When I began working in higher education in 2001, there were many things I wish someone had explained to me.
Not necessarily the technical aspects of my job. Those could be learned through training, professional development, and experience.
I'm talking about the everyday realities of working in higher education.
Who do you ask when you don't know the answer? How do departments work together? What's the difference between a regulatory requirement, an institutional policy, and simply the way things have always been done?
How do you handle an uncomfortable conversation? When should you ask for help? And how do you know what questions to ask when you don't even know what you don't know?
Much of that knowledge comes through experience, trial and error, and the generosity of colleagues willing to share what they've learned.
But what if we could make that learning experience easier for the next generation of higher education professionals?
Introducing a New Professional Development Series
I'm pleased to introduce It's Your First Day. Now What?, a new Rosenboom Workforce Institute workbook series built around a simple idea:
Create the resource we wish someone had placed on our desks on our very first day.
Each departmental volume is designed as a comprehensive 90-day onboarding companion for new employees and the supervisors responsible for helping them succeed.
The workbooks will address the practical knowledge that traditional training does not always cover: departmental relationships, workplace expectations, professional judgment, communication, common challenges, and knowing when and where to seek assistance.
Equally important, they will provide supervisors with structured activities, practical examples, and opportunities for meaningful conversations with new employees.
A Series for Every Department
The series begins with Financial Aid, with additional volumes planned for Admissions, Student Accounts, Registrar, Academic Advising, Student Services, Human Resources, Career Services, Academic Affairs, and other higher education departments.
Each workbook will share a common 90-day framework while concentrating on the unique experiences and responsibilities of its department.
The goal is not to replace institutional onboarding or technical training. It is to complement those resources by addressing the things new employees often have to figure out for themselves.
Investing in the Employee Experience
We devote substantial attention to student enrollment, retention, and institutional performance. Yet the employees responsible for delivering those outcomes must first understand their roles, build professional relationships, and develop confidence in their work.
The student experience cannot consistently outperform the employee experience.
Thoughtful onboarding is one way institutions can demonstrate their commitment to both.
My hope is that these workbooks become something directors are proud to place on a new employee's desk—and something employees are grateful to have throughout their first 90 days and beyond.
Help Shape the Series
As additional volumes are developed, I would welcome your experiences and suggestions.
What is one thing you wish someone had told you on your first day in higher education?
Your answers may help shape future publications.
Explore the Rosenboom Workforce Institute workbook collection:
https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/rosenboomworkforceinstitute
Dr. Matthew Rosenboom
Rosenboom Workforce Institute
A division of Rosenboom Tax & Advisory LLC
www.rosenboomtaxandadvisory.net