Choosing/Defining A Career Path

Presented by: Cindy HendersonExecutive Director, Career Services NIU Women’s Leadership Conference

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Adapted from:Jumping the Chasm: Becoming a Director

Presented at NASPA National Conference, March 2013Presented by:

Angie Dreessen, Director of Enrollment Services & Student Life, Illinois Central College

Cindy Henderson, Executive Director of Career Services, Northern Illinois University

Mary Tosch, Director of Hobson Memorial Union, Bemidji State University

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Audience Survey

Steps needed to advance through the Journey

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1. How long do you think it will take you to be a leader in years?

1 2 3 4

33%

6%

15%

46%

1. 0-3 years2. 3-5 years3. 5-8 years4. More than 8 years

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2. Do you feel like you have an understanding of what a leader does?

1 2

33%

67%

1. Yes2. No

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3. Do you feel like you have developed a list of the competencies required to be a successful Leader?

1 2

61%

39%1. Yes2. No

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4. To what extent do you feel Leaders have autonomy to make decisions about their departments?

1 2 3 4

2%6%

75%

17%

1. Very High2. High3. Moderate4. Low

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5. What is the likelihood that the impact of what a Leader does reaches beyond departmental programs or services?

1 2 3 4

29%

0%6%

65%

1. Very likely2. Somewhat likely3. Not likely4. No impact beyond

department

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Audience Questions• Do you think choosing a career is necessary in

order for you to advance?• Do you think choosing a career path is a

conscious decision?• Do you think you have full control over whether

you are able to advance?

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Path• Jobs within desired area• Cross functionality– Positions– Training– Adjunct Faculty

• Education• Professional Development– Faculty Advising– Mentor and Mentee

• NetworkingMay 2, 2013

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It’s A Journey• Work Experience– Politics– Assessment– Global (implications for university, division, and department)

Perspective– Revenue Generation

• Skills Acquisition– Interpersonal Skills– Conflict Resolution– Decision Making– Reports and Documentation

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Building Blocks for a Knowledge Base Leading to Competency Development

Division• Core Values, Vision• Environment, Trends• Crisis Management• Collaborations• Theoretical Framework• Professional Organizational

Leadership Role

Departmental• Vision• Budget• Strategic Planning• Relationship Building• Supervision• Communication Skills -

LISTENING

All of the Above demonstrate LEADERSHIP

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Suggested Competencies

• NASPA/ACPA Professional competency areasfor Student Affairs practitioners

• Standards such as CAS, NACE, APA, etc., that are applicable to departmental functions

• Other Assessment tools within your functional area, or your targeted career area

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Introspection Questions• 1. Are you a decision maker?

• 2. What do you do that makes you grow?

• 2. How do you apply what you have learned in one experience to the next experience?

• 3. Who is your mentor or role model? When do you adopt and demonstrate the skills and/or abilities you admire in your mentor?

• 4. How are you effective in what you do?

• 5. How can you describe and quantify your results?

• 6. What theories inform your practice?

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Conclusion & Questions

Thank You!

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References• Arnold, K. (1982). Career development for the experienced student

affairs professional. NASPA Journal, 20(2), 3-8.• Austin, A. E. (1985). Factors contributing to job satisfactions of university

mid-level administrators. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), Chicago, IL.

• Benke, M., & Disque, C. S. (1990). Moving in, out, up, or nowhere? The mobility of mid-managers. In The invisible leaders; student affairs mid-mangers, Washington, D.C.: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

• Blimling, G. S. (2002). Reflections on career development among student affairs leaders. New Directions for Student Services, 98, 27-36.

• Carpenter, D. S., Guido-DiBrito, F., & Kelly, J. P. (1987). Transferability of student affairs skills and competencies: Light at the end of the bottleneck. NASPA Journal, 24(3), 5-14.

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References• Cuyjet, M. J., Longwell-Grice, R., & Molina, E. (2009). Perceptions of new

Student Affairs professionals and their supervisors regarding the application of competencies learned in preparation programs. Journal of College Student Development, 50 (1), 104-119.

• Fey, C. J., & Carpenter, D. S. (1996). Mid-level student affairs administrators: Management skills and professional development needs. NASPA Journal, 33, 218-231.

• Freiberg, M., Zbikowski, J., & Ganser, T. (1997). Promoting mid-career growth through mentoring. Journal of Staff Development, 18(2), 52-54.

• Gordon, S. E., Strode-Border, C. & Mann, B. A. (1993). The mid-manager in student affairs: What are CSAOs looking for? NASPA Journal, 30(4), 13-16.

• Hondyshell, M. E. (2007) In the middle: How the experience defines mid-career for Student Affairs professionals. ERIC document; ED507561.

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References• Howard-Hamilton, M. (2004). Considering the doctorate. In K.A. Renn &

C. Hughes (Eds.), Roads Taken: Women in Student Affairs at Mid-Career, Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

• Johnsrud, L. K., Heck, R. H., & Rosser, V. J. (2000). Morale matters: Midlevel administrators and their intent to leave. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(1), 34-59.

• Rosser, V. J. (2004). A national study on midlevel leaders in higher education: The unsung professionals in the academy. Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education, 48, 317-337.

• Tull, A., & Miller, M. T. (2009). Highways and byways: The career paths of Senior Student Affairs officers, ERIC document; ED505887.

• Volkwein, J. F., & Parmley, K. (2000). Comparing administrative satisfaction in public and private universities. Research in Higher Education, 41(1), 95-116.

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