Alex BERGHOFEN ✅’s Post

Strategy/Chief of Staff roles are experiencing an increasing demand across startups, major corporations, and consulting firms. This surge in interest is due to their pivotal role in supporting company leadership. In addition to competitive compensation and increased organizational visibility, these roles are gateways to high-potential positions such as product management, growth leadership, Chief Operating Officer (COO), or Profit and Loss (P&L) management. Seeking guidance to launch your career in Strategy and Chief of Staff roles? In our recent workshop, 'Building a Career in Strategy & Chief of Staff Roles,' Deepali Jain and Sridhar Karanth shared invaluable insights and experiences on navigating this dynamic field effectively. Here are a few insights from the workshop: 👉 Strategy roles prioritize project-driven outcomes, while Chief of Staff positions act as the eyes and ears of leadership, addressing immediate organizational priorities such as growth and profitability. 👉 You become a pivotal figure in the day-to-day decision-making process, showcasing adaptability and agility as you support C-level executives. 👉 The role evolves based on the organization's pressing needs, spanning growth, profitability, and structural optimization, making it both dynamic and challenging. 👉 Crucial in-demand skills (for this role) include communication, critical thinking, analytical prowess, and effective leadership. 👉 Emphasize innovation as an essential skill for a Strategy role. Building trustworthy relationships is crucial for a chief of staff as they deal with sensitive information. 👉 Strategy roles emphasize creativity, strategic execution, and team unification, while Chief of Staff positions require business acumen and a comprehensive understanding of organizational dynamics. 👉 Building trustful relations with leadership is pivotal, as many Chief of Staff positions are filled internally based on trust. 👉 Prioritize skill-building through internships and online courses to expand your knowledge base and practical experience. 🔥 Ready to navigate the strategy/Chief of Staff landscape?  Let's chart a course to your dream role! Follow Pivot to know about our next event and for more such content on how to navigate your career journey! #career #jobsearch #strategy #chiefofstaff

4️⃣ Four years ago, I stood at the crossroads of uncertainty, a clueless undergrad with a hunger for something more but no roadmap to follow. The corporate dream? A distant echo. The idea of joining the ranks of industry giants like the #Big4 or #MAANG? A mere whisper in the wind. Fast forward to today, and the whispers have turned into a resounding call to action! 🌪️ 💪 Armed with five years of immersive corporate experience and a master's degree that's as much a testament to perseverance as it is to knowledge, I stand on the precipice of possibility, fueled by determination and driven by purpose. 🗺 My journey from uncertainty to clarity has been nothing short of exhilarating. I've danced with doubt, wrestled with challenges, and emerged not just unscathed but fortified. In the halls of corporate powerhouses, I've had the privilege of collaborating with visionaries, unraveling complexities, and embracing the art of continuous learning. 👀 Now, as I set my sights on the zenith of career success, I am not merely chasing a dream; I am sculpting a destiny. The Big 4 and FAANG? They're not just names; they're beacons of innovation, beckoning me to leave my mark on the world stage. With every step forward, I am emboldened by the belief that the best is yet to come. 🚀 So here's to the journey—the triumphs, the tribulations, and everything in between. I invite you to join me as I embrace the challenge, seize the opportunity, and plunge into the dance of change, for therein lies the path to growth and fulfillment. 💫 Remember to keep your eyes peeled; I'm on a mission to weave my way into the fabric of these fantastic companies: Deloitte, PwC Canada, EY Technology Solutions, KPMG Canada, and Google. 🌊🎉 #CareerAdventure #TrailblazingJourney #BigDreams #FAANGGoals #CorporateOdyssey #EmbraceTheChallenge ❔ Ready to embark on this adventure with me? Drop me a message to connect and explore new possibilities! 📩🌟

