As an executive search firm, we are always consumed with filling positions for our clients. After all, this is the reason why companies engage us. Along the course, there are senior professionals, who reach out to us, seeking advice on their work journey. These accomplished individuals have a desire for new challenges, the thrills of another sector or the interest to move into other locations, and at times, turbulent business circumstances beyond their control necessitate the winds of change. And we have always, consciously, stretched ourselves to advise, guide, assist, and meet such people. There have been several times, when we have put them on to business and talent leaders who are not our clients. All without any commercial motive. Just ask Vidhya, Ajay, Gaurav, Javed, Bahram, Mayur, Santanu and many more.
A few years ago, we were thrilled to receive a call from a very senior professional who remembered to circle back and thank us for the advice and inputs which he said had helped him immensely in getting a really big job. In fact, we happened to be the first ones he had called! It indeed felt good to have played a small part in his life journey. In another instance, a fine young man early in his sales journey, was looking for a significant transition, and we advised him to complete his master’s instead, preferably from an international business school. We are pleased that today he has had a massively successful global career, across multiple continents, and now heads up a market leading company as its CEO. An accomplished consumer insights professional in a global research agency, harboured ambitions of moving to a pure marketing role in an MNC. We advised her to join a FMCG in the consumer insights function, prove herself and only then target a brand role. She did exactly that, and then was rewarded with a dream marketing position, in the same company. At another time, a senior and hugely successful Indian executive was not being able to make inroads in a foreign country to which he had recently migrated. We quickly diagnosed the issue was with his strategy, CV and outreach approach, and guided him to land interviews, which he converted. Once, a rising senior executive in a global network agency, who was seeking change, had a rather juvenile approach to his CV and LinkedIn profile and engagement. We helped him bring in some gravitas. He got a big opportunity soon after. There are hundreds of other such instances.
Our thousands of conversations with accomplished individuals, hiring and business leaders have helped us distil insights on career piloting from very close. As we work across several industries, we have the inside track on navigating careers – we are able to look at parallels, unnoticed by most others. We have now branded this advisory as Naviguer, focussing on bespoke career transformation consulting, encompassing, but not limited to objective setting, (one of the most crucial and often overlooked aspects of the process), deep understanding of the individual’s motivators, work journey analysis, resume review and guidance, LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn engagement strategy, personal branding, positioning, interviewing, compensation negotiation and transitioning into a new opportunity. Naviguer is ideal for people with at least 8 years of experience, who will find a curated personalised engagement useful. An individual can access the service in its entirety, or in specific modules, designed to progressively meet overall objectives. With proprietary tools and processes, it is intended to help you sail smoothly in the swirling corporate ocean and aid you in charting your professional voyage successfully.
A part of the fees from Naviguer is being directed towards the education of a few underprivileged children in NE India, and support of a not-for-profit organisation doing exemplary work in parts of Maharashtra. Many a times, an outside in view can help a person look at things from a different perspective. We all would have heard the story about the seemingly impossible ship repair. Our career transformation is at times something just like this. For the benefit of those who haven’t, here it is.
A giant ship’s engine had failed. The owners tried one ‘professional’ after another but none of them could figure out how to fix the broken engine. Then they brought in a man who had been fixing ships since he was young. He carried a large bag of tools with him and when he arrived immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. The ship’s owners were there watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine purred into life! Through his vast experience, he knew exactly what to do. And where to look.
Write in at hello@navigueradvisory.com, if you think your career engine needs new sails. Or winds. Or both.