Career Development for IT Professionals Strategies You Can Use

1. Career Development for IT Professionals Strategies You Can Use Cynthia Golden Vice President, EDUCAUSE EDUCAUSE Southeast Regional Conference June 11, 2007

3. 12 Career Development Strategies Strategy: a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result • Apply to anyone • Apply throughout your career

4. 1. Understand your environment • Aging workforce • Baby boomers beginning to retire • Good job outlook for IT • Opportunities will abound, especially leadership roles

5. 2004 Research Study IT Leadership in Higher Education A Few Key Findings Higher Education is a Calling Work Environment is Appealing Leadership Continuity May Become an Issue Mentoring Makes a Difference

6. Outlook? • Opportunities • Preparation

7. Career Framework • Early Career • Build Skills, Social Strengths • Understand the Academy • Mid-Career • Hone skills • Management • Late Career • Stay Current • Identify Successor • Mentoring

8. Understand yourself (personal assessment) “The greatest thing in this world is not so much where you stand but the direction in which you are moving.” -Goethe

9. 3. PD = Lifelong Learning

10. Time and Money No excuses!

11. PD on a Budget Local trade shows and Conferences Campus Events In-house classes Network with Colleagues Multipurpose Staff Meetings Doing Lunch

12. More… Job Swaps Community Involvement The Web The Unexpected Personal Exploration

13. 4. Complete your degree • Credibility • Critical Thinking • Completion

14. 5. Understand your boss

15. Understand your institution’s culture • Powerful • Decision making and governance • Traditions and values

16. Understand the importance of mentoring

17. Types of Mentoring Relationships • One on one • Group • Different roles over time • Formal and Informal • Career and personal

18. Mentoring Programs University of Kansas http://www.informationservices.ku.edu/mentoring Georgia Tech IT Professionals Leaders Program MIT Leader to Leader http://web.mit.edu/hr/oed/l2l

19. 8. Know how to communicate effectively

20. Empower other people “Great discoveries and achievements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds.” -Anonymous

21. 10. Find work/life balance What do you value? How do you spend your time? Manage priorities Manage time Make Choices

23. Take Time Off Take a lunch break Exercise Volunteer Learn something new Laugh  Ask for Help Be a role model Cultivate the next generation Promote camaraderie Use HR Strategies to Promote Balance

24. 11. Be aware that you may need to move on

25. 12. Make Career Planning a Habit Once a year, but be flexible Am I learning? Am I contributing? Am I having fun? Your resume

26. Career Reflections www.educause.edu/cultivatingcareers Chapter 4 Listen to personal reflections from some of today’s leaders Marilyn McMillan Ilee Rhimes Carole Barone Mely Tynan Ron Bleed Lucinda Lea Willie Pritchard Gordon Wishon Jim Bottum

28. Thank You! cgolden@educause.edu With thanks to Ron Bleed, Maricopa Community College District, For content, counsel, and the penguins!