Hope me find & choose appropriate professional development!
February 10, 2019 3:37 PM Subscribe
I just recently hit a ceiling in my department and would like to pursue professional development while I sort out further career steps. My current higher ed job doesn't fall neatly into one specific dominion and I haven't found many external professional development options that seem relevant to me. Can you help me identify some decent options?
Background:
I work at a college in a global strategy office as an operations manager. There were 3 step up positions open on my 7 person team. I applied for 2 and was passed over for both (both hires had markedly more experience, language & international skill sets than I have). Essentially, this means I've hit a ceiling - unless & until someone above me leaves a position (not currently likely), there's no real room for advancement in my current dept.
My job is fine for the time being (let's say next 6-12 months), but I'm not growing by leaps and bounds anymore, and looking for ways to expand my current skill set and explore related avenues while I figure out my next steps. There aren't a ton of people with my title at my institution and it's sort of known to be on the cushy/stable side without too much room for growth. I'd like to challenge and push myself, and take advantage of the staff support funds, before I move on to my next gig.
FYI if relevant - I don't have very proactive supervision/day to day professional development in my department - they are sort of benignly neglectful.
Departmental support:
My VP generally supports me in training and developing myself, but has expertise in a whole other aspect of higher ed and none with the operational side of what I do or the higher ed industry itself. My department would pay for hotel, flight, and program training of up to $2k if I submit a solid proposal.
My professional interests applicable to my current role:
*traditional management & team morale
*process creation/improvement/implementation
*project & task management
*operations/logistics/travel
*front line customer service
*quantifying processes (this is an area I do not excel currently. I'm strongly intuitive, and good at what I do, but would like to learn how to get in the practice of quantifying the work I produce if that makes sense)
*advising & counseling & motivating (i do this informally currently but LOVE it)
Questions:
*How do I find a cohesive list of professional development options out there?
*Do you know of conferences/trainings that might be a good fit for me?
*Are there fields/keywords that I should be using & referencing relevant to my skillset?
*Do you know of any general trainings (irrespective of field) that would be useful?
*Have you heard of Getting Things Done trainings and if so do you think its worthwhile?
Resume: (note - my whole post was wiped and I'm too tired to rewrite the resume section tonight... I know it needs updating/formatting!)
Managing the routines and operations of the GI office and student employees. Includes:
*Front line management, developing operational content, electronic & physical organization.
*Hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, budget management, policy/procedure creation.
Managing division’s financial and budgetary processes. Includes:
*In- and out-bound payment management, budget and transaction review and maintenance.
Supports VP, director, and staff. Includes:
*Coordinating daily operations, departmental and staff-specific scheduling, and minutes.
Coordinating execution and document creation of programming and events. Includes:
*Coordinating program travel and logistics, processing applications, maintaining program systems of record, coordinating departmental events
Liaising with broader [institution] community. Includes:
*Managing proposal requests; coordinating payments/logistics for special event; representing [dept] at inter-departmental and committee meetings.
Works with external partners. Includes:
*Travel to partner locations, coordinating visiting guest visits, supporting inquiries.
Background:
I work at a college in a global strategy office as an operations manager. There were 3 step up positions open on my 7 person team. I applied for 2 and was passed over for both (both hires had markedly more experience, language & international skill sets than I have). Essentially, this means I've hit a ceiling - unless & until someone above me leaves a position (not currently likely), there's no real room for advancement in my current dept.
My job is fine for the time being (let's say next 6-12 months), but I'm not growing by leaps and bounds anymore, and looking for ways to expand my current skill set and explore related avenues while I figure out my next steps. There aren't a ton of people with my title at my institution and it's sort of known to be on the cushy/stable side without too much room for growth. I'd like to challenge and push myself, and take advantage of the staff support funds, before I move on to my next gig.
FYI if relevant - I don't have very proactive supervision/day to day professional development in my department - they are sort of benignly neglectful.
Departmental support:
My VP generally supports me in training and developing myself, but has expertise in a whole other aspect of higher ed and none with the operational side of what I do or the higher ed industry itself. My department would pay for hotel, flight, and program training of up to $2k if I submit a solid proposal.
My professional interests applicable to my current role:
*traditional management & team morale
*process creation/improvement/implementation
*project & task management
*operations/logistics/travel
*front line customer service
*quantifying processes (this is an area I do not excel currently. I'm strongly intuitive, and good at what I do, but would like to learn how to get in the practice of quantifying the work I produce if that makes sense)
*advising & counseling & motivating (i do this informally currently but LOVE it)
Questions:
*How do I find a cohesive list of professional development options out there?
*Do you know of conferences/trainings that might be a good fit for me?
*Are there fields/keywords that I should be using & referencing relevant to my skillset?
*Do you know of any general trainings (irrespective of field) that would be useful?
*Have you heard of Getting Things Done trainings and if so do you think its worthwhile?
Resume: (note - my whole post was wiped and I'm too tired to rewrite the resume section tonight... I know it needs updating/formatting!)
Managing the routines and operations of the GI office and student employees. Includes:
*Front line management, developing operational content, electronic & physical organization.
*Hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, budget management, policy/procedure creation.
Managing division’s financial and budgetary processes. Includes:
*In- and out-bound payment management, budget and transaction review and maintenance.
Supports VP, director, and staff. Includes:
*Coordinating daily operations, departmental and staff-specific scheduling, and minutes.
Coordinating execution and document creation of programming and events. Includes:
*Coordinating program travel and logistics, processing applications, maintaining program systems of record, coordinating departmental events
Liaising with broader [institution] community. Includes:
*Managing proposal requests; coordinating payments/logistics for special event; representing [dept] at inter-departmental and committee meetings.
Works with external partners. Includes:
*Travel to partner locations, coordinating visiting guest visits, supporting inquiries.
Seconding. A girlfriend of mine got a master's in higher education administration at Baruch in NYC and was then finally able to move up the ladder. She had to change institutions to make progress.
posted by 8603 at 5:52 PM on February 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by 8603 at 5:52 PM on February 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks 8603 and Sweetie - I do have an MA already in a semi-related field. Sadly my institution has paltry tuition remission benefits (something like 2k per year reimbursement) but I will keep this in mind!
posted by seemoorglass at 6:19 PM on February 10, 2019
posted by seemoorglass at 6:19 PM on February 10, 2019
FYI if relevant - I don't have very proactive supervision/day to day professional development in my department - they are sort of benignly neglectful.
I think finding someone to provide you this type of support could be more valuable than any one-shot training or conference would be. Would you be able to set up some informal coffee meetings with people who have achieved those next steps to talk about their career trajectories and get some more insight that way?
I think once you talk to some of your colleagues you might get a better idea of what direction to head in.
posted by Stewriffic at 5:23 AM on February 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
I think finding someone to provide you this type of support could be more valuable than any one-shot training or conference would be. Would you be able to set up some informal coffee meetings with people who have achieved those next steps to talk about their career trajectories and get some more insight that way?
I think once you talk to some of your colleagues you might get a better idea of what direction to head in.
posted by Stewriffic at 5:23 AM on February 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
Would recommend looking at project management certification via PMI and Managing to Change the World's PD offerings (multiple locations).
posted by vacuumsealed at 9:21 AM on February 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by vacuumsealed at 9:21 AM on February 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
As an alternative to PMP some colleagues are pursuing the project+ from CompTIA https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/project (project manager/business analyst roles).
posted by typecloud at 1:43 PM on February 14, 2019
posted by typecloud at 1:43 PM on February 14, 2019
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