RA position UCD

Illini

I am thinking of applying for an RA position in UCD next year.
If anyone has experience of the amount of the amount of work involved in the position I would be delighted to hear from them.
Is being an RA a lot of work to take on for a student in final year?

Thanks

Illini

Bump

ironclaw

I have no experience, direct or indirect, but I'd imagine in comparison to trying to hold down a real part time job it would be magnitudes of order easier. However the hassle you would get would probably be far greater i.e. You'll probably always be 'wrong' or 'that ***hole' in the eyes of many.

SirDelboy18

Don't think it's worth it.

Firstly, if you are chosen you could be placed anywhere. You have no say, yet regardless of where you are placed you do the same amount of hours. So you could be in Roebuck Castle living it up, or in Belgrove - which normally have a price difference of around €4,000 or so.

I've also heard that when it is worked out, for the hours done, that the pay is actually extremely poor - I'm good pals with a current RA

Lastly, be prepared for a bit of abuse if you do go ahead. There is a small taboo that can be hard to shift.

Seanchai

I did not do it in my final year, because I was conscious that any postgrad scholarships depended on my results in final year. I did it as a postgrad, however, and it was fine. When I did it Glenomena was the place to be as it had wireless broadband and nowhere else had. Hopefully that has changed now and everywhere has it.

PS: I was asked in the interview for my preference, which was Glenomena, and they gave it to me.

Illini

SirDelboy18 wrote: »

Don't think it's worth it.

Firstly, if you are chosen you could be placed anywhere. You have no say, yet regardless of where you are placed you do the same amount of hours. So you could be in Roebuck Castle living it up, or in Belgrove - which normally have a price difference of around €4,000 or so.

Thanks for your reply. You're right, Roebuck castle is more like a hotel, it would be quieter too. I wouldn't mind too much though once I had a roof over my head and a bed.

Seanchai wrote: »

I did not do it in my final year, because I was conscious that any postgrad scholarships depended on my results in final year. I did it as a postgrad, however, and it was fine. When I did it Glenomena was the place to be as it had wireless broadband and nowhere else had. Hopefully that has changed now and everywhere has it.

PS: I was asked in the interview for my preference, which was Glenomena, and they gave it to me.

Yes Merville had WIFI in 2010 when I was in first year. That's interesting that they asked you. I'm sure most people would request Roebuck Castle now with the meal-plan included. How many hours a week did you work as an RA?

It's a difficult decision as I only get one shot at final year. The main reason I'm considering it is because it would save my parents a lot of money. It would also be a great position to have on a CV.

anBoMor

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how many RA's there are in total? I applied and received an email yesterday where they CC-d every applicant, and I'm just trying to figure out what my basic likelihood is!

brownlad

anBoMor wrote: »

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how many RA's there are in total? I applied and received an email yesterday where they CC-d every applicant, and I'm just trying to figure out what my basic likelihood is!

ye i was like wtf , there is about 25 in total i think...i applied too

anBoMor

Around 35, when I counted. Maybe they're only mailing it out in groups of 20/30? Though I see no sense in that!

brownlad

anBoMor wrote: »

Around 35, when I counted. Maybe they're only mailing it out in groups of 20/30? Though I see no sense in that!

i mean 25 ra positions. when did u send in ur app?

anBoMor

brownlad wrote: »

i mean 25 ra positions. when did u send in ur app?

Ah, I get you! I handed mine in with 6 minutes to go, only found out about it at 2pm and the deadline was 5. Had some rushing around like!

Michael Collins

anBoMor wrote: »

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how many RA's there are in total? I applied and received an email yesterday where they CC-d every applicant, and I'm just trying to figure out what my basic likelihood is!

You'd think they could have been a bit more professional about it, by BCC-ing the applicants rather than letting everybody know how many, and exactly who, have applied...

brownlad

Michael Collins wrote: »

You'd think they could have been a bit more professional about it, by BCC-ing the applicants rather than letting everybody know how many, and exactly who, have applied...

yep too right

brownlad

anBoMor wrote: »

Around 35, when I counted. Maybe they're only mailing it out in groups of 20/30? Though I see no sense in that!

did u get a call back? i just got the email there

upandcumming

Illini wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. You're right, Roebuck castle is more like a hotel, it would be quieter too. I wouldn't mind too much though once I had a roof over my head and a bed.



Yes Merville had WIFI in 2010 when I was in first year. That's interesting that they asked you. I'm sure most people would request Roebuck Castle now with the meal-plan included. How many hours a week did you work as an RA?

It's a difficult decision as I only get one shot at final year. The main reason I'm considering it is because it would save my parents a lot of money. It would also be a great position to have on a CV.

You'd be very wrong in saying that Roebuck Castle is quieter than Belgrove, at least in the last couple of years. The problem with Castle, is that you have 11 other fuckers to deal with, as opposed to 5, or 3. Easier getting on with 3 or 5 even as opposed to 11. Belgrove is undergoing major upgrading as is Merville and both are very nice. Glenomena is the worst in my opinion. Awful looking place.

LifesaverNiall

When are peoples interviews? Mines next Thursday! Never lived on campus so hoping that doesn't affect my chances too much.. anyone know if they take your GPA into serious consideration?

brownlad

LifesaverNiall wrote: »

When are peoples interviews? Mines next Thursday! Never lived on campus so hoping that doesn't affect my chances too much.. anyone know if they take your GPA into serious consideration?

do they have access to our gpa? mines monday at 5, wonder how many got a call back.

