How can local government professionals level up to grow their career? Understand the broader professional landscape, learn from others while forging their own path, find or create new opportunities within or outside their organization, and intentional networking are key and consistent themes.
More than 100 conference attendees came together for the interactive session, Level Up Your Career: Strategies for Growth in Local Government. It was a real-time chance to learn and interact with session participants and the panel of experts on career paths, common hurdles and frustrations, and strategies to grow a career in local government.
2025 State and Local Government Workforce Survey Results
The session started with statistics and impressions from 2025 State and Local Government Workforce Survey Results, a report from the MissionSquare Research Institute with support from PSHRA and NASPE. The report confirms that despite an overall difficult job market, local governments are still looking to hire and preparing for significant waves of retirement.
The takeaway for the audience is that job markets go up and down. Yet there are and will be opportunities.
Different Paths
Session panelists included Teresa Lamar-Sarno, chief assistant city manager, Port St. Lucie, Florida. Ian Coyle, former CAO and current president and founder of Pracademic Partners; and Warren Hutmacher, former CAO and current president of Sumter Consulting.
Each shared their unique local government career path. The takeaway for the audience is that there isn't one right way to do it. And although many tenured city/county managers have impressive resumes and LinkedIn profiles, progress is rarely linear.
What Do Hiring Managers Look for in a Candidate?
When it came to how to break through in an interview, the panel discussed how resumes and accomplishments are one thing, but the ambiguous and subjective "fit" should not be underestimated.
Hutmacher said, "what employers are looking for, especially when you get to that city manager interviews, is who fits here? Who gels with the council? Who's the right type of person for our organization? It's not necessarily looking for the best city manager, you're looking for the best city manager or department head for your organization. And there's a difference."
The advice and takeaway for the audience was to be genuine, but also be able to discern what an organization and specific job needs, and tailor your experience and value proposition to speak to it. Not just to get a job offer, but to position to make the right decision on whether to take it with confidence the role is also the right fit for you.
Why Should Local Government Employers Create Career Opportunities for Employees and How Can They Do That?
While the panelists and audience agreed this was important, the impromptu conversation led to other options. Teresa Lamar-Sarno told a story about how after 10 years filled with major accomplishments as a special assistant and then assistant manager, the city manager told her it was time to move on.
Sarno said she was told, "You have to leave because now it's your time. There's no more growing in this organization".
Sarno said, "At first I thought, well, that's a terrible thing to say to somebody, but I realized that was actually the best thing ever said to me because that led me to leave the organization, become a consultant for about a year, start a new municipality at the village of Indian Town. There I I learned how to create a city from scratch, which was very painful but very rewarding at the same time."
Coyle added examples of fellowship programs and internal cross-trainings.
"There are people thinking about career paths, about what is next for me. And it's not needy and greedy to think that. How can I continue to develop myself within this organization. So coaching, mentoring, informal, formal, formal programs, volunteer, you name it, buddy programs within the organization. That stuff works, parallel positions, combo positions."
Career Reflection Through Peer Interaction
Attendees broke out into small groups to discuss three questions:
Reflect on Your Career Path: What’s one skill, experience, or connection that has most helped you advance in your local government career so far? How did you develop it?
Overcoming Career Hurdles: What challenges have you faced when trying to move up in your career? How have you—or could you—overcome them?
Visibility and Networking: So far, how have you established yourself as a thought leader or a rising professional in the field worth hiring or promoting? What new strategies could you use to build your reputation and expand your network?
Whether at the ICMA Annual Conference, through digital networking, or connecting with mentors, peers, or mentees, these are just a small sample of career self reflection that can help any local government professional be intentional about taking the next steps.
How to Level up Your Career with ICMA Resources
Beyond the conference, ICMA offers a range of resources to help career development, from students all the way through seasoned CAOs.
New, Reduced Membership Dues
A new, reduced dues rate is available for CAOs/ACAOs, along with additional discounts for those in smaller communities, has been implemented. Learn more and be sure to join or renew today!
