Running head: CAREER TRAJECTORY 1

Career Trajectory Paper

EDLD 7430

Laura Kelley

Georgia Southern University

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Career Trajectory EDLD 7430

I believe this is the part where I tell everyone where I want to be in five years. Ive

always been a bit of a wanderer and a dreamer. Ive had goals and Ive had my goals broken

down. Ive built and rebuilt and rebuilt again. To say specifically that This is the title I want and

this is the straight line tract that Im on to get there wouldnt be completely accurate. My paths

always seem to be twisted and turning, but that is exactly what makes me a stronger candidate

when I get there. I know for certain that I want to continue onto a doctorate. That is a 100%

certainty in my mind (pending acceptance). For now, I would love to remain in the higher

education sector. I could imagine myself promoting positive change within higher education

policy and law. I see myself relating best to being an assistant director or even director in human

resources. I could continue promoting Extension or even begin to work with promoting a

positive work-life balance and development opportunities for employees in higher education.

Many, many people ask me, Why the hesitation/reluctance? I spent agonizing

time in my undergraduate degree struggling through finances and full-time jobs, which ended up

extending my time in my undergraduate career. I was determined to become an architect and

enroll in Georgia Techs dual masters/PhD program in Architecture, concentration in Hospitality

and Hospital Healthcare Design. As I struggled to balance a full-time job and school, I slowly

realized that was no longer a possibility. I took time away from UGA to figure out what I wanted

to do. I ended up returning to UGA and completed my undergraduate degree (Bachelor of

Science in Family and Consumer Sciences). To make matters even more glorious, I graduated

right into the recession. I couldnt even get jobs that only required a high school diploma. Jobs
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that would never need to require a bachelors degree were suddenly requesting one. I assume this

was to take advantage of the situation and get the most bang for their buck while they could.

I currently work for the University of Georgia as an administrative assistant.

Coincidentally, this job was housed in the same college as my undergraduate degree (but in a

separate department). I decided to go back to graduate school when jobs I thought I qualified for

began requiring master's degrees. I also became interested in being the best parent I could

possibly be and took a few undergraduate classes in human development and a few graduate

classes in the College of Education. The human development courses, business education

courses, and human relations courses sparked an interest in graduate fields related to human

relations and organizational development. My human relations professor encouraged me to

become involved with UGA Staff Council due to my passion for improving personal and

professional development in others. That position placed me on many other councils and

committees where I began to discover a passion speaking for improving relations and

professional development with staff at my university. Others continue to encourage me to be a

voice due to the fact that I have little to no fear when it comes to speaking up.

I became interested in Georgia Southerns Higher Education Administration program

when I realized I was struggling to understand how my university as a government entity really

functioned. My proposals were weak due to the lack in knowledge of higher education financing

and governance. I would like to use this current masters in higher education administration to

fully understand policy and administration within the higher education sector. I feel that no

matter what job I hold at the university, my work is best supported having a background in

higher education. If I understand the intricacies that it takes to run a post-secondary institution,

then I understand what can and cannot work. Ive held many jobs at the university that did not
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require an education past high school. I could easily become frustrated with currently being in a

position that doesnt require an education (and I do from time to time), but I remind myself that

CEOs of companies that have worked in almost every position at their business fully

comprehend their business and relate on a different level to employees. Regardless of any job

title I may have, I want to always take that job and find the most effective ways (based on

knowledge of how higher education works) to improve the functions of the particular job and the

unit involved.

I do have a somewhat justified fear of limiting myself to a specific field of focus (e.g.,

student affairs or engineering), especially in a situation if I decided that working in higher

education doesnt work for me. For this reason (and many others), I want to continue onto the

PhD in Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development after I complete the master's

program. Within the PhD field (if accepted), I would like to focus my work on organizational

development within corporations (mainly higher education, but not limited to). If I do not find it

fitting to continue working at the university, I would like to be able to apply my research and

knowledge to the corporate world working in human resources. Ideally, I would want to utilize

my (theoretical) PhD at the university involving myself with research regarding employee

burnout and strategies to improve employee relations and retention rates. I would like work

within the College of Education, as well as, collaborating with human resources and even other

corporate companies. From my furthest memories, I have always had an ability to keep an open

mind even at a young age. I feel that the field of human resources and employee relations needs

to have someone who can remain open-minded and accepting of all backgrounds (race, religion,

sexuality, gender, etc.).

