"Field Notes" is an occasional Connect column covering practical and philosophical issues facing admissions and registrar professionals. The columns are authored by various AACRAO members. If you have an idea for a column and would like to contribute, please send an email to the editor at connect@aacrao.org.
by Becky Tankersley, Chair, Recruitment & Marketing PAC, AACRAO; Communications Officer, Enrollment Services, Georgia Tech
Whether you’re a seasoned professional of 10+ years or a young professional in your first two years on the job, planning ahead for your career path is crucial. Advancement doesn’t just happen—it must be thought out. It’s important to prepare and plan ahead so that you can effectively state your case when you’re ready to move up to the next level.
Approaching your leadership for a title change can be a nerve-wracking process, which is why you need to do your homework. It begins with confidence in yourself and your skills, quality experiences, and, as always in higher education, data and documentation to back up your request.
These three strategies can help you start planning now for the future you want to create:
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Find exemplary job titles that align with what you want to do. Think of the direction you want to move towards by finding a few titles that already exist within the human resources structure at your institution. Creating an entirely new title from scratch comes with challenges and can be a slow process (it could also increase the chances of being brushed off as “too hard” or “too time consuming”). Preparing to move into a title that already exists will not only help you set new goals for yourself, but will ultimately help you transition from point A to point B more easily as the framework for the position is already in place.
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Write down, in detail, what you do each day. Create a document detailing everything you do in your day. It will be tedious—so allow enough time to do it well. Note both the large and small projects that take up your time. Smaller tasks, when done regularly, become so habitual we don’t even realize we’re doing them. Once you’ve created a comprehensive list, print out a copy of your current and hopeful job descriptions. Identify the gaps between the two and create new goals based upon them. If you see that you are already doing a lot of the work required of the higher title, it could be time to ask for a change. Having this documentation on hand can be quite convincing (and hard to argue) when you request a new title.
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Build your experience through outside organizations. The more experience you can bring to the table, the better. Get involved in a professional organization—join or lead a committee, publish an article or research, or present at a conference.* Growth opportunities are plentiful in higher education—the key is to get plugged in. Professional development outside of your normal job requirements also allows you to grow your network. AACRAO and its regional and state organizations are great places to start!
Preparing yourself ahead of time for advancement not only gives you more confidence, but also shows your leadership that you take your career, and your work, seriously. Focus on the elements of the process you can control—this will benefit you not only in the short-term, but the long-term as well.
* Learn about volunteer opportunities through writing, evaluating, or serving on a committee at AACRAO. Consider submitting a proposals for AACRAO SEM 2018 and AACRAO 2019. And learn more about your state/regional ACCRAO.