..people constantly leave and honestly it is the students and university that suffers, but they do not care. The managers do nothing to enhance the work environment because they have to preserve their own jobs and the powers-that-be will not allow them to create a humanistic work environment. One advisor got really sick at work and was going to the emergency room, her supervisor caught her at the elevator and asked if she had completed her phone calls for the day. That is the environment of the advising center. And the head of Enrollment Management and Student Success has a background in ethics, laughable.

Sr Admin Assistant in which I learned great office management and administrative skills while assisting 50+ professors and 3 department chairs for 10.5 years. I began in 2007 as a Secretary then got promoted as an Administrative Secretary. I was later promoted to Sr. Administrative Assistant. I was employed from 2007-2018. The most enjoyable part of work was working with all the students and professors and co-workers; they were all very nice. The hardest part was fulfilling the needs of professors who were not self sufficient; only a few. Also when classes did not make, having to call the PT professors and tell them that their classes would be taken over by a FT in order to meet the FT faculty work load. I really hated to do this when classes were cancelled frequently. Also the great part was the freedom of doing my job without someone over my shoulder and trusting me that I will get the job done. Overall a great university to work for. The other skills obtained while there: 
•	Over 12 years of office administration in Higher Education
•	Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
•	Strong public speaking and presentation skills 
•	Exemplary customer service and work ethic
•	Certificate (Exceptional Customer Service Completion) 
•	Microsoft Office, BANNER, eFollett/Discover, SMARTS
•	Time management skills, energetic, and enthusiastic
•	Superb organizational skills, detail oriented & multitasker
•	Great problem-solver, team-player & “people person”
•	Excellent managerial, supervisory & leadership experience
•	Certificate (Caught Doing Something Right Program)
•	PeopleSoft, ePro, PawPrints, DegreeWorks, iCollege
•	Hiring Committee for Dean Admin Asst. May 2015
•	Learn quickly, work efficiently and accurately

I am so glad to have left that place. The academic advising center is the place where your enthusiasm for student success goes to die. The workload is ridiculous and the most important part of the job was keeping logs to ensure numbers and goals were being met. It was no longer about customer service, it became more of an unbearable data entry job where you had managers breathing down your neck all day everyday. There are some great people who work in the center (I am hoping many of them got out already), and I feel like I watched them spiral into an abyss of misery from when they started working there. You know all those quotes and memes and theories about being a leader and not a manager, or treating employees well and they will give 100% and invest in your company? I think GSU missed the memo. There are a couple of good managers there, I hope they find better jobs soon too because they just get abused from the top, it is disgusting. The morale, seriously, could not possibly be any lower than it is. The worst part is the academic advisor II's at Georgia Tech make almost as much, if not more than the assistant directors at GSU. The salary is an abomination for all the pressure put on advisors and I wish that all the advisors would just get up and walk out one day. There are a couple there that deserve the torture, but the rest are good people that deserve better.

Wow where to start..... The job market is tight and people want to know how a business operates so they wont be (stuck) as the interview can never give you how a business works or how management operates.

1. Management will not say no to projects no matter how large or small. This has lead to upset clients throughout campus due to consistent unmet expectation.

2. Due to management not saying no to projects the work load is outrageous.

3. Due to the harsh work load employees are reduced to just putting out fires and entering in cumbersome tickets to let management know they are working. ( If you don't have tickets you are not doing your job)

4. With massive unending tickets on employee plates employees have no time to learn and make things better.

5. The massive work load has also lead to a very hostile team dynamic. Employees will always hear leads and management argue over work load and having to train new employees as many have jumped ship.

6. Finally, due to the work load time off does not exist even if you have time to take off.

Please remember this is a university not google or apple so the pay is far below market for what you must put up with.

I am currently in the process of searching for a new position and I hope this will help those looking into this IS&T department and help them make and informed decision.

