By Tatyana Gerceker, InVision
In today’s rapidly changing job market, being proactive about your career isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity.
Whether you’re a professional seeking advancement, a job seeker or looking to pivot in your career, adopting the mindset of a CEO for your own career can set you apart and ensure long-term success.
The CEO Mindset for Career Success
Being the CEO of your career means taking charge and steering your professional life toward your goals. It involves self-leadership, accountability, and vision. Just as a CEO must balance the immediate needs of their company with long-term planning, you need to manage both short-term tasks and long-term career aspirations. This mindset encourages you to be deliberate about your choices and proactive in building the future you desire.
Having a CEO mindset requires you to regularly assess your skills, achievements, and areas for growth. This self-awareness is crucial in identifying opportunities for development and ensuring alignment with your career goals. Furthermore, it involves making decisions that align with both your professional and personal values, allowing you to craft a career that is fulfilling and sustainable.
To truly act as the CEO of your career, you must also build a personal brand that reflects your unique strengths and aspirations. This includes networking effectively, seeking mentorship, and leveraging social media to showcase your expertise. A strong personal brand will open doors to new opportunities and allow you to stand out in a competitive job market.
Defining Strategic Horizons in Your Career
Strategic horizons refer to the different stages of planning and development that guide a company’s growth. In the context of your career, these horizons represent various phases of your professional life that require distinct strategies and approaches. By defining clear strategic horizons, you can create a roadmap that ensures continuous growth and adaptation to changing circumstances.
The first horizon often focuses on immediate goals and tasks, addressing current challenges and maximising your present role’s potential. This involves honing your skills, achieving specific objectives, and building a strong foundation for future growth. It’s essential to excel in your current position while keeping an eye on future opportunities.
The second horizon involves mid-term planning, typically spanning three to five years. This includes setting ambitious yet achievable career goals, identifying areas for skill development, and exploring new roles or industries. This stage requires you to remain flexible and open to change, as well as to actively seek opportunities for advancement and exposure.
The third horizon is about long-term vision, encompassing the next decade or more. It involves envisioning what you want your career and life to look like and creating a flexible plan to get there. This horizon requires a deep understanding of your passions, values, and ultimate career aspirations. It’s about dreaming big and making strategic choices that align with your long-term vision.
The Power of a Remote Horizon
While having a three-year plan is commendable, many professionals neglect the concept of a remote horizon—an open-ended approach that looks beyond the immediate future. A remote horizon involves envisioning multiple potential paths for your career, allowing you to adapt to new opportunities and challenges as they arise. This approach emphasises flexibility and curiosity, ensuring that you remain agile and prepared for whatever comes your way.
To effectively harness the power of a remote horizon, it’s important to constantly evaluate and refine your long-term vision. This involves staying informed about emerging trends and developments in your industry and beyond. By maintaining a broad perspective, you can identify potential opportunities and risks that may impact your career trajectory.
Curiosity is the driving force behind a remote horizon. By seeking knowledge and exploring diverse fields, you can expand your understanding of the world and your place in it. This not only enhances your adaptability but also makes you more interesting and valuable to employers and colleagues alike.
Balancing Strategy and Tactics
Many professionals struggle to balance strategic and tactical thinking in their careers. While a strategic approach focuses on long-term goals and vision, tactical thinking addresses the immediate actions necessary to achieve those goals. To succeed, you need to integrate both perspectives and effectively prioritize your efforts.
One way to balance strategy and tactics is to break down your long-term goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This allows you to make consistent progress while remaining focused on the bigger picture. Regularly reviewing your progress, acknowledging the achievements in the process and adjusting your plans as needed will help you stay on track, maintain momentum and avoid getting disheartened if things are not moving as fast as desired.
It’s also important to develop strong problem-solving skills, as these will enable you to tackle challenges head-on while maintaining a strategic perspective. By honing your ability to think critically and adapt to changing circumstances, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and seize opportunities.
Staying Curious and Informed
Curiosity is a powerful tool for career development, driving innovation and growth. By staying curious and informed about the latest trends and developments in your industry, you can remain relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing job market. This also involves being open to learning from diverse sources and perspectives.
One way to nurture curiosity is to dedicate time each week to expand your knowledge and skills. This can include attending workshops, reading industry publications, or engaging with thought leaders on social media. By continuously seeking new information and insights, you’ll be better prepared to adapt to new challenges and seize opportunities.
Networking is another valuable way to stay informed and inspired. By connecting with professionals from various fields, you can gain fresh perspectives and ideas that can enhance your career. Networking also provides opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and growth.
Leveraging Technology for Career Growth
In today’s digital age, technology plays a crucial role in career development. By leveraging digital tools and platforms, you can enhance your skills, expand your network, and access new opportunities. This includes mastering software and tools relevant to your field, as well as staying informed about emerging technologies and trends.
Social media is another powerful tool for career growth. By establishing a strong online presence, you can showcase your expertise, connect with industry peers, and access valuable resources and opportunities.
SMART Goals: yes or no
We all know about the value of setting clear, achievable goals. But do you actually do it? And how to set up long-term career goals which may appear far remote and out of your personal control? The answer – you don’t. The SMART framework is useful, but it might be only applicable to the first and second horizons ensuring that your efforts align with your long-term vision.
Overcoming Career Challenges
Career challenges are inevitable. As obstacles are not made equal, it’s important to draw a line between a gravity problems (like gravitation, they are a fact of life) and perceived obstacles reframing which can offer an unexpected window into a solution.
Often, what we perceive as an obstacle is simply reality manifesting in a form that diverges from our expectations or desired path of progress. The way things evolve is not always aligned with our preconceived notions of pace, direction, or outcome. Embracing this can lead to a more adaptable and resilient approach to the challenges we face.
Seeking support from your network is another valuable strategy for overcoming challenges. By engaging with coaches, mentors, colleagues, and peers, you can gain insights and perspectives that can help you find solutions and move forward.
The Importance of Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is a key component of career success, enabling you to remain relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing job market. By continuously seeking new knowledge and skills, you can enhance your adaptability and expand your opportunities.
To foster lifelong learning, cultivate a mindset of curiosity and open-mindedness. This involves seeking out diverse learning experiences and being receptive to new ideas and perspectives. By remaining curious and engaged, you can continually enhance your knowledge and skills.
Investing in professional development opportunities is another valuable way to support lifelong learning. This can include attending workshops, pursuing certifications, or enrolling in online courses. By actively seeking opportunities to learn and grow, you can ensure your continued success and fulfilment.
Conclusion
Being the CEO of your career means taking charge of your professional path and making strategic decisions that align with your long-term goals. By defining strategic horizons, staying informed and curious, and leveraging technology and networking opportunities, you can build a successful and fulfilling career. Remember that your career is a lifelong journey, and by adopting a proactive and adaptable mindset, you can thrive in any industry and achieve your aspirations. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, consider connecting with professionals and exploring programs designed to support your growth and success.
About the author
Tatyana Gerceker is an InVision Executive and Women’s Leadership Coach, accredited as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation.
She is dedicated to helping women create intentional careers aligned with inherent women’s leadership style for greater impact and fulfilment without burnout.
With 15+ years of leadership experience at global Fortune 500 companies in media and tech, Tatyana’s expertise spans finance, strategy, and business development. Her diverse career journey across countries and sectors provides insights into the challenges women face balancing career advancement, family building, and life itself.