Your Career: The Staff Need Clear Career Paths, Too

Unlike professors and administrators, staff members have few-to-no options for moving up. ADVERTISEMENT [Your Career Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. Unlike professors and administrators, staff members have few-to-no options for moving up. For the vast army of staff members working in “service” departments — student life, IT, HR, faculty development, buildings and grounds, and such — there often is no well-defined career trajectory. Each unit has a director and maybe an associate director or two. Everyone else within the unit is basically at the same level, regardless of experience and expertise. So the only ways to move up, and boost your salary, are to either leave for another institution or quit academe altogether. Here are some ways to start fixing that: - Make staff salary scales easy to find, understand, and navigate. Job ads for staff positions usually include some opaque pay scale. Instead, post the specific salary range of a position — in dollar amounts — on the job ad. Clearly define and delineate the differences in each pay “step” as well. - Incorporate staff into administrative culture. Staff employees aren’t included in campus decision-making systems as often as their faculty counterparts. Because of their racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, staff members often get included in discussions on equity and inclusion. But institutions should incorporate the staff into other conversations and committees as well. And in the process, staff members may learn about job openings that align with their career goals. Continue reading: “[Where Are the Career Paths for Staff on Campus?]( by Lee Skallerup Bessette Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. 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