Career transitioning
When that time comes, mid-career executives are often faced with a number of dilemmas ranging from finding out their interests, to exploring the suitability of their background, to possible new opportunities, all the way to reinventing themselves.
In Poland during the nineties, at a time when the economy was developing and changing rapidly and often unpredictability, many successful executives found exciting new challenges a regular part of their job. Those who didn't had a surfeit of opportunity as the talent shortage was extremely acute and there were constant business start-ups.
Now the market is maturing, business is often about succeeding in a smaller measure and is more and more planned. Coupled with the fact that careers are developing in Central Europe at a slower, more western pace now, an ever increasing number of executives are asking themselves important basic questions such as: Why am I doing this job? What do I enjoy and want to do in the future? Behind these questions is a realization that they are not motivated by their jobs and want to do something different. Often the first question is - what?
Introspection
The possibilities for change are endless. Do you want to set up your own business? Do you want to work in consulting (or vice-versa, in industry)? Maybe there is interest in another industry or just another company.
Executives spend about one-third of their adult lives working, more than any other pursuit except sleeping. Already a decade ago this realization, along with an increased focus on alternatives, led to changed work perspectives in the United States and Western Europe. The same changes are coming to Poland. Job satisfaction is about a lot of different things - feeling successful, work-life balance, working to strengths, developing new skills, seeing results, etc.
The first step to assessing the opportunities available is introspection. By reviewing on a daily basis the tasks and skills used, it can become apparent what you enjoy, what you do well and what you do not. These pieces can then be put together to look at new areas - new functions or different industries - where such skills can be used.
A good understanding of strengths, weaknesses and skills can then be packaged for consumption. What do you offer to an employer? What contributions have you made and can you make in the future? And these should be - immodestly even - incorporated into a C.V. All too often C.V.s focus on responsibilities, not on results. At the end of the day, the key issues are not what you do but how you do it and what the results are.
Navigating the sea of opportunities
At the same time, it is necessary to make a map of the world of opportunities. There is a variety of ways of doing this. Once you have identified a couple of directions, start gathering information - today it is extremely easy to get a start over the Internet, even to join in on chat rooms or discussion groups where you can contact a wide group of people anonymously. It is also valuable to read job advertisements and salary surveys over the Internet.
The next and most important research step is networking among those who are working in your professional areas of interest. This can be tricky in a small market like Poland, especially for more senior executives who do not want to begin their transition until they are sure of their interests. However, there is also an increasing number of trade associations and social settings (such as business mixers) where it is possible to broaden a list of contacts from within certain professions.
Many opportunities will require additional qualifications, so continuing education is an important consideration as well. For instance, for a mid-level executive who wants to become a consultant an MBA is almost certainly a requirement, especially if he/she wants to work in one of the multinational consultancies.
On the other hand, for more substantial career changes, like an executive moving from management consulting to industry or vice-versa, it is important to really visualize the transition and position. For instance, many senior level executives who initially get attracted by consulting underestimate the importance of commercial skills in career success; once they realize this, many change their minds. On the other hand, consultants often underestimate the day-to-day management demands that come with senior executive roles.
Keep values in mind
There are many facets to the word 'values'. It can refer to social beliefs, lifestyle preferences or to the way we develop our own self-image. However, very often hidden beneath job dissatisfaction or career dissatisfaction is a change of values.
Anyone who has seen the movie Jerry McGuire remembers the 'Mission Statement' he wrote (after having two slices of bad pizza). His mission statement got him fired, but it also set him off on a personally rewarding life change as well (I recommend better planning!).
Top CEOs share a number of key characteristics/traits, among them is passion and a real sense of who they are and what they can do. My experience is that usually this comes naturally from inside and that there is great internal consistency between what they say and do and what they believe.
But this is true of all people in all types of jobs too - just think about that teacher or professor who made a difference. When we work successfully with the skills we have developed and in an environment where this is truly appreciated (and is consistent with our own life values) we all will perform better and be much happier.
