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Top 3 Strategies for Staying Competitive in the Tech Executive Job Market

by iSphere on August 7, 2023 in Blog, Career Advice

Gone are the days when technical brilliance alone could secure even the most outstanding candidate an executive-level position or ensure long-term career growth. Tech executives must now strategically position themselves as well-rounded industry experts to people inside and outside their organizations.

To thrive and stay ahead in their careers, these leaders need to embrace a multifaceted approach. It should encompass not only building up their technical acumen but also learning to showcase their expertise, ace interviews, and optimize their team performance from a compensation standpoint.

The iSphere team has worked with leading businesses and top executives across the nation, and we know what it takes to be successful as an IT leader today. In such a competitive landscape, it’s crucial to be proactive in your approach to advancing your career. Read on for the top three strategies you can use to increase your competitiveness for your target executive positions.

Looking for guidance in your IT executive job search? Check out our 2023 IT Executive Salary Guide for additional ways to elevate your career.

Amp Up Your Remarkability and Value Story

To compete more effectively and safeguard job security, it’s imperative you develop a value story that sets you apart. This starts with identifying what makes you unique, highlighting the meaningful work you do that brings value to an organization.

If you’re Sundar Pichai, you would talk about your ability to oversee innovation and manage products that became the bellwether of the tech industry such as Google Chrome, Google Maps, or Gmail.

Once you’ve identified your unique value, make your contributions visible and felt by key stakeholders. Afterall, most of your audience won’t know what you’re doing unless you tell them. This includes colleagues, subordinates, customers, influencers, recruiters, and any other decision-makers in your organization.

Share your wins where your target audience will be; consistently and strategically communicate your achievements through various channels, both online and in person. Keeping your LinkedIn profile updated and posting regularly is a given, but you also have an opportunity to share more of your personality by posting video content on the platform. Highlight your recent wins, share insight on industry trends, or simply give your audience a behind-the-scenes look into your life at work. The more you share, the more opportunities you have for making real connections with your audience.

Further establish your thought leader credibility through public speaking engagements, industry conferences, webinars, podcasts, panels, or committees. Take Karen Fuller, iSphere’s Director of Technology Innovation, for example. Karen is well-known and highly respected in the educational tech space, due in part to her frequent and tenured involvement in various industry groups.

In addition to consistently sharing her value story online, Karen sits in advisory committees with manufacturers and software companies, participates on the Data Security Advisory Committee with TEA, as well as chairs the Advocacy Committee and facilitates the development of the Texas Student Data Privacy Alliance through the Texas K-12 CTO Council, a state chapter of CoSN. Her passion and extensive knowledge are immediately exemplified after you read her list of involvements.

Be like Karen and seize every opportunity you can to share your value story with a broader audience and solidify yourself as an industry expert. Explicitly telling people who you are and what you want—especially when you’re communicating online—is the best way to share your story.

Enhance Your Strategic Capabilities

In today’s increasingly volatile tech market, it’s vital you go beyond general strategy frameworks and develop industry-specific strategic thinking. This requires a deep understanding of the economics, psychology, and laws specific to your industry.

Continuously studying and internalizing these industry dynamics allows you to make better strategic decisions. Additionally, staying up to date on the latest market trends and attending executive education courses can further enhance your industry-specific understanding.

As you work to expand your focus, keep your eyes peeled for potential disruptors to your industry or company. Stay on top of convergent technology trends that have the power to transform value chains, industries, and competitive advantages.

Moreover, expand your focus beyond long-standing competitors and pay attention to unconventional new players that may pose a threat to your company. Proactively monitor emerging businesses and conduct issue-based competitive analyses to gain valuable insights and shape your strategic decisions.

In the same vein, consider adopting a contingency-planning and scenario-based mindset. Moving away from linear, deterministic thinking towards a more flexible approach can help you anticipate the various outcomes of a situation and adapt accordingly. By incorporating scenario thinking into strategic discussions, your leadership team can better prepare for uncertainties and make informed decisions in dynamic environments.

Differentiate Yourself in Unique Ways

To truly set yourself apart in the competitive tech arena, leverage these additional strategies:

Stay Up to Date with Compensation Practices: By understanding the latest trends in executive compensation, such as bonuses, stock options, and flexible benefit packages, you can align your compensation strategies with industry standards. Plus, by demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the financial aspects of your role, you showcase your business acumen and prioritize fair and competitive compensation for yourself and your team. Our IT Executive Salary Guide has all the information you need to develop an accurate benchmark of competitive compensation packages. Check it out today!
Embrace Cross-Functional Collaboration: Fostering strong relationships with professionals from diverse fields such as marketing, finance, and operations allows you to tap into a wealth of knowledge and perspectives. Plus, it helps you to devise holistic solutions that address complex business challenges. By integrating different viewpoints, you showcase your ability to navigate intricate interdisciplinary concerns with prudence and drive innovation through teamwork.
Ask Thought-Provoking Questions: In interviews, speaking engagements, meetings, and anywhere else possible, pose incisive questions that challenge assumptions, uncover insights, and drive meaningful discussions. By guiding teams towards innovative solutions and analyzing complex problems, you’ll establish yourself as a trusted decision-maker.

By demonstrating strong interpersonal skills, strategic thinking abilities, and a deep understanding of the organizational and industry landscape, you can position yourself and your company for success in an ever-changing world. And if you need guidance along the way, iSphere can help. Our recruiters keep both your technical skill set and your goals in mind to find genuine and attainable positions that meet your needs.