Journal of Healthcare Management - November/December 2014 - (Page 395)

C A R E E R S Career Management in Today's Healthcare Environment Michael A. Broscio, director, Career Resource Center, American College of Healthcare Executives, Chicago, Illinois T he days of predictable career advancement are over. The traditional career ladder has been replaced by a career "lattice," along which individuals move laterally, or occasionally even backward, as well as forward. One might think that career planning is more important than ever as a result of this shift. But how many healthcare executives actually have a career plan? In this study, we sought to shed light on this and other healthcare career management issues. Through its Career Services Task Force, the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) undertook a research project to (1) determine what proportion of U.S. healthcare executives have a career plan in place; (2) identify particular career challenges faced by early, mid-, and senior careerists; and (3) gauge the extent to which healthcare executives consult career assistance sources, and which ones they tap. C A R E E R M A N A G E M E N T T O D AY Career development and guidance are enhanced by understanding the different challenges that accompany the three main stages of a career: early, mid-level, and senior. Whether landing a first job, advancing from an individual contributor to a manager role, or entering the C-suite, each toehold along the career lattice can be strengthened by establishing a career plan, identifying potential barriers, and making use of available resources. Planning Having a career plan involves taking advantage of learning opportunities and addressing any weaknesses in preparation for one's best next position. The ACHE Career Services Task Force study (see sidebar on p. 396), however, found that a minority of executives, regardless of years of experience, have developed a firm career plan: 12% of the early careerists, 22% of the mid-careerists, and 49% of the senior careerists surveyed had established a firm career plan at the time of the study. Given the ever-changing nature of the healthcare industry, career plans should be updated frequently and be adaptable to effectively accommodate unexpected circumstances. 395

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Healthcare Management - November/December 2014

Interview With Ninfa M. Saunders, DHA, RN, FACHE, President and CEO of Navicent Health
Career Management in Today’s Healthcare Environment
Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing to Identify Value Improvement Opportunities in Healthcare
Charity Care in Nonprofit Urban Hospitals: Analysis of the Role of Size and Ownership Type in Washington State for 2011
Management Involvement on the Board of Directors and Hospital Financial Performance
Social Media: How Hospitals Use It, and Opportunities for Future Use

Journal of Healthcare Management - November/December 2014