How To Become the CEO of Your Own Career
Whilst your CEO is obviously the CEO of your organisation, you are the CEO of your own career. Here’s what to consider when taking charge of your own career.
Every now and then, a piece of career advice comes along that really changes everything. And recently, as part of the launch for our APAC BRAVO Women in Procurement Leadership Program, we had such a moment.
And that moment came when now-COO and former CPO Coretta Bessi said:
‘You are the CEO of your own career. You need to make strategic decisions and consciously determine how you set yourself up for success.’
It was a real chestnut, because it went against the grain of what many of us often believe about our careers and that is, that we’re at the mercy of the organisation, and to some extent, the manager we work for. But as Coretta has proven in career, that certainly doesn’t need to be the case.
It got us thinking, though, how do you become the CEO of your own career? Here are three essential questions you need to ask in order to put yourself in the driver’s seat of your own success:
1. What career-life fit do I need and want right now, and in the future?
Far too often, a career feels like a race to the top, or a constant battle to fulfill society’s definition of success (which generally means acquiring an executive role). But in reality, the idea of success is very fluid, and the very first step to attaining it is to interrogate what success really means to you.
And a big part of doing this is asking yourself: what career-life fit do I need and want right now, and in the future?
For example, you may be at a time in your life where your interests outside of work, whether they be hobbies, family or study, are more important to you than climbing the corporate ladder. That being the case, you should aspire to a job that allows you to be challenged, but that doesn’t, from a time and stress perspective, interfere with other commitments. Conversely, you may have other commitments outside of work, but may still want to put absolutely everything you have into your career. There’s no right or wrong answer, the answer is simply what feels right for you.
Whatever you decide, the first step is to ensure that you are the one making the decision, and that your organisation is supporting you, and not making assumptions about your capacity (for example, not assuming you’re less committed because of your parenting responsibilities).
The second step, then, is to ensure that your job can provide the fit you’re looking for. Being a CEO of your career means calling the shots on the balance you want, not letting anyone else decide for you.
2. Are my career assets up-to-date?
When it comes to your career, from an organisational perspective, companies expect to get what they pay for. In a nutshell, then, in order to secure the best-paying and most sought-after jobs, you need to ensure that you make yourself as marketable as possible.
And you do this by constantly ask yourself: are my career assets up to date? And if not, how can I fix that?
From a procurement perspective, the skills that are required to stay current (and get ahead) are constantly changing. In order to succeed in your role (or if you’re going for a new one), you need to proactively assess your skills vis-a-vis their market relevance, and then aspire to continually update them. Part of this also includes keeping on top of your personal brand and continuously growing your network.
3. How can I maximise my options?
When it comes to careers, some people seem to have all the luck, whereas others often seem to get left behind. And as much as it can be tempting to write off a bad few years (or jobs) as ‘back luck’, unfortunately, it isn’t really luck as much as some people maximising their opportunities, and hence maximising their chances of getting ‘lucky’.
If you want to be one of the lucky ones, instead of waiting for good fortune to come to you, you need to consistently create your own good fortune by surrounding yourself with as many options as possible.
From a career perspective, this could mean making a lateral or diagonal move to ensure you broaden your skillset. It could also mean doing everything and anything in your power to expand your network, so you’re exposed to as many potential pathways and opportunities as possible.
Remember, being the CEO of your own career doesn’t have to mean you become the actual CEO (unless you want to). What it really means is that you take stock of what success means to you, and then work proactively to ensure you achieve it by constantly working on your skills and surrounding yourself with the best opportunities possible.
Want to hear more exceptional advice, like that from Coretti Bessi? Join our Women in Procurement and Supply Chain group and expand your opportunities by networking with the very best women in our industry.
