Promotions can be long-pursued or complete surprises. Being selected for advancement is flattering—but don’t allow your ego to circumvent thoughtful evaluation of the offer. David Perlmutter discussed the dilemma in a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. He writes,
“In the moment, the call might seem ‘out of the blue,’ as a professor at a research university in the Midwest described it, when he was asked to become an associate dean of the graduate school. But usually in quick transitions into administration, there is an underlying logic to the offer. That Midwestern professor, for example, had served on several graduate-school task forces and was well regarded for the success of his doctoral students and postdocs.
Logical or not, a move into administration can upturn your professional and personal life, and so it needs careful consideration.”
Read his suggestions for successfully navigating the offer here.
