Latest news with #executiveSearch
News24
3 days ago
- Business
- News24
4 guidelines to start over your career later in life
Dire economic climates and the changing world of technology can force people to reevaluate their career paths. An expert advises bridging roles and targeting smaller organisations when looking for a new role. Take advantage of every professional contact you've made. ______________________________________________________________________ The rise of technological and artificial intelligence advancements has seen companies - and the world at large - change where a lifelong tenure at a single company is a thing of the past. Let's not sugar coat it, this evolving landscape is tough and requires sacrifice, but the good news is that it's possible to make a success of an entirely new career later in life. Advaita Naidoo, Africa MD at Jack Hammer, Africa's largest executive search firm, says, 'A non-linear career can be described as a work history that does not follow a single, continuous path within one field or role. It involves shifts, breaks, or transitions between unrelated industries or job types.' 'In the past, people would mostly stick to a relatively predictable path throughout their careers – moving steadily up the ladder in their chosen field, or branching out into proximate roles. In the last few years, however, this model has been turned on its head, for a variety of reasons including but not limited to the impact of the pandemic, global and local economic volatility, and the impact of AI.' Examples of people forced to develop a plan B later in life These include women re-entering the workforce after homemaking, workers retrenched because of technological disruption or plain old economic factors affecting their industries and athletes and sportspeople whose professional careers are dwindling. Struggling to see where you fit in the working world? Advaita advises four guidelines for non-linear career success: 1. Consider a bridging role A bridging role is a strategic stepping stone - a position that helps you transition into a new industry or function by starting at a foundational level. Look for entry or mid-level opportunities such as an operations or supply chain role in retail, or a project coordinator position in a commercial team, where you can learn the fundamentals, adapt to the new environment and gradually build your expertise. This approach enables you to gain industry knowledge, establish credibility and develop the skills needed for future advancement. 2. Make your case Whatever your circumstances and career history, you must be able to articulate your value with confidence. Advaita shares, 'When crafting your motivation, build a clear, logical narrative and arrive ready to sell yourself. Confidence is key. If you want a hiring manager to see how your non-linear path will add value, make sure you believe it first.' 3. Target smaller organisations Large corporations mostly have rigid hiring criteria and a large selection of applicants who tick every box. Smaller organisations such as startups, mid-sized firms or local businesses can be more flexible, offering a chance to shine. 'Smaller companies often need versatile players. Your tech background, for instance, might help a small healthcare firm digitise processes, while your growing commercial skills boost their sales,' says Advaita. 'Smaller environments are more likely to let you wear multiple hats and develop a wider range of skills. So take time to research local or niche firms in your target industry, and apply for roles where your diverse and transferable skills will add immediate value.' 4. Make your contacts count Your personal and professional network is a powerful tool to bypass the barriers of a non-linear career, Advaita explains. 'Hiring managers and automated systems often filter out resumes that don't fit conventional patterns, but a trusted contact can open doors. Reach out to former colleagues, managers or clients who can vouch for your skills, work ethic, and adaptability. For instance, if you worked in manufacturing and a past coworker now thrives in financial services, ask them to recommend you or introduce you to key players.' Advaita concludes, 'Join professional organisations, attend industry events, join online forums (e.g. LinkedIn groups for healthcare or finance professionals) or participate in workshops to meet people in your target field. A personal endorsement carries significant weight and contacts humanise your story, turning a 'risky' non-linear resume into a compelling case for hiring.'