Seanchai

Illini wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. You're right, Roebuck castle is more like a hotel, it would be quieter too. I wouldn't mind too much though once I had a roof over my head and a bed.



Yes Merville had WIFI in 2010 when I was in first year. That's interesting that they asked you. I'm sure most people would request Roebuck Castle now with the meal-plan included. How many hours a week did you work as an RA?

It's a difficult decision as I only get one shot at final year. The main reason I'm considering it is because it would save my parents a lot of money. It would also be a great position to have on a CV.

I don't remember at all how many hours, but it wasn't much. The busiest times were the start and end of year, and we had a small little shindig compliments of Residences that Christmas. The worst thing that happened during the year was when a mother rang up one evening saying she couldn't get through to her son and was worried and was therefore on her way up. She went in with one of the RA's to find her son hanging in the room. It was kept very quiet at the time. And I couldn't find anything about it in the media in the subsequent days. It brought home to me that there's a whole world of students who suffer in silence.

JohnG18

Oh I've my interview this Wednesday but didn't get sent a mass email, I just got one sent asking me to confirm the time and date suited.

I've no experience living on Campus either but it said PhD students could apply so I did :P

LifesaverNiall

Anyone have there interview today? how'd yous get on?

pinkpencilcase

I did it for 3 years. On the whole it was grand, I thought it was going to be a handy gig with the light hours and that, but looking back, some of the really messed up things that I saw at the time, had a really bad effect on me. I'm talking abuse, fights, sexual assaults and suicides. I didn't think it at the time but during my final year, I was pretty depressed at the whole situation. Really couldn't recommend it. Sure, you'll have longer hours to work to pay your rent if you have to get a part time job, but at least you can head home from retail at the end of the night and not feel like you're still at work and see some messed up things.

JohnG18

pinkpencilcase wrote: »

I did it for 3 years. On the whole it was grand, I thought it was going to be a handy gig with the light hours and that, but looking back, some of the really messed up things that I saw at the time, had a really bad effect on me. I'm talking abuse, fights, sexual assaults and suicides. I didn't think it at the time but during my final year, I was pretty depressed at the whole situation. Really couldn't recommend it. Sure, you'll have longer hours to work to pay your rent if you have to get a part time job, but at least you can head home from retail at the end of the night and not feel like you're still at work and see some messed up things.

Oy vey, that sounds rough. I'm on a funded PhD and live in Tallaght so I'm purely doing it to cut down on my commute times and petrol, never too far from home. I'm hoping since I've worked in Customer Service and Telesales and been called every name under the sun I'd be ready for it.

pinkpencilcase

I dunno, just looking back over everything, I don't think I'd make the decision to do it again. Maybe for a year would be ok, and to be fair, I didn't do it in UCD. I did it on a campus where we were very involved with students, so you ended up like a counsellor! The amount of nights I've been called out to someone who's hysterically upset and their housemates didn't know what to do, so you'd end up listening for hours. It's very hard not to take a little of that with you everytime and it all affects how you are in college.

brownlad

@niall i had my interview yday , it went slick, just keep cool , and it s alright , it was easy enough tbh ,

anBoMor

Obviously it's not the same, but half the time I stay in college as late as possible just to avoid going home. I'm doing this to get away from my family, like I love them to bits but we don't get along much currently. I've had to talk people off ledges and be woken at 3am to console friends anyway, I can handle that. For now anyway, I don't think I could be an RA for 3 years!
Has anyone had their interview yet? I confirmed mine just there.

brownlad

anBoMor wrote: »

Obviously it's not the same, but half the time I stay in college as late as possible just to avoid going home. I'm doing this to get away from my family, like I love them to bits but we don't get along much currently. I've had to talk people off ledges and be woken at 3am to console friends anyway, I can handle that. For now anyway, I don't think I could be an RA for 3 years!
Has anyone had their interview yet? I confirmed mine just there.

ye I did, try not to be too over powering in the interview . they want to be heard as much as you do

LifesaverNiall

brownlad wrote: »

@niall i had my interview yday , it went slick, just keep cool , and it s alright , it was easy enough tbh ,

Sounds good! thanks for the advice! just want to get it over and done with tbh.. jetting off to France on Friday with the surf club.. Caaaant waaaait!

brownlad

LifesaverNiall wrote: »

Sounds good! thanks for the advice! just want to get it over and done with tbh.. jetting off to France on Friday with the surf club.. Caaaant waaaait!

get a call back?

LifesaverNiall

brownlad wrote: »

get a call back?

Just home from France, checked my emails there.. 2nd interview this tuesday.. what about yourself?

Dani Pacheco

ironclaw wrote: »

I have no experience, direct or indirect, but I'd imagine in comparison to trying to hold down a real part time job it would be magnitudes of order easier. However the hassle you would get would probably be far greater i.e. You'll probably always be 'wrong' or 'that ***hole' in the eyes of many.

Absolutely not. Lived on campus year and knew many of the RAs well. Of course there was the odd buzzkill but even when they did something like throw us out of a house we still realized that they were just doing their jobs and no-one harbored any resentment towards them.

Definitely go for it.

Dani Pacheco

Ah it seems the conversation has moved on quite considerably. Never mind...