"Anne, what advice do you have for emerging revenue leaders?" I have been asked this question a few ways in the past month. I don't presume to have all the answers and here is what's worked for me: 1) Craft YOUR narrative. Paint outside the lines. I started out as Electrical Engineering at UCLA. My curiosity inspired me to take classes outside of my pre-reqs. My counselors told me to "stay in my lane." I graduated with two BAs in Economics and International Development with a minor in Spanish. Studied in Chile for 6 months to gain fluency. These experiences directly influenced landing an internship in Honda's export sales 2) Don't underestimate what you can do, even if the most junior in the room While at Honda the leadership team wanted to understand more about this "www - world wide web trend." They asked "the intern - (me)" to review the websites across their different geographic locations All the websites had wildly different look and feels compared to our upmarket competitors. So I made a few recommendations including - Build in a unifying banner across all sites - Streamline the brand experience My recommendations were implemented across all the global websites. (I think if they had known how big the web would be, they wouldn't have given it to the intern!) 3) Show up authentic and be confident in your abilities. When I moved to FP&A at Gilead Sciences, I was up against a few top candidates. I remember the hiring manager saying, "Listen Anne, I won't lie, it's between you and another candidate who has an MBA from Wharton. Definite leg up." I looked at her and said, "You know what? you're right. That is a pretty significant leg up. I can see why you might go with that person. I don't have an MBA, much less one from Wharton. AND here is why I think I'm the right person for the role..." I got the job. 4) Trust your gut to take the leap to explore the non-linear path 12 years ago I had three choices: - internal promotion - promotion through external job offer - Take a massive paycut to move to Africa to do work on the ground implementing national HIV policy The logical, more comfortable choice would have been #1 or #2. I took 3 as it aligned to my deep dreams. It changed the course of my career. 5) Commit and do the work. Dreams do not materialize without commitment and putting in the work. There are no short cuts. Ignite Consulting had a strong launch. And it leveraged 20 years of relevant experience a year building community & networks building my own website & writing ALL the copy getting user feedback. doing bus dev. and it's just starting.. Now the question to you... What is YOUR dream? What is your narrative? And what will you do to help make that dream a reality? #dreambig #writeyournarrative

🙅♂️10 years ago, a McKinsey & Company Partner told me it was ‘too divisive’ for me to come back to McKinsey after grad school. The few Partners who I worked with were keen for me to return, but the others wondered why they should let back in someone not offered a McK scholarship. 🔀 The plot twist - 6 years later, I had lunch with Ali Potia (a champion of #diversity), and a chat with Diaan-Yi Lin (a steady yet progressive leader), who assured me that things had changed, McKinsey now valued the diversity of experiences alumni had to offer, and showed that both through the composition of people at the firm, and the increased diversity of pathways to #leadership. 🙋🏽♂️They encouraged me to reapply, and I had fantastic conversations with Arne Gast, Gaurava Sahi, Liesje Meijknecht, Joydeep Sengupta, James Cox, Tejas Parikh getting me super excited about rejoining and turbocharging my professional development in #peopleandculture. 🕵🏽♂️ But I faced a dilemma. Right before signing my offer, I got a call from Open Government Products asking if I wanted to be the Founding Head of People and Culture for a new GovTech Singapore unit modeling what government could be like if we ran like a startup. I had to ask myself 3 questions to make the most difficult career decision of my life: 1. Role: consultant👨🏽💼or in the game👨🏽💻? Did I want to be advising large companies what to do, or be the one making the plays? 2. Timing 🕣: Did I want to be doing something evergreen at a firm that would be relevant at anytime in the near future, or be part of a founding startup team? 3. Focus 🧘🏽♂️: did I want to work on a variety of problems across orgs and geography, or focus on making Singapore’s 🇸🇬 government more agile and developmental? In 2019, the answer was clear for me - I wanted to play as a founding startup member focused on solving a critical challenge for the 🇸🇬 Govt. In my new role and beyond, I hope to continue working with my McKinsey friends, like Tracy Lee and others. What’s your #careercrossroads story, and how did you make your decision? #merrychristmas

🚀 Unlocking the Potential of Junior Talent: A Conversation with a Global Brand Insider 🚀 Had an eye-opening lunch with a friend from a globally recognized brand this week. We got into a discussion about the challenges they face in developing young professionals and junior talent. What surprised me was his candid revelation: Him: "We struggle with junior talent." Me: "In what way?" Him: "Attracting excellent young talent is not the issue; it's retaining them." Me: "Why's that?" Him: "Our internship program poses challenges. We bring them on, but as soon as they settle in, they transition away for various reasons. My control is limited." Intrigued, I suggested, "What if you had a partner handling hiring, training, mentoring, and launching high performers in their initial three years? One that ensures you access top-quality, reliable consulting talent precisely when you need it?" Him: "Sounds interesting...tell me more." Enter Crew! 🚀 Crew guarantees access to top-tier, dependable junior consulting talent. Clients choose Crew for our driven, high-performing business and technology professionals who seamlessly integrate into project teams. If sourcing and retaining outstanding junior talent has been a struggle, there's no doubt we should talk more! And there's more, you have the right to offer these high performers a full-time position after 12 months. A true funnel for future leaders! Him: "This is compelling...for many reasons. It spreads the risk, doesn't put it all on us, and solves the retention problem. Let's discuss specifics." Ready to revolutionize your approach to junior talent? Let's connect and explore how Crew can be the catalyst for your team's success. 💼🌟 #TalentDevelopment #CrewPartnership #FutureLeaders

