Transitioning across sectors three years ago was an exciting yet daunting journey. I cheerily waved further education goodbye and embarked upon my new role in Library and Learning Services in higher education, hoping it would be filled with opportunities for professional growth and development.
Adjusting to a new institutional culture, structure and associated processes reinforced how carefully the new landscape needed to be traversed. When I found myself, only six months later, applying for a more senior role as a Senior Academic Skills Advisor, I realised that to cross the border unscathed, I would need to lead transformatively and seek mentorship and networking opportunities. I needed to adapt and innovate and was willing to access professional development opportunities to bridge any knowledge gaps and build confidence.
I settled into the role and the HE sector quickly; I was happier than I’d been in my whole career. Then came an unexpected focus during a performance review - progression.
My next destination?
It felt far too early in the trip to be considering how I might start to make a significant impact in the sector, and I confess I was probably a bit preoccupied enjoying the view. My line manager suggested Aurora, Advance HE’s leadership development initiative for women in HE, impressing that it could provide time and space to consider which way the compass was pointing, what the next steps towards leadership might be, and maybe even a more comfortable way to make the trip.
I signed up for the UK and Republic of Ireland Cohort starting in March 2024 and was encouraged by the HR department to apply for a mentor from the Aurora alumnae who would support me through the programme and beyond.
I apprehensively logged on to the first session and was immediately hooked as we considered examples of leadership we’d experienced. As sessions progressed, I wrote down the things that resonated with me the most. How was I authentically showing up? What was it like to be on the receiving end of me? How could I get off the dance floor and onto the balcony; to lead through a new lens and perhaps most significantly, how could I affect change?
I was roused, for the first time in over 20 years.
A Saturday afternoon lull led to a sneaky scroll on LinkedIn (another top tip from my mentor who encouraged me to create and use a profile for networking purposes). A colleague had shared a role within my current institution as Student Success Manager with a focus on Widening Participation. I casually perused the job description and person specification.
Then I disregarded it.
By Sunday, something was niggling. I was happy in my current role and enjoyed the visibility of impact I was having on students, but Aurora had, swiftly, and without me even realising, planted the seed of ambition and the belief that maybe I could be one of the great women leaders I had been fortunate enough to listen and learn from.
I mulled it over for another week and spoke to my mentor who, once she’d highlighted how I need to drop the use of ‘just’ when talking about myself, encouraged me to reach out to the recruiter for an informal chat and having practised the elevator pitch in a previous Aurora session, I was ready.
The application felt achievable and, despite being for a more strategic role, I was able to build in the features of influence and leadership and cite examples of impact that I’d discussed with colleagues on Aurora. For the first time applying for a job, it felt effortless and authentic. I could articulate my vision for the role clearly and persuasively, and I had the confidence to believe I was ready, further confirmed by my success at being shortlisted.
Imposter
But, as the interview date loomed, I was joined by an uninvited travel companion - Imposter Syndrome - and it was trying to stop me in my tracks. I had prepped my presentation two weeks ahead of interview, but the real doubt set in. I started to worry about what people might think about someone new to the sector moving roles so frequently and I was worried that I wasn’t prepared for a role shaping focus and priorities.
Convinced that the journey was over, I logged on to what turned out to be a well-timed session on Core Leadership. This session encouraged Aurorans to recognise the benefits of acknowledging human values, relatedness and the role of the leader. It highlighted how being reflective and focusing on being bolder, whilst appreciating our worth, was integral to our credibility and success as female leaders.
As I listened to the speakers, some slides on the presentation caught my eye; the exploration of marginal gains linked to purpose and objectives with a focus on small wins and gains in action was almost identical to the approach outlined in my interview task. This was merely coincidence but, in that moment, I decided that this was a sign. Leadership wasn’t about taking centre stage and trying to do it all immediately, but about reflecting on your values in life being your values in leadership and recognising that aggregation of gains can have a huge impact not only on shaping your approach to leadership but also in understanding how to make an impact.
The next sign arrived in a breakout room. A colleague advised that rather than jumping about career-wise, I was simply catching up. That different perspective was what I needed to hear and, one successful interview later, I was appointed as Student Success Manager.
An aurora is caused by interaction of charged particles creating a beautiful and undeniable atmosphere – the women on the programme were charged and I was too. The doors were open, the potential unlocked and I was strapped in and ready go.
Claire Swanwick has over 23 years working with students across the FE and HE sector. She is currently the Student Success Manager with the Widening Access and Participation team at Edge Hill University.