1. Creating a
Professional
Development Plan
Susanne Markgren
Digital Services Librarian
SUNY Purchase
LACUNY Professional Development Committee | June 18, 2014

2. optional sub‑title
Simple and Painless Ways to Develop,
Curate, Invest in, Advance, and
Professionalize your
AWESOME CAREER

3. who am I?
academic librarian
writer / author
career advice columnist
professional development
advocate
Library conf usion, 23/12/1952, by Sam Hood, Flickr Commons

4. http://librarycareerpeople.com/

5. We conducted a survey, on managing a successful career. By early 2012, 2,369
people had started it and 1,922 had completed it. 81% completion rate.
"If you want a successful career in
librarianship ‑ or just about anything else ‑
you have to manage it. You can't sit back
passively and let things happen to you. You
have to be proactive and figure out what you
want; where you want to be in 2, 5, or 10 years;
and what it will take to get there. Then start
working on it."
‑‑ Ja net C.
And the survey says...

6. Professional Development is the Key to
Managing a Successful Career...

7. It can help us:

8. Brené Brown
download full
version

9. 70%
OF AMERICAN WORKERS
ARE “NOT ENGAGED” OR
“ACTIVELY DISENGAGED.”
Engaged employees work with
passion and feel a profound
connection to their company.
Not Engaged employees are essentially
“checked out.” Putting time — but not
energy or passion — into their work.
Actively Disengaged employees
aren’t just unhappy at work;
they’re
busy acting out their unhappiness.
State of the American Workplace Report, 2013.
Gallup measures employee engagement based on workers’ responses to its Q12 survey, which
consists of 12 actionable workplace elements with proven links to performance outcomes.
Download.

10. Audience Questions:
You may respond at PollEv.com/libcareer when the
presenter pushes this poll -- or use your smart phone to Text
a CODE to 37607.
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

11. Steps (or ideas) to enhance
your career through
professional development

12. Assess

13. Formulate

14. From Career Q&A,
Chapter 1, p. 5.
Get a copy of this template
here:
bit.ly/lacunycareergoals

15. Network

16. “Networking is both an art and a science. But in
the end – networking should be fun, exciting and
a rewarding approach to advancement. The more
you network – with a positive outlook – the more
you will learn. And if you’re always learning,
you are growing and thus developing yourself.”
‑ "7 Rea so ns Netwo r k ing Ca n Be a P r o fessio na l D evel o pment Bo o t Camp." G l enn Ll o pis,
F o r bes.c o m

17. Learn

18. “Live as if you were to die
tomorrow. Learn as if you
were to live forever.”
― Mahatma
Gandhi
“Study hard what interests
you the most in the most
undisciplined, irreverent
and original manner
possible.”
― Richard P. Feynman

19. Seek

20. There are times to stay put, and what
you want will come to you, and there are
times to go out into the world and find
such a thing for yourself.
‑ Lemo ny Snic k et, Ho r ser a d ish

21. Collaborate

22. Survey Responses to the Question "Wha t's the Best Thing about Collaboration?
Knowing that I am not alone with my dilemma, that I can call on others
for their expertise, which increases my self‑confidence
•
• It can open doors for funding ‑‑ pooling of resources
Different points of view and people who might see things that I am simply
overlooking
•
I've participated in some group presentations and writing projects that I
never would have dared on my own
•
Projects developed with others tend to have better outcomes and more
staying power
•

23. Write / Present

24. The best advice is not to write
what you know, it’s to write
what you like. Write the kind
of story you like best—write
the story you want to read.
The same principle applies to
your life and your career.
Austin Kleon, author of
Steal Like an Artist,
and Show Your Work

25. Create

26. USE CONSTRAINT TO FUEL CREATIVE
ACTION:
Given a choice, most of us would of course prefer
a little more budget, a little more staff, and a
little more time. But constraints can spur
creativity and incite action, as long as you have
the confidence to embrace them.
‑ Cr ea tive Co nfid enc e, p. 12 6 .

27. Fail

29. Redefine

30. What we know matters but
who we are matters more.
― Br ené Br o wn, D a r ing G r ea tl y .
The thing is, you never really start over.
You don't lose all the work that's come
before. Even if you try to toss it aside,
the lessons you've learned from it will
seep into what you do next.
‑ Austin Kl eo n, Sho w Yo ur Wo r k .

31. SHARE

32. Audience Question:
You may respond at PollEv.com/libcareer
when the presenter pushes this poll -- or use
your smart phone to Text a CODE to 37607.
Question 4

33. Recommended books:

34. Creating a Professional Development
Plan
If you don't take
responsibility for the
success of your
career, who will?
• Reflect
• journal, organize, synthesize
• Gain self -awareness
• satisfaction, engagement
• Seek outside input
• supervisor, mentor, peers
• Develop action steps
• update resume, seek a mentor, attend conferences,
enroll in courses, join discussion groups...
• Set longer term goals
• 3 years, 5 years -- look at the bigger picture

35. Activities
Pinnacle / > Foothill Activity
> Self-Assessment / Career Goals / Obstacles

36. Research your Action Steps:

37. Thank You!
Susanne Markgren
susanne.markgren@purchase.edu
@smarkgren
http://librarycareerpeople.com/
librarycareerpeople@gmail.com
@LibCareerPeople
Slides URL:
http://bit.ly/lacunyPDP