You’ve been doing the job for a period of time now, have worked hard, and you know you deserve to be selected for the permanent position but the process has to give an equal opportunity to anyone…

If you’re reading this, you – or someone important to you – is currently in an interim position.

Some higher ed. leaders have normalized the discomfort they experience, but it’s not painful enough to force them to change.

No longer feeling stuck comes down to one critical question: Are you interested in improving your situation or are you fully committed?

There are qualities we all crave and want to see in the people we hire for higher ed. leadership position.

The downside of having to do things differently is lack of accountability and unclear expectations.

Before changing your behavior, you would have to change your identity from inexperienced to highly capable.

Are you waiting for your job to become intolerable to leave? Are you frustrated to see people who are less qualified than you move up the ladder?

Improving your executive presence will give you more influence, more success, and will give you access to more opportunities.

If you think that your supervisor or other members of the leadership team on your campus don’t listen to what you have to say, don’t get discouraged.

Instead of being victimized by someone you don’t respect, you take charge of your life.

I am a strong advocate for leaving the past in the past, but only after we’ve learned our lessons. Otherwise, the past will keep repeating itself.

What’s bothering you at work? Are your problems the same you had last year, and the year before that?

A job title is part of someone’s career goals, but it’s not the whole picture.

Let people make their own choices! If you don’t ask, the answer is always no, but if you ask, you have a chance to get a yes.

To be able to convince the hiring committee that you are an exceptional candidate for this job, you have to believe it! So instead of creating emotional distance…

You are torn between leaving the comfort of your current position and reaching for something better.

Do you often ask yourself what you can do better? Has it made a difference? Are your efforts paying off?

You know you have full permission to leave and nobody will blame you, but...

Have you ever walked out of a job interview feeling that you could have done better? 

Is it time to move on or are you just having a bad day? Would you be happier if you worked elsewhere?

Don’t underestimate how the way you perceive an interview process will directly affect your ability to show yourself as the best candidate.

If you want to move up in higher ed. administration in a year or two, start preparing right now.  If you do the following five things, you will be extraordinarily well positioned to get your dream job, so let’s get started.

You felt it was time for a new job. You applied for a higher level position in administration and were offered the position. Congratulations! It is celebration time but instead of feeling happy and confident, you feel intimidated.

Qualities in excess tend to create problems, concerns about other people’s opinions can lead you in the wrong direction, and adapting your behavior to influence people’s perception of you makes you look dishonest.

Back when you went to your very first interview, you felt excited and confident. But now, at this point in your search, you feel discouraged and almost hopeless. Your mind is going crazy trying to understand what the problem is. You look for something to blame.

Let’s face it, the hardest part of job hunting in higher ed admin isn’t writing tedious cover letters, choosing what suit to wear, answering interview questions, or even giving your best performance at a forum. The hardest part is the emotional roller coaster.

Cover letters that repeat what is on your resume and list facts without explaining why they matter and what the implications are, completely miss their purpose. Your letter is an opportunity to show not only experience and accomplishments but also your leadership style, your core values, and what the institution could expect if they hired you.

Here are some ideas I wish every person seeking a leadership position in higher ed administration would consider before applying.  1. Don’t follow general job hunting advice. Most job hunting advice is written for students entering the workforce and adults in the private sector.