It didn’t quite happen overnight, but Allison Zures managed to fast track her career through multiple promotions and leveraging opportunities over time. She is currently the Associate Dean of Student Services at Harry S. Truman College and working on a PhD in Higher Education Administration at Illinois State University. I met Allison when she was a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Career Services at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I have been tremendously inspired by her career trajectory and wanted to share her journey.

I sat down with Allison to learn about her experience and strategies she used to advance her career. In this Q&A she shares highlights of her journey, how she optimized opportunities and provides insight on her overall professional outlook.

How did you begin your career in higher education? Early on, I was quite uncertain of what I wanted to do in my career, but I did know that I wanted to work in higher education. I recognized that I wanted to work with students and in a service capacity. I took on a job in admissions at Harrington College of Design. I found out quickly that if I wanted to move up I needed to obtain my master’s degree. I decided to apply for the Master in Education in Instructional Leadership & Education Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

As someone who works in higher education, I know that securing a graduate assistantship is very competitive. How did you secure your assistantship? Networking! I casually informed one of the instructors at Harrington that I would be attending UIC and she mentioned that she knew the Director of Career Services. I later saw that the office was seeking a graduate assistant and the professor put in a referral on my behalf. I interviewed for the position and received an offer a month before starting classes in the fall.

How did you maximize your experience as a graduate assistant?
One of the valuable things I learned from this experience was not to be afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone. If something was asked of me that I wasn’t super confident doing, I still tried. From my perspective I believe you don’t have to know everything to take on responsibility; you will learn as you go. I always found ways to add value to the department.

You completed your graduate degree during a very difficult job market. How did you manage your job search?
Quite honestly, the next steps were always on my mind. I knew that securing a job was going to be difficult so I started my search a semester before graduation. I found ways to get involved to grow my professional network. I volunteered at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and took the opportunity to connect with a wide range of professionals. Interestingly, I was offered the opportunity to interview for a position through a connection I made. However, it wasn’t what I was seeking. I decided to attend a job fair at the City Colleges of Chicago. Although the job fair was mainly for instructor positions, I still decided to attend. I spoke to a recruiter that informed me of a college advisor position and to make a long story short I was offered the position.

How did you go from college advisor to Executive Director of Career Planning and Placement within a relatively short period? After my experience as a graduate assistant at UIC Career Services, I gained a lot of experience facilitating career focused workshops. I used that skill set and took the initiative to deliver these types of presentations at the college. I became the “go to person” for anything career related. I constantly said yes to new opportunities and took part in a larger project that included staff across the district. Due to my passion in this area, someone recommended that I apply for the Manager of Placement Services. I was offered the position and due to my level of contribution, they changed my title to Executive Director of Career Planning and Placement. I stayed in this role for about 4 years.

How did you land your position of Associate Dean of College to Careers: Education, Human & Natural Sciences? As Executive Director of Career Planning and Placement, I optimized every opportunity and executed functions and projects beyond the expectation of my role. I took the initiative whenever possible and this led to my Associate Dean promotion.

You transitioned to Associate Dean of Student Services within a year. How did that happen? During this time, I finally felt like I had more clarity in my career and my ultimate goal had always been to serve in a higher capacity beyond career services. Through networking, I caught wind of a positon at Truman College. I applied and was offered my current Associate Dean position. I am very passionate about what I do and in my role I have a team of 18 advisors, 3 administrative staff, 2 transfer center staff, and 3.5 full-time testing staff.

What job search advice do you have for emerging professionals? You only need one right yes. Don’t let any set-backs get you down. Keeping a positive and optimistic outlook is ideal. The job market can be discouraging and feel like a hamster wheel – but know that you are not. I had very bad interviews – but I knew that it was part of the experience and realized those positions were not the best fit for me.

Final words of wisdom.
First and foremost, smile! Always jump on opportunities and don’t do the bare minimum. Be someone that people like to work with – be yourself! Even when you are not job searching, always invest in yourself and be prepared for new opportunities.

“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” – Bobby Unser