Matthew Tebeau, the Managing Partner of Ray and Berndtson Poland and the Baltic States
In Poland during the nineties, at a time when the economy was developing and changing rapidly and often unpredictability, many successful executives found exciting new challenges a regular part of their job. Those who didn't had a surfeit of opportunity as the talent shortage was extremely acute and there were constant business start-ups.
Now the market is maturing, business is often about succeeding in a smaller measure and is more and more planned. Coupled with the fact that careers are developing in Central Europe at a slower, more western pace now, an ever increasing number of executives are asking themselves important basic questions such as: Why am I doing this job? What do I enjoy and want to do in the future? Behind these questions is a realization that they are not motivated by their jobs and want to do something different. Often the first question is - what?
Introspection
The possibilities for change are endless. Do you want to set up your own business? Do you want to work in consulting (or vice-versa, in industry)? Maybe there is interest in another industry or just another company.
Executives spend about one-third of their adult lives working, more than any other pursuit except sleeping. Already a decade ago this realization, along with an increased focus on alternatives, led to changed work perspectives in the United States and Western Europe. The same changes are coming to Poland. Job satisfaction is about a lot of different things - feeling successful, work-life balance, working to strengths, developing new skills, seeing results, etc.
The first step to assessing the opportunities available is introspection. By reviewing on a daily basis the tasks and skills used, it can become apparent what you enjoy, what you do well and what you do not. These pieces can then be put together to look at new areas - new functions or different industries - where such skills can be used.
A good understanding of strengths, weaknesses and skills can then be packaged for consumption. What do you offer to an employer? What contributions have you made and can you make in the future? And these should be - immodestly even - incorporated into a C.V. All too often C.V.s focus on responsibilities, not on results. At the end of the day, the key issues are not what you do but how you do it and what the results are.
Navigating the sea of opportunities
At the same time, it is necessary to make a map of the world of opportunities. There is a variety of ways of doing this. Once you have identified a couple of directions, start gathering information - today it is extremely easy to get a start over the Internet, even to join in on chat rooms or discussion groups where you can contact a wide group of people anonymously. It is also valuable to read job advertisements and salary surveys over the Internet.
The next and most important research step is networking among those who are working in your professional areas of interest. This can be tricky in a small market like Poland, especially for more senior executives who do not want to begin their transition until they are sure of their interests. However, there is also an increasing number of trade associations and social settings (such as business mixers) where it is possible to broaden a list of contacts from within certain professions.
Many opportunities will require additional qualifications, so continuing education is an important consideration as well. For instance, for a mid-level executive who wants to become a consultant an MBA is almost certainly a requirement, especially if he/she wants to work in one of the multinational consultancies.
On the other hand, for more substantial career changes, like an executive moving from management consulting to industry or vice-versa, it is important to really visualize the transition and position. For instance, many senior level executives who initially get attracted by consulting underestimate the importance of commercial skills in career success; once they realize this, many change their minds. On the other hand, consultants often underestimate the day-to-day management demands that come with senior executive roles.
Keep values in mind
There are many facets to the word 'values'. It can refer to social beliefs, lifestyle preferences or to the way we develop our own self-image. However, very often hidden beneath job dissatisfaction or career dissatisfaction is a change of values.
Anyone who has seen the movie Jerry McGuire remembers the 'Mission Statement' he wrote (after having two slices of bad pizza). His mission statement got him fired, but it also set him off on a personally rewarding life change as well (I recommend better planning!).
Top CEOs share a number of key characteristics/traits, among them is passion and a real sense of who they are and what they can do. My experience is that usually this comes naturally from inside and that there is great internal consistency between what they say and do and what they believe.
But this is true of all people in all types of jobs too - just think about that teacher or professor who made a difference. When we work successfully with the skills we have developed and in an environment where this is truly appreciated (and is consistent with our own life values) we all will perform better and be much happier.
Matthew Tebeau, the Managing Partner of Ray and Berndtson Poland and the Baltic States