I was amazed to come to GSU and see what a mess the student services departments are. Employees are burnt out, and this in turn affects students. The pay is low in comparison to other universities but the workload is high. Only those at the top are paid well. Financial Aid and Student Financial Management do not help students and mostly refuse to speak to them. Students are bounced around from department to department and do not have their needs met. Advising gives students incorrect information and I’ve seen many in courses they did not need. Admissions works hard to admit students without any information and push them off to another department. HR is a mess and a joke. GSU wants employees with high expertise but offer low pay. There are employees that are due raises and promised promotions that have not received them and are instead doing much more than they are being paid for. Employees work all hours, and often do not get lunch breaks. Lazy employees are not addressed and instead work is pushed onto dependable employees. Student are truly seen as just a number, no one at GSU appears to care about the student and many are getting screwed. I truly feel if I brought these concerns to leadership, I would be let go instead of them addressing them. GSU does not live up to its reputation of a high class, student first institution. 

Due to the fact that I had an on-campus job, the pace was very simple. At times their were tasks that needed to be completed such as, filing envelopes, delivering packages to the appropriate individuals, answering telephone calls and relaying the messages to the appropriate party. Also, greeting guests and making sure that the environment was warm and welcoming to those that came in. At times their was not too much hard work to do. However, when I did have free time, my supervisor allowed me to complete assignments or leave early in order to study and prepare for tests. This job required careful listening and lots of patience. For instance, when it came to preparing documents for meetings, it was important to carefully listen to the instructions that were given in order to ensure efficiency. Efficiency was important because nine out of ten times when meetings took place, they involved money which meant that students were responsible for quite a bit, even if it meant photocopying. 

The most enjoyable part of this job was having the opportunity to see the different departments around this university. Having the ability to walk around campus and being able to see certain places or people that one would normally not expect to see unless they were of some sort of importance was a chance of a lifetime. 

Working at Georgia State University has been an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience for me. Located in the heart of Atlanta, the university offers a dynamic and resource-rich environment that supports both professional growth and daily convenience. The diverse academic community has allowed me to collaborate with individuals from various backgrounds, which has broadened my perspective and strengthened my communication skills.

In terms of daily work, GSU provides strong institutional support, including access to well-maintained research facilities, efficient administrative processes, and a structured academic system. This enables me to focus more on my research and responsibilities without unnecessary obstacles. The working atmosphere is highly collaborative, and both faculty members and colleagues are approachable and supportive, always willing to offer guidance and constructive feedback.

Moreover, the university fosters a culture of innovation and independent thinking. I have been encouraged to explore new ideas and develop my own research direction, which has significantly enhanced my problem-solving abilities and confidence. Overall, my experience at GSU has not only strengthened my technical and academic skills but also contributed greatly to my personal and professional development.

What is the best part of working at the company?
For example, you could say, "My employer provides opportunities for professional development and encourages employees to reach their full potential." This highlights a positive aspect of the company's culture and demonstrates your appreciation for their commitment to employee growth

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
A stressful job with no growth can feel like being stuck in a rut, leading to burnout and decreased motivation. It's important to acknowledge the stress and find ways to cope, whether through personal development, seeking support, or considering a career change

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
You could mention that you thrive in a collaborative environment, appreciate open communication, and are motivated by opportunities for learning and career advancement. You can also highlight specific qualities like a supportive team, a healthy work-life balance, or a culture of recognition. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
My role is definitely demanding, but I find that focusing on clear communication and problem-solving helps me stay on track. I also appreciate the opportunities for growth that these challenges present."

Generally, GSU is a great place to work. Students are hardworking, diverse, and a general pleasure to be around. Students genuinely make GSU a fun place to work if you keep their limitations and constraints in perspective. We aren't teaching overly privileged people that can drop responsibilities immediately. We are teaching hard working people that are keeping many, many balls in the air at once. Many are doing it well, but some need more support to achieve their goals. 

The admin needs some work. Chairs etc. receive little training in management and often use these positions to further their own "vision" of a department versus supporting faculty success. The same goes for Deans. There should be a bit more of a focus on providing resources for all faculty to be successful instead of those that meet the needs and whims of administrators. Pay is alright, but you can make much more in a private sector job with less stress, more balance, and managers that are more supportive. 

Overall, it's just like any other university. The students are great, the pay is low for the work, work-life balance is talked about but rarely genuinely encouraged, and leadership leaves a decent bit to be desired. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Student assistant 16 salaries reported	$10.56 per hour
Graduate researcher 7 salaries reported	$26,429 per year
Academic advisor 5 salaries reported	$44,812 per year
Research assistant 4 salaries reported	$13.00 per hour
Graduate assistant 3 salaries reported	$33,333 per year

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