Thursday, January 8, 2009

A career path

One would hope that I add something to the world- be it good, bad, or indifferent- Me

I've been starting to think a little more 'long-term' about my career path. This conversation has gone through oh so many twists and turns through the years. When I was younger I was quite positive that I would work for a few years, then spend the rest of my life tending my home and my children. Through high school I even went so far as to avoid work until I graduated. I adopted the mantra 'I'm going to work for the rest of my life, why start now'.

Then I was quite positive that I wouldn't even really do that. I was positive of this even as I spent $40 thousand dollars a year on a college education... hmm... Then, I started working. I loved it, I love everything about it. Yes, as with everyone else, there are days when I would rather be in bed or on vacation. I get that twinge of interesting regret that says that I should just live on a boat and travel the world, but the reality is that I love coming into an office. I love the people, the problem solving, and knowing that I have goals set.

Well, now that I know I love it, the question is where to go. I applied and was accepted to a fantastic master's program at USC; post-secondary education and student affairs. Then life changed and I don't really think that's an option anymore. I'm still thinking that I want to be in a college though. I'm wondering what my next move is if I want to be a teacher, if I want to be a housefellow (dorm staff member) or if I want to become President of a University. Do I need to be a teacher? Can I transition from APM to PM to Teacher?

What about being in administration? How do you become the Assistant Dean, or Head of anything? Can I walk into a Career counselor and say I want to be a chancellor, just like someone can say they want to be a doctor or a lawyer?

On another career path note, can you get a promotion without an increase in salary? Is it still called a promotion? The Oxford English Dictionary doesn't make any mention of mandatory monetary compensation; but my Dad seems to think that it MUST come with $.

Print Page

1 comment:

Gridley said...

Here at Boeing promotions come with raises; can't speak for anywhere else.

I suspect time spent as a teacher would improve your resume for any academic administration job, but that's just a guess.