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Being in a university job setting, of course, all work comes back to the student being the

sole reason we are here. I wouldnt mind working with students, but I feel a bigger responsibility

to promote improvements for employees rather than working directly with students. With a

background in higher education, I plan to remain on UGAs Staff Council and related committees

to continue improving relations in university employees, as well as, benefits available for

university employees. One of the best pieces of advice that I have received from our university

president (in regards to being on staff council and working in higher education) is to always be

prepared to understand current policy and financial implications when it comes to suggesting

changes or implementing new ideas for the university. Ideas are constantly thrown around, but

without little consideration to data, educational policy and law, and financial implications.

Finding a job related to human resources in a unit, department, or even the actual

department of Human Resources would be ideal for me. With my intentions to continue onto the

PhD in Learning, Leadership and Organizational Development, I would like to be a main contact

and support for departments and units to understand how to work with employees to improve

relations and effectiveness with each other and with consumers. I would also like to assist in

developing programs and trainings for university staff to increase professional and personal

development. Because the human resource field involves legal compliance, I believe having

background knowledge in educational law will be crucial. As a side note, with the recent push at

my university to begin outsourcing our funding to the corporate world it seems more important

than ever to be certain that these corporate investors understand and support the mission of not

only the university, but the mission of the individual college they may be funding.

Current and future involvement with university councils and committees will keep me

up-to-date with political topics and trends. Along with my desire to work with human resources
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to improve staff benefits and resources, I would also like to improve staff communication within

the University Council, as well as, the university as a whole. I would like to be a point of contact

and a voice within the University Staff Council for staff needs and concerns. I would like to

assist and offer suggestions to evolve staff resources to meet the standards of our competing

institutions. I would also like to continue improving the Tuition Assistance Program, recommend

ideas to HR for programs beneficial to employee development, and be a voice for UGA staff

when new policy is being deliberated. We have a new Work-Life Balance Director within human

resources and incorporating wellness into staff lives will be an interest for me as well.

A job title that has particularly interested me is an Instructor, Career Readiness and

Human Resources Development (HRD) Program. Another title is Executive Director of

Organizational Effectiveness. According to a Virginia Tech post in higheredjobs.com, this title

would be a liaison for decisions made involving financial, human, and capital resources in the

context of strategic planning and assessment and has supervisory responsibility for the

division's Assessment and Professional Development Department and Human Resources Office

(Virginia Tech Human Resources, 2016). This title also ensures that the division complies with

relevant federal, state and university policies and procedures (Virginia Tech Human Resources,

2016). This hits the areas that I enjoy the most, which is understanding of state and federal policy

in regards to higher education and career development & employee relations. By taking masters

courses for specialized content in higher education politics, finance, and governance, I will be

able to fully comprehend the rules and whys and hows that make up the backbone of

higher education. Most human resource employees seem to come from the corporate world.

While many thing are similar in the corporate world, human resources in higher education can be

almost a 180 degree turn from the corporate world. This is why I feel it is most beneficial to a
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university to search for credentials such as individuals who have earned a degree in higher

education administration.

It would be extremely beneficial for me to be involved in the universitys Strategic

Planning Committee to gain experience in regards to decision making with allocations to achieve

goals within a large research I university. Professional certification by the Society for Human

Resource Management would be essential due to the fact that the PhD Im interested in doesnt

fully dive into the human resources field. The PhD program involves more research in adult

education with an optional concentration in organizational management. This certification is very

popular amongst human resource administration, but can be costly. I would additionally stay up-

to-date with peer review journals and research, as well as, any additional conferences in the adult

education and human resource fields.

References
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Virginia Tech Human Resources. (2016, April 22). Executive director of organizational

effectiveness. Retrieved from https://listings.jobs.vt.edu/postings/65677.