THE PATH TO C-SUITE: WHAT TO DO – AND WHAT NOT TO DO

So, you’re ready to make the move up the career ladder into leadership and beyond. What are your next steps? I’ve highlighted some great articles here that offer some suggestions…

A linear move up the career ladder may not be in store for all potential C-Suite professionals, according to Fortune magazine and a top LinkedIn executive. The climb up the corporate ladders has become a ‘squiggly line’, according to the article – also suggesting that there’s actually no ‘ladder’ any more. “What’s changing about careers is that they used to be a ladder, and now they are a path,” Aneesh Raman, the chief economic opportunity officer at LinkedIn, tells Fortune. “So you’re seeing a bunch of people move around from different functions, whether it’s starting in finance and going into HR.” The video interview is well worth a look here - https://shorturl.at/3rRab

The Conversation provides a guide here on ‘how to get ready for your first leadership position’ – and there’s a big focus on networking. It highlights using your network to find leadership roles; gaining valuable insights from your network; how to build a personal network; and more. “Leadership is not a solitary path,” points out the article, “it’s one built on relationships, insights and mutual growth”. Click here for more advice - https://shorturl.at/RZ8Oi

Gen Z is entering the C-Suite (I know, right…), according to CNBC and they’re looking to shake things up somewhat: ‘getting rid of meetings, set hours and more’. The article claims that while the average age of the CEO is 54, the number of Gen Z CEOs is rising, according to McKinsey & Co. They are super ambitious: ‘Those who haven’t ascended the corporate ladder are interested in becoming the big boss: Gen Z is more than twice as likely to want to be CEO compared with Gen X (38% versus 18%, respectively), McKinsey reports. That’s compared to 21% of baby boomers and 31% of millennials who say they’d want to be a CEO.’ And they are set to challenge the workplace as we know it. Be prepared for your next move and take a look at what they’re planning here - https://shorturl.at/qzrfx

And finally, here are some tips you should actually ignore… Stylist magazine has spoken to some careers experts to take a look at some ‘classic’ advice you should maybe avoid. They range from ‘Don’t leave a job you’ve been in for less than a year’ (it’s ‘destructive’); to ‘Only apply for the jobs you meet all the criteria for’ (here at Amiqus we know that this is particularly relevant for women candidates; they feel they need to tick all the boxes. Men generally don’t have this concern, and – as this article points out: “Often employers appreciate the thought process behind an application and will look at someone’s explanation of why and how their transferable skills can be applied”; to ‘Fake it till you make it’ (“Worst advice ever,” says Charlie O’Brien, head of people at Breathe HR. “If you’re not open about what you do and don’t know, you’ll break trust with clients and colleagues – and trust is everything.” The full list of ‘not to dos’ is here - https://shorturl.at/XcZci

And shameless plug here… if you’re looking to move forward in your career, I’d love to talk to you about your ambitions and goals. Drop me a line!

Staircase pic - Photo by Nazrin Babashova on Unsplash