Mid-Career Moves: Planning Your Next Chapter
Join our program to receive bite-sized lessons on career planning for mid-career faculty over 2 weeks. The next cohort starts on Monday.Create an actionable career plan as a mid-career faculty.
Overview
Many academics understand the value of having a career plan but struggle to find the time to create one—and to follow it. However, not having an intentional career plan can be costly. For mid-career faculty, this can lead to spending time and energy on activities that do not advance their careers—facing the “now what” moment after earning tenure, feeling stuck on the career ladder and becoming dissatisfied, and even questioning their career path altogether.
This course is designed to help mid-career faculty navigate through the career planning process so they can reflect on their current position, define a vision to guide their next steps, and create an actionable plan they can implement immediately.
By the end of the course, participants will have:
- A deeper understanding of career planning as a tool for intentionally advancing their careers.
- Crafted a professional vision statement.
- Drafted a working 5-year career plan.
- Identified short (1-year) and longer-term goals.
- Assessed personal strengths and current resources that support their goals.
- Identified areas for growth necessary to achieve their goals.
- Outlined the resources and actions required to carry out their plan.
- Developed an accountability process to help them stay on track.
Who Will Benefit
Faculty who are in their mid-career (5-7 years into a faculty role), who are newly tenured, or who have been tenured for a while and are feeling stuck about what to do next will benefit most from this course. Additionally, faculty who are considering a pivot into leadership or other roles will be able to intentionally plan their next steps.
Faculty affairs leaders who want to offer mid-career faculty development, onboarding for newly tenured faculty, supplement programs for tenured faculty to facilitate their progress toward promotion, or supplement programs to encourage aspiring leadership development will find this a turnkey curriculum they can facilitate. Please reach out to us to learn more about how to incorporate this course into a new or existing program.
MEMBERS – Sign Up Now to Enroll in This Member Exclusive Program
Academic Impressions Members: submit your email address associated to your membership account to enroll in this 10-day program. You will get daily emails Monday through Friday with bite-sized videos and activities that you can complete in your lunch break each day.
How it Works
For 10 days, Monday-Friday, you will get weekly emails with bite-sized lessons and workbook activities that you can complete in 45 minutes or less each day.
A new cohort starts every Monday.
In addition, join us for a webcast discussion series to talk about how to apply what you’re learning in the course.
Before You Start
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Make sure you’re logged in with your membership credentials.
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Start the course on this webpage or from one of your daily emails.
Program Curriculum
Week 1: Focusing on Your Vision
Format: On-Demand | Time Commitment: Approximately 2.5 hours
These modules introduce you to the idea of career planning as faculty and help you to write up a structured vision and goals. In Module 1, you’ll explore why intentional planning matters and begin mapping a vision for the next stage of your career. Module 2 guides you in crafting a professional vision statement—your personal north star—to clarify values, priorities, and impact. Module 3 then translates that vision into anchor goals and SMART goals, providing concrete, measurable steps that turn aspirations into an actionable career advancement plan.
Monday – 10 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 1: Introduction
- Lesson 2: How Career Planning Can Help
- Lesson 3: So What Does Career Planning Entail?
- Lesson 4: Making This Plan Is an Investment in Yourself
Download the Workbook and Complete:
- Activity: Investing in Yourself
Tuesday – 35 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 5: Introduction
- Lesson 6: Setting the Stage: Your Professional Vision
- Lesson 7: Writing Your Own Vision Statement
Complete:
- Activity: Crafting Your Career Vision Statement
Wednesday – 20 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 8: Introduction
- Lesson 9: From Vision to Anchor Goals
Complete:
- Activity: Writing Your Anchor Goals
Thursday – 35 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 10: Set SMART Goals
- Case Study: Building a Leading Tobacco Cessation Research Lab
- Lesson 11: Connecting the Pieces
Complete:
- Activity: From Anchor Goals to SMART Goals
Friday – 30 minutes
Complete:
- Finish Activity: From Anchor Goals to SMART Goals
Week 2: Turning Your Vision into Action
Format: On-Demand | Time Commitment: Approximately 2.5 hours
In the second half of the course, you’ll move from vision-setting into action. Module 4 helps you to ground your plan by taking stock of both the assets and strengths you can leverage and the challenges you need to navigate. Module 5 guides you in mapping your plan, linking goals to specific resources, actions, and timelines to create a realistic roadmap forward. Finally, Module 6 focuses on implementation, introducing four pillars—commitment, flexibility, accountability, and community—that ensure that your plan remains practical, adaptable, and sustainable as you put it into motion.
Monday – 40 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 12: Introduction
- Lesson 13: Strengths and Assets
- Lesson 14: Challenges
Complete:
- Activity: Strengths and Assets, Challenges
Tuesday – 40 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 15: Introduction
- Lesson 16: Identifying Needed
- Resources and Must-Take Actions
- Lesson 17: Needed Resources
- Lesson 18: Must-Take Actions
Complete:
- Activity: Needed Resources & Must-Take Actions
Wednesday – 20 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 19: Introduction
- Lesson 20: Commit to the Vision and Goals
Complete:
- Activity: Committing to Your Vision: Your One-Year Plan
Thursday – 20 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 21: Flexibility
- Lesson 22: Accountability
Complete:
- Activity: Flexibility
- Activity: Building Accountability & Overcoming Self-Sabotage
Friday – 15 minutes
Read:
- Lesson 23: Community
- Lesson 24: Conclusion
Complete:
- Activity: Building a Supportive Community
Apply Your Learning
Whether you’re in the middle of your career–planning journey, you’ve completed the course, or you’re interested in starting, join us for a webcast series to explore how to apply what you’ve learned.
Starting Career Planning as Mid-Career Faculty
October 29, 2025 | 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET
Mid-career is often a turning point for faculty—some aspects of the work may still spark joy and fulfillment, while others may feel draining or disconnected from what matters most. This webcast will invite you to pause and reflect:
- What energizes you in your academic life right now?
- What leaves you feeling disengaged?
Get in Touch with Us
Academic Impressions partners with colleges and universities to collaboratively create custom training around our four-pronged faculty vitality model. These custom workshops are designed with the needs of your campus and faculty in mind and allow us to go deeper on issues specific to your institution. They can be delivered on your campus or virtually to your teams. Contact Corinne Nicolas, Head of Practice for Faculty Vitality, to learn more!
Corinne Nicolas, PhD, PCC
Head of Practice for Faculty Success
Learn More about Corinne Nicolas, PhD, PCCHave you attended this event in the past or do you know someone who may be interested? Share it with your network.