Key Skills for a Professional Development Manager at University of San Diego
For a Professional Development Manager, "empathy" is key, allowing one to understand and meet students where they are in their career journeys, while "relationship building" is crucial for collaborating with both students and external partners to understand their needs. Strong organizational skills, including program and project management, are also vital for ensuring events and resources are effectively delivered, ultimately helping students secure internships and jobs.
Empathy, Relationship Building, Organization, Program Management, Project Management
Advizer Information
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Konnor McMillen
Professional Development Manager
University of San Diego
San Diego State University
University of California- Santa Barbara
Psychology
Education
Education
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Empathy: Being able to understand and relate to students' diverse situations is crucial for effective professional development.
2. Relationship Building: Cultivating strong relationships with students and external partners is essential for collaboration and support.
3. Organization & Project Management: Utilizing tools and strategies to manage programs and events ensures students have access to valuable internship and job opportunities.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
Some key skills for a professional development manager include empathy. It's important to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the person you're working with.
Some students come in from very different positions. Being able to understand where they are and meet them there is crucial for your journey together, as you'll be working continuously.
This brings me to relationship building. Whether it's with a student or an external partner, it's good to lean into these relationships. This allows you to bounce ideas off each other or help them, and truly understand what's driving them.
Organization is also vital, especially for a professional development manager. You'll need to use program and project management tools. This could involve creating guides in Excel or spreadsheets, or using tools like Asana or Basecamp.
Staying organized ensures all tasks are completed. This is important so that recruiters and events happen, allowing students to secure internships and jobs.