Job outlook for directors of records management in the United States

What soft skills should all Directors Of Records Management possess?

C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: While advancements in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics occupy center stage in many areas of management practice, soft skills continue to be seen as equally or even more important skills for success in the field of management. Soft skills are typically described as personal attributes, qualities, and characteristics that enable us to interact more effectively with others. In most fields of management, our ability to communicate, work with, and interact with other people constitutes a significant portion of the work we do. Consequently, employers are focused on identifying candidates who possess strong skills are areas of communication (verbal, written, and non-verbal), leadership and followership, collaboration, an ability to work in teams, intellectual curiosity, adaptability, conflict management, problem-solving, creativity.

What soft skills should all Directors Of Records Management possess?

Candace Esken Ph.D.: Excellent communication skills are absolutely essential for management analysts. Usually, these skills are best demonstrated during the interview process with little room for error. In addition, applicants should have strong interpersonal skills because much of their job requires them to work with managers and employees of various organizations. Furthermore, soft skills such as leadership, confidence, and time management are highly valued.

What skills stand out on Director Of Records Management resumes?

Brooke Buffington: Skills that standout are often position specific, but there are always skills that a wide-variety of employers seek. These skills align with the competencies developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which include skills in critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work-ethic, career management, and global/intercultural fluency.

What general advice would you give to a Director Of Records Management?

Angela Grotto Ph.D.:

1. When job searching, be active and persistent - Network by setting up Zoom informational calls with professionals (alumni, people with whom your family work) to learn about jobs that you are interested in or to learn about organizations where you would like to work and then follow up with them; have someone you trust who is a professional review your resume and social media profile pages; carve out time every day to apply to jobs; use Handshake and LinkedIn as a resource; keep sending out applications; while job searching, volunteer or start your business project that showcases your skillset and then discuss it during your interviews.
   
2. When interviewing, be creative - Use experiences from your academic career to demonstrate your capabilities. There are many skills you learn in class that are transferrable to the professional world. For example, as a student, you likely had to pivot to full remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, discuss how the new learning format has prepared you to work remotely as an employee, how small group projects have primed you to collaborate on a virtual team, and how small classes have equipped you to use technology such as Zoom.
   
3. When deciding on a job offer, be open-minded - Your first job may not be the one you had imagined or hoped for upon graduation. Still, it may be a stepping stone to your ideal career or a way to build your network of professional connections. You create meaningful and valuable relationships with others who may one day help you get the job you want.
   
4. When you land the job, be flexible - Show your employer or your boss that you're willing to step outside your comfort zone and do tasks that you were not necessarily trained for or are unrelated to your degree. Also, when circumstances at work change, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, show that you are willing to step up and do a different job, do someone else's job, or work on another project or team. This flexibility will demonstrate your versatility and how you can adapt to new and unpredictable situations. Lastly, embrace the "gig" economy - be willing to start as a temporary or contract worker with a company to get your foot in the door and build more professional connections.
   

How do you envision technology impacting Directors Of Records Management in the next 5 years?

Jill Robinson Ph.D.: Technological advances have driven change in the entertainment industry since it first began. We will continue to watch plays in person, but we will also manage content on all our devices. There will also be more changes in how practitioners do their work. They won't need to fly across the country for a meeting when they can meet online. In the past, I have been passed from Los Angeles to New York for a one-hour session. Moving forward, such expenses may no longer make sense. Organizations will need to use their resources wisely, where they will have the most significant impact.

Along with technology, the impact of COVID-19 is a mixed bag for the entertainment landscape. While Netflix has seen revenue increase, up 28% compared to the same time last year, Live Nation, which produces live entertainment, has seen the floor drop out, leaving them with a whopping 97% decrease in revenue, which puts their very survival at risk. Many in the industry believe---or at least hope---live entertainment will rebound and continue to draw crowds post-virus. The question is, when will fans feel comfortable returning to such venues? These factors suggest that what we have traditionally thought of as the entertainment industry could look very different in the next five years.

What general advice would you give to a Director Of Records Management?

Joel Stevenson: I would not enter the job market at this time. I would apply to the Masters of Human Resources Program at U of SC. If I could not get into the program, I would take an HR job and apply again to the Master's Program. Reason...with a Master's in HR, the starting salary is right at $85,000 per year. Cost and amount of time it takes to get your Master's, $25,000, and 15 months.

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Directors Of Records Management?

Michelle Burton: The enduring impact on business graduates, I foresee, is the change in how business and education will continue to be conducted via virtual formats. Those who continue their higher education will see traditional on-ground environments not return to the previous setting for most, but rather through "safer" distance learning environments.

Once graduates enter the workforce, I believe, they will embrace a virtual environment there, too, depending on the organization and industry. A large majority of businesses have already transitioned to a virtual format in a short time, that those businesses have laid a foundation and will continue to operate in very similar methods. For those businesses that have not had a negative impact on operating virtually, they have the opportunity to continue to decrease overhead, without impacting its workforce or bottom line. If anything, a virtual working environment can be a huge cost saving for some businesses, which is why working virtually will be the way of the future for the business.

How do you envision technology impacting Directors Of Records Management in the next 5 years?

Dr. Richard Greggory Johnson III: I teach a graduate course called Emerging Technologies, and there is no doubt that tech is here to stay, and graduates will have to be more adaptable to the changes tech will bring in the workplace.

How do you envision technology impacting Directors Of Records Management in the next 5 years?

Jonathan Hicks Ph.D.: Hybrid classrooms that fuse in-person instruction with remote learning are going to be significantly more normalized. Schools invested a lot of money in that technology and will continue to utilize it moving forward. This will make education more accessible while also increasing educators' challenges to provide experiential learning so critical to professional development. Similarly, recreational opportunities will be more likely to be delivered virtually and remotely. Experiences from tours to escape rooms may shift to online platforms. However, certain staples, including everything from theme parks to national parks to youth and professional sports, will likely continue to be predominantly driven by in-person experiences.

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Directors Of Records Management?

Loretta Cochran Ph.D.: I think one of the biggest challenges to new graduates is the change in internships - those opportunities shrank quickly. Internships are essential in that they provide much-needed work experience and access to hiring managers.