Having professional development experiences on your resume can help you get an executive position.
By Charlene Komar Storey
Is professional development an important component of a resume? Absolutely, say both Deedee Myers, Ph.D., founder/CEO of CUES Supplier member and strategic provider DDJ Myers, Ltd. and co-founder of the Advancing Leadership Institute, and Charles Shanley, executive vice president of Houston-based JMFA Executive Search Group, a CUES Supplier member. “It’s key,” Phoenix-based Myers says. “”I really want to see it in the resume.” In fact, Myers says that No. 1 on her list of personal mastery skills for a potential CEO is continuous learning. Attending CUES’ CEO Institute, for instance, puts a candidate ahead of the pack in terms of cross-functional expertise. If a CEO aspirant only has experience in one area, she won’t know how to lead staff members in other spheres. “The CEO should be a continuous learner,” Myers says, and should bring that philosophy to the credit union. “Those are the highest-performing CEOs,” she adds. Shanley points out that the specifics of what education is demanded vary according to the credit union. Some want the CEO to have a four-year degree, while others – especially educational CUs, he notes – want an MBA. In fact, half or more of candidates he deals with hold MBAs. Shanley adds that CUES’ CEO Institute offers professional development that is heavy on the strategic side, a vital concern today.
Charlene Komar Storey is a veteran credit union writer based in New Jersey. CEO Institute classes for 2016 are now forming. Visit the CUES calendar to see all our professional development offerings to find one that’s just right for you.
