Q: Throughout my career, I have not only done marketing, but it’s also pretty much all I have done. I want to expand my leadership options.  What do you suggest?

A:  Now is a great time for you to identify what actually comprises marketing and understand how those skills will translate into other opportunities. Great marketers do many other things.  They build teams, cultivate relationships, plan effectively and make shrewd decisions about prospects, clients and products.

Many of these skills go beyond marketing ability per se. The best marketers tend to be charismatic, persuasive, earnest and credible.  Many are tacticians who are finely tuned to the nuances of the market and are flexible, yet ethical, about drawing attention to a particular mission or product.

With so many more options out there that you might not have considered prior to asking your question, the first step to take is to list all of your leadership abilities ranking the ones you use most at the top of the list.  Delve into each and every one to bring to light the hidden qualities and abilities underlying each, major strength, and come up with a comprehensive skills list.

Then, assign each set of skills to each of your most important jobs to date.  Review the list honestly, and decide which skills need the most development before taking on the next level of leadership.  Plan how to acquire those skills through additional study, volunteer or community leadership opportunities and by taking on more responsibility in your current role.

Next, update your resume to include additional skills that previously may have been “buried” in the text.  This means building more text into the resume in anticipation of the next promotion. For instance, to give ideas about scope and scale, include numbers and dollar amounts where relevant.

Finally, identify next-step opportunities in your industry of choice.  Network authentically so you know when you have found the organization compatible with your work ethic, your beliefs and your needs for professional growth.  Well before “needing” the next role, create a short list of exciting organizations likely to fulfill your wish-list, and take on activities likely to bring you into contact with key players in those organizations. Informally practice discussing your career path within these networks well before making a formal application to any of them.

As a marketer, you are well-versed in thinking “outside of the box.” Now is the time to take those skills, and apply them to your most important client: Yourself.

Contact Karen Alphonse at Karena@execSearches.com or visit ExecSearches.com for more information about our career coaching services.

ExecSearches.com is a job board for nonprofit job seekers interested in fundraising, management and executive nonprofit jobs.

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Last updated on September 19th, 2012 at 12:07 pm