07/08/2012
Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, a senior adviser at the global executive-search firm Egon Zehnder International and the author of Great People Decisions,was asked how he views leadership candidates who have made big shifts in their careers.
Do successful executives today have career trajectories that differ from those you’ve seen in the past?
Success used to be related to experience, knowledge, and skill. A few things have changed. The world of work is increasingly complex—uncertain and volatile, global and diverse—and information is easier to access. As a result, experience and knowledge are less relevant, whereas the capacities to learn and adapt, be resilient, and connect with others have become more crucial.
What types of career moves do you look for when you’re considering people for leadership roles?
Successful career moves can indicate that a candidate has several emotional intelligence–based competencies—such as flexibility, empathy, organizational awareness, and relationship management—that tend to differentiate stars from average performers at the top. Moves can also reveal a lot about a candidate’s growth potential, as they show curiosity, insight, inspiration, determination, and motivation.
What’s your reaction when you discover dramatic career changes on a résumé?
I usually worry when I don’t see major shifts. Their absence could reflect untested competence to adapt to new challenges and environments, and a lack of aspiration to learn and grow. But then of course I ask candidates to explain the specifics of their situation so that I can understand the positive and negative reasons for a dramatic change. Answers like “I reached a plateau” or “I wanted to learn something new” are obviously the ideal ones. (Source:Harvard Business Publishing)
