Your New Role: The CEO of You

By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Employer-Focused Career Planning 

When you think about your career, you may think in terms of your current job title, what the company needs from you, and how your job might change based on organizational needs. This employer-focused mindset prioritizes the success of the business above all else. Often, the career planning offered by your employer is a part of their overall succession planning and focused on making sure their workforce has the skills to address anticipated future company needs. 

It's important to remember that the needs of a given business will change over time, as will company leaders, the market, the economy, and more. If that employer's needs no longer align with the skills you have and the salary they pay you for those skills, the company may make the business decision to "go in another direction." The end result may be them finding someone else to do the work they need done regardless of the skill set they encouraged you to develop.

Your New Mindset: Realistic Optimist

In much of life, having the right mindset makes all the difference. I choose to be a Realistic Optimist. That means I acknowledge the challenges inherent in situations and also realize that I have the power to make choices that will help me achieve a positive result--in this case, a career that is meaningful and fulfilling for me. 

Let's look at a few of the realities of work and your career:

• According to the US Bureau of Labor, the average person will have 12 different jobs during their career--and many of those will not be with the same company.
• You don't always get to pick when you leave a job. Sometimes, the company decides for you. 
• The job you originally accepted will change over time. It may change into something you love, or it may turn into something that does not interest you.
• ​The ability to learn and adapt to changes is a highly valued skill.
• Some skills that are in demand now did not even exist ten years ago.

Let's also look at what that means for you: 
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• Focusing only on a company and what they want you to do does not make long-term sense for you. Instead, you are better off figuring out what you want and need and finding a role where you have alignment between what you want and what they need. 
• You get to decide what matters to you, what you want to do more and less of, and find a role that is the best fit for what you want. 
• If you're in a job and it doesn't feel like a good fit anymore, you get to decide to do something else.
• If the company decides your job will end, you have an amazing opportunity to reevaluate what you want and find something else that is a better fit for you. 

Given these realities, thinking of your work future only in terms of who is currently signing your paychecks is not the wisest course of action. ​Instead, it's time to shift how you think about your work life. You can not afford to prioritize an employer's needs over what you want and need from your career. It's time to give yourself a promotion! 

Congratulations! You are The CEO of You

Leveraging your Realistic Optimist mindset, you are now no longer just an employee doing what your current employer wants and needs you to do. Now, it’s time for you to think of yourself first and foremost as the Chief Executive Officer of your own company and the business of you. This makes you the CEO of You. 

​As the CEO of You, you are looking for employment that is a good business arrangement for you. Just like the executive team at a company needs to make tough decisions for the organization’s greater good, you need to make decisions that are in the best interests of you and your household. Adopting this mindset will change your life. 

The Business of You

As the CEO of You, it’s time to think about what success looks like for your business. What are your assets? What are your marketable skills? Which company or companies should be your business partners? When is it time for you to end a business relationship that is not working? When is it time for you to pursue a new opportunity better aligned with your life?
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Whereas you as an employee may feel like you do not have any options, you can't afford to think about your livelihood just in terms of what your biggest client (your current employer) needs. Instead, you need to make decisions for the good of your business as the CEO of You. One of those is determining how to protect one of your greatest assets–your ability to earn a living by leveraging your knowledge, skills, and expertise. You also want to stay mindful of all the aspects of the employment decisions you make and how they impact your overall wellbeing--including your career, physical, financial, social, and community wellbeing. 

Your Short and Long-Term Goals

As the CEO of You, think about your long-term goals. Just like the company's CEO does not make decisions based on what other companies think they should do, you need to do the same. Regardless of other people’s opinions, make the right decision for you and your household. Align your next steps with your overall goals. Think in terms of preferences and priorities.

​Remember, too, that you’re not just the CEO of your career but the CEO of all aspects of you. If you're in career transition and searching for a new role, this means not taking “any old job” unless you decide that is the right move for you. If you're employed by an organization that wants you to learn a new skill set, you get to decide if that interests you and how you will invest your time, talents, and money to build those skills. You get to decide what is a valuable opportunity for you and decide your next steps as you work toward aligning what your employer needs and what you want to do.

This also means that your business decisions may change over time as the environment changes. You can also change your mind about the right job for you if your current role has enough value for you to stay, when it is time for you to do something else, how you want to change direction, and more.

Adjusting Your Business Strategy 

At the end of the day, remember your role as the CEO of you and make a decision that aligns with your overall career and life goals. If that means quitting a job that makes you miserable regardless of the short-term financial consequences, you can do that. If you want to leave a job that your friends say should be your dream job, you get to make the right decision for you. If you decide to take your career in a whole new direction that others might think is too risky, you get to weigh your options and go in the direction of your choice. 

As the CEO of You, you are the driver of your career and your life. Act accordingly. 

Learn More

• The Layoff Lady: Career Planning: Figuring Out What You Want To Be Next
• The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
• The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​