Fast Company
29-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
This is why your perfect hire often fails
After months of rigorous searching, you've found your ideal executive candidate. They tick every box on paper and seem perfect in interviews. But then reality hits: Your 'Cinderella candidate' isn't prepared for the real-world challenges of the role. Now what? A popular study highlights just how common—and costly—this scenario is. A 2015 research report from Corporate Executive Board found that 50% to 70% of leadership hires fail within 18 months. And that can cost the company one-half to twice the hire's annual salary, according to a 2019 Gallup report. Given the high levels of remuneration, the financial impact can be even more severe at the executive level. As someone who has navigated countless executive searches, I've seen how easy it is to fall into the trap of searching for a 'Cinderella candidate'—someone who appears to match a meticulously defined set of qualifications perfectly. And even if the ideal candidate does exist, they may not be interested in your opportunity or ready for a career move. Compounding these challenges, you have noncompete agreements that further shrink the available talent pool. Setting the ideal candidate bar high can help, but an overly rigid vision often results in a long, drawn-out search with diminishing returns. When we accept that perfection on paper rarely translates into perfection in practice, we create opportunities to find strong candidates who bring real, tangible strengths to the table, even if they don't check every box. To find the right hire and mitigate leadership turnover, we must rethink how we define, evaluate, and select leadership candidates. The following insights will help broaden your approach: 1. The right leader is a catalyst, not a title Rather than locking into overly specific C-suite qualifications, consider the characteristics of transformational leaders that your team genuinely needs. While technical skills matter, you should emphasize broader competencies like adaptability, decision-making in ambiguity, and the ability to motivate diverse teams. These qualities often predict long-term success better than niche expertise. Consider leaders with transferable skills. They can bring fresh insights and a broader understanding of how to drive success in evolving environments. To implement this shift in your recruitment strategy, broaden your search criteria. Identify three competencies that you need to navigate the company's evolving needs, and build the ideal candidate profile around them. Instead of seeking candidates with narrow expertise, look for ones who have thrived in roles requiring agility, like leading R&D initiatives or driving organizational change amid disruption. This approach allows you to attract versatile leaders who are ready to innovate and guide your organization through periods of uncertainty and change. 2. Culture isn't one size fits all To achieve a balance in hiring for cultural fit versus hiring for skills, employ structured assessments that translate 'fit' into measurable attributes. Tools like DISC profiles or situational interviews provide concrete data on qualities such as empathy, resilience, and adaptability, allowing hiring teams to evaluate whether candidates align with company culture in objective terms. This avoids the common pitfalls of hiring based on intuition alone and helps avoid overreliance on subjective notions of the perfect candidate. For senior leadership roles like COOs, scenario-based interviews should focus on how candidates have successfully navigated complex challenges related to people, processes, and change management. Ask how they've implemented large-scale organizational changes or optimized operations to drive efficiency. These structured assessments reveal a candidate's approach to strategic problem-solving and their leadership style. In turn, this ensures they can align with the company's vision and foster a high-performing culture. 3. Cross-functional input is key When creating an ideal candidate profile for a role that requires strong cross-departmental collaboration, include perspectives from various departments in the hiring process, such as finance, HR, operations, and product development. By aligning on core characteristics of leaders who inspire and unify, hiring managers gain a comprehensive view of each candidate's potential impact across teams. For instance, used vehicle retailer CarMax involves leaders from product management, engineering, and customer experience to evaluate candidates for roles within its technology and innovation teams. Each team member provides insights into collaborative skills that they need for meeting customer needs and delivering fast solutions across functions. Utilizing these teams in the hiring process helps ensure that selected leaders can build relationships, bridge departmental divides, and facilitate cohesive, organization-wide success. 4. The perfect candidate is a myth The perfect candidate is a myth that often leads hiring managers to overlook leaders with qualities like resilience and learning agility. In executive hiring, finding the right cultural fit often outweighs industry expertise alone. Sure, technical knowledge is essential, and you can use that for a candidate in the room. But ultimately, you should make sure that the candidate aligns with the company's values, vision, and culture. Leaders who seamlessly align with the company's culture tend to engage teams more effectively, navigate challenges agilely, and drive change in ways that feel authentic to the organization. A high-performing C-suite hinges less on 'perfect matches' than on leaders who can innovate within an evolving landscape. Hiring for sustainable success requires shifting from rigid, idealized profiles to assessing candidates for resilience, adaptability, and alignment with the core values of the organization.
