Academic administration is\u00a0a\u00a0growing field. It has a wide range of interesting and challenging roles as well as development opportunities.\u00a0In the following article, I have cherry-picked some strategies\u00a0to help academic administrators quickly progress to the next level in their career.<\/p>\n
Many people would agree that working in academic administration is\u00a0varied, dynamic, challenging and\u00a0at times\u00a0creative. There is\u00a0no shortage of\u00a0development courses to\u00a0attend starting from IT and data management skills\u00a0to personal development and mindfulness.<\/p>\n
Although entering the field at a junior level can be an\u00a0easy move, progressing\u00a0on the career ladder to more senior roles can be a real\u00a0challenge. You might feel stuck\u00a0in a specialised administrative\u00a0role. You might be intimidated by fierce competition for more senior roles. Some applicants\u00a0could have\u00a0doctorate degrees whilst others apply with\u00a0decades of experience in the field. You could find that the higher you aim, the fewer job openings are available.<\/p>\n
You need to develop a\u00a0genuine and authentic love for working in academic administration. You will feel naturally enthusiastic about your role if you are detail-oriented and\u00a0wholeheartedly\u00a0believe in the purpose of higher education.\u00a0 Academic administrators often liaise with academics and students. If you have strong rapport building skills, this could be an excellent field for you to work in.\u00a0<\/b>If you are\u00a0keen to do well in\u00a0your current role, your approach will soon get noticed.\u00a0Develop a reputation for\u00a0being helpful, approachable and treating everyone with respect.<\/p>\nThink \u2018proactive\u2019<\/h3>\n
For years, I have been curious to find out what makes some administrators quickly move up to their dream role whilst others spend decades hoping for their promotion. Fortunately, I knew a colleague called Sarah*\u00a0who shot up from a junior administrative role to a senior decision-making job within a few short years and I had the opportunity to capture her recipe for success.<\/p>\n
Sarah\u00a0never waited for her line managers to create her career development plan. She never expected her supervisors to promote her because of her hard work. Sarah\u00a0clearly identified the type of role she wished to be promoted to. Casting\u00a0her net wide\u00a0meant that she gave\u00a0herself\u00a0the best chance of finding the job she wanted.\u00a0Sarah\u00a0looked at the gaps which she needed to fill by furthering her experience, knowledge and skills. Sarah\u00a0created an elaborate\u00a0strategy\u00a0and noted\u00a0the courses she would attend and the responsibilities she would take on to fill those gaps.\u00a0Sarah\u00a0did not\u00a0consider the possibility of being stationary in her career\u00a0for long periods of time. In her heart of hearts, she believed that she could\u00a0quickly transition and contribute her skills at\u00a0higher\u00a0levels.<\/p>\n
You can stand out by grabbing\u00a0every possible opportunity to attend higher education conferences, talks and events.\u00a0Sign up for university-wide presentations\u00a0and courageously raise your\u00a0hand at the\u00a0end of talks when questions are welcomed. Actively take\u00a0part in meetings and confidently introduce yourself to\u00a0colleagues.\u00a0\u00a0Why not attend some learning and development courses? They can provide you\u00a0with\u00a0outstanding opportunities\u00a0for networking and polishing your skills. You could find a mentor to support you or attend a palette of different courses.<\/p>\n
If you are aspiring for a new promotion, see if some of the\u00a0above\u00a0strategies could work for you.\u00a0\u00a0However, do not be tempted to make some common mistakes when applying for vacancies. Many\u00a0academic administrators narrow their\u00a0search and they\u00a0consider less than a handful of organisations to work for. Do not be tempted to\u00a0fall into this trap.\u00a0If you have been working in the same role for a number of years, why not transition sideways? You could expand the range of your professional skills, boost your CV and develop a real interest in new administrative areas.<\/p>\n
Last but not\u00a0least, here is a quick recipe for\u00a0career progression:<\/p>\n