If you’ve been invited to an on-campus interview, congratulations—this means you’ve made it into a highly selective group of candidates. Institutions typically reserve these interviews for top contenders in the student affairs job search. However, reaching this stage comes with a new challenge: preparing thoroughly for the on-campus experience.
A key part of this preparation is evaluating how well the position aligns with your enthusiasm, skills, and background. This process, known as positional alignment, involves a careful breakdown of the job description and an honest reflection on how well you match the role.
What Is Positional Alignment?
Positional alignment involves analyzing a job’s expectations and comparing them with your own qualifications and interests. At the core of this method is a chart divided into four columns: Responsibilities, Excitement Level, Experience, and Summary. Each column serves a unique function in helping you prepare for your interview.
Why Positional Alignment Matters
This exercise helps you evaluate your overall fit for the role by comparing your qualifications with the job’s expectations. It also assists in identifying areas where you can confidently showcase your expertise, as well as spots that may require additional preparation. Ultimately, this process helps you anticipate the types of questions that might arise during your on-campus interview and equips you to answer them thoughtfully.
Creating the Positional Alignment Chart
1. Responsibilities
Start by listing the main duties of the position in the first column. Most job postings include a bulleted list, which you can easily copy and paste. If the responsibilities are described in paragraph form, extract and isolate each key responsibility into its own line.
2. Excitement Level
In the second column, assess your enthusiasm for each responsibility. You might use a 1–5 scale (where 1 means “not excited at all” and 5 means “very excited”), or you can use descriptive terms. The goal is to be honest with yourself about which duties excite you and which don’t. This insight is essential in evaluating whether the position truly aligns with your career goals and interests.
3. Relevant Experience
In the third column, describe your related experience for each responsibility. This can include professional roles, internships, assistantships, or volunteer work. If you don’t have direct experience, think creatively—identify transferable skills or similar experiences from other contexts.
For example, if the job involves overseeing a large residential community and you’ve worked with a smaller group as a Resident Assistant or organized community events in another role, highlight those parallels. This section allows you to demonstrate how your background can support your success in the position—even if it’s in a different functional area.
4. Summary
Finally, in the fourth column, summarize your fit for each responsibility by considering your enthusiasm and experience together. Use brief, honest phrases like “Strong Fit,” “Excited but Inexperienced,” or “Not a Great Match.” This summary gives you a snapshot of where you’re well-aligned with the role and where you might need to address gaps.
Putting the Chart to Use
Once your chart is complete, review it carefully—especially the Summary column. Pay special attention to the areas where your excitement and experience are not well aligned. These “red flags” will likely come up during the interview, so prepare your responses accordingly. Conversely, the responsibilities that show strong alignment are “green flags” where you can confidently highlight your strengths.
Final Thoughts
This guide walked you through how to create and use a positional alignment chart as part of your on-campus interview preparation. The chart helps you break down the role into manageable pieces and assess how your interests and qualifications align with what the position requires. By investing time in this step, you’ll be better prepared to articulate your fit and stand out as a thoughtful, self-aware candidate.
If you found this approach helpful and want more strategies for navigating the student affairs job market, be sure to check out the free eBook Getting Started in Your Student Affairs Job Search.