Learn about the pathways to success. What are examples of successful career paths? What do local public agencies look for in seeking talent? What’s been most helpful for career advancement? What can aspiring managers do to aid their advancement? [box 388]
Discover the ins and outs of the interview and selection process for top local public agency executive jobs. What do they look for? What questions do they ask? Learn what you can do wherever you are in your career to prepare yourself to become a successful applicant for one of the top jobs. [box 389]
Working with and for Elected Officials
How do managers develop healthy, professional relationships with elected officials? What resources are available to support healthy relationships? How can aspiring managers prepare themselves for working with elected officials? [box 390]
What's the key to getting a grip on your own workload, priorities and accomplishments? What's the key to managing others effectively? How do you handle delegation and accountability? How do you keep things in balance as a local public agency executive? [box 391]
Guiding Key Projects
How do you guide key projects to successful results? Learn the skills that key leaders have used to be successful. [box 392]
Communicating clearly and effectively with employees, elected officials and the public is a critical career success factor. Learn the approaches and techniques that key leaders have developed. [box 393]
Also check out “Profiles of the Profession” at www.cal-icma.org
The Cal-ICMA Coaching Program is generously funded by:
International City/County Management Association
California City Management Foundation
Municipal Management Associations of Southern and Northern California
"Hooking"
University Students on Local Government Careers
City Manager
Palo Alto, CA
The City Managers Department’s Working Group on "Preparing the Next Generation of Managers" has conducted a number of surveys and focus groups on how to attract university and entry-level employees to public service. All the data suggested that internships are one of the most powerful methods to "hook" university students and younger workers on professional careers in local governments. Consequently, we are requesting that your organization participate in the recently organized "Statewide Clearinghouse on Internships," hosted by the Municipal management Associations of Southern California (MMANSC) and Northern California (MMANC). The Clearinghouse is an on-line centralized point to publicize internship opportunities in local governments across California.
Specifically, we are requesting the following:
1.
Advertise paid and unpaid internships on the Statewide Clearinghouse
website at www.mmanc.org and www.mmasc.org.
Internship opportunities can be posted anytime during the year.
However, it is best to post internships by April since university
students start looking for summer internships in the spring.
To
post an internship opportunity, contact MMASC staff person Heather Dion at (714)
541-8513 or hdion@occities.org.
2.
Consider expanding the current number of internships offered by your
organization. The Clearinghouse
website includes ideas on how to creatively fund internships in tough financial
times.
Remember,
an internship program is not a costly effort.
In many cases, a volunteer internship can provide a very meaningful and
worthwhile experience for students. Most
students are more interested in high quality learning experiences that will help
them boost their resumes than in earning a lot of money.
3. Look to the Clearinghouse website for resource materials on how to organize and structure an effective internship program.
4. Conduct a discussion with your Department Directors on the need to
provide internships and opportunities in various departments to create new
internships.
Internships within any department of a city can be very powerful experiences. Individuals enter the city management profession through a whole range of disciplines, such as business, engineering, communications, and sociology. Gone are the days of promoting local government internships strictly to public administration students. Instead, students need to be targeted earlier in their studies, before they decide on a specific major, to attract them to a career in city management.
We face quite a demographic crisis -- 80 million Baby-Boomers in the
U.S. economy have retired or will retire in the next five years with only 50
million Generation Xers available to replace us. Widely available and promoted internships are critical if we
are to attract young people into local government service. Thank you for
your efforts to "prepare the next generation."
A REMINDER—A SPECIAL TELEPHONE SESSION ON “TAKING
THE COACHING PROGRAM TO THE NEXT LEVEL”
Date:
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Time: 3-4p.m.
Phone: 646-519-5883 (PIN: 5205#)
On Wednesday, July 14, City and County Managers as well as aspiring managers from all disciplines of local government will have the opportunity to provide input on the pilot phase of the Cal-ICMA Coaching Program and suggest ways to take it to the next level. The one-hour special telephone session is scheduled for 3-4 p.m.
The pilot program consisted of 6 telephone sessions on
leadership and career development topics, 4 small group coaching sessions for
first-time managers or soon-to-be chief executives, and networking events for
aspiring managers conducted by Area Manager Groups throughout California.
The special session on July 14 will include the following
panelists:
-
Bob O’Neil, Executive Director, ICMA
-
Tim O’Donnell, Co-Chair, Preparing the Next Generation Committee
-
Kevin O’Rourke, Board Member, California City Management Foundation
-
Jeff Maltbie, President, Municipal Management Association of No Cal.
-
Michael Busch, President, Municipal Management Association of So Cal.
-
Jennifer Phillips, Chair, Cal-ICMA Professional Development Committee
-
John Shannon, Executive Recruiter
To participate in the session, just call 646-519-5883 (PIN: 5205#). No pre-registration is required to participate in the special telephone session. Simply put the date on your calendar and call in on July 14 at 3 p.m. Participants can ask questions, make suggestions, or just listen. Thank you for helping take the Coaching Program to the next level as a long-term resource for local government.