🔊 Here we go!    I have had the honour of sitting down with the Managing Director of 'expleo group', Phil Codd. I would like to say a big thank you to Phil Codd for taking time out of his day to do this interview and for being so open.    Here are the key takeaways from our enriching discussion 💡 :    Resilience in Sales 📊 : "You have to learn to take the knocks because for every win you make, there is going to be five that will knock you back." Phil Codd's valuable advice highlights the necessity of resilience in the competitive world of sales. Rejections are part of the journey, and building resilience is crucial to overcoming setbacks!    AI Revolution and Quality Assurance 🤖 : Emphasising the significance of quality data, Phil Codd highlights the role of accurate information in the success of AI solutions. This is especially true in sensitive areas like law or ethics, where one small mistake can ruin lives. Furthermore, according to Phil Codd, while AI might be relatively new to some, it has always been here, and its potential is vast, therefore the constant willingness to learn about AI would be greatly beneficial for future endeavours.     Navigating Complex Networks 🤝 : “I was talking to somebody yesterday and they were talking about when they were young and just started working in a company somewhere, and it turned out that they’d knock on the door too viciously of somebody’s office, you think, well, that’s nothing. It turns out the person that was upset was friendly with the chief executive, so he told him and eventually got him shifted to another department. There was an informal relationship that he was not aware of, so you have always got to do your homework and figure out the political scene.”  This is an example from Phil Codd that shows how important identifying influential decision-makers within buying cycles and understanding informal relationships are. Whether in sales or in life, knowing the political landscape can lead to better decision-making and smoother interactions. Always do your homework!    I hope you have found this as insightful as I have and please do leave your thoughts in the comments! 💬   Next up is a conversation with Declan White, senior executive at Veolia. In which he highlights how a company balances sustainability and profitability, how to be a leader and how passion has played a role in his career. Stay tuned!    #VoicesOfLeadership #internship #businessleaders #managingdirector #insights #sales #expleogroup

Wondering which one to pick - CEO's Office role with a startup or a Management Consulting role? To help you decide, we have collated a detailed guide below which differentiates between these 2 roles based on work-life balance, quality of work engagements, compensation, and much more. Hope this helps all college students and early working professionals! Follow us (Career Edge) for more such content on career paths and business school preparation, if you found this helpful! And to relaunch your career, build your strategy toolkit & make a switch to Consulting through live mentorship & placement assistance by folks working with McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Dalberg, you can become a part of our Consulting Fellowship (Application link is in the comments). #careers #startups #consulting

15 Things I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Business #8: The right fit is always better than finding the right experience. As I’ve talked about, The Good has evolved a lot over the years. This means that we’ve had employees in positions that are perfect for them, but when the job shifted, they didn’t fit anymore. Instead of forcing them to stay in that box, we always made sure to transition people into the best role for them. Even if it seemed unconventional. Our Director of Strategy Natalie, for example,, started with us as an intern. From day one, she showed a clear head for logic and openness to new ways of thinking that fell exactly in line with the way The Good was heading. She was a major part of what ended up becoming our Conversion Growth Program™ (now our Digital Experience Optimization Program™). She was only a year into being a full-time employee when she stepped into the director role. I remember it like it was yesterday, I said, “Here's the situation: your director is leaving, and I think you’re the best person for the role.” She told me she didn’t think she was qualified. I gave her some time to think it over. By time, I mean 24 hours. I told her that I think she’s a great fit, and I'd do everything I could to support her and make sure she succeeds. Five-plus years later, she’s taken control of the role in a way even I couldn’t have expected. While Natalie is just one very notable example, I can honestly say that most team members at The Good has a similar story. They are here for a reason, and they shape the company into what we are. Not the other way around. And that’s why we’ve been around for 15 years.

Joanna Lu, Expert Partner, Shanghai "I joined Bain as an Expert Partner 3 years ago. Prior to Bain, I spent 25 years in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry, working for international companies. The work required multiple relocations, including the US, China, and Korea. The relocation brought many challenges but also opened new opportunities. Nowadays, my husband holds a global role in the US, while I work in Shanghai. It may seem crazy on the surface, but our family makes it work. I am proud this provides my son with an education in several different countries’ educational systems.   I do not believe that there is such a thing as work-life balance. I would rather call it work-life multiplication. It is more important to find the interlock between work and life and figure out ways to integrate them into each other. For me, it is about being present in my son’s life while working. I relocated to Korea for 2 years as a travelling mum. But at the same time, I served as the Chairwoman of my son’s primary school committee, where I organized the school's events and fun activities for children. I also brought his whole class to visit my workplace overseas, which has become a sweet family memory.   Throughout my career, I worked in different fields, but my primary area of expertise and my passion is Marketing. Marketing is a constantly evolving field. We say that marketers need to touch the consumer’s heart, head, and hand. At the same time, Marketing is also about strategy - it is the field where logic meets magic. When someone asks what makes me proud in my professional life, I say that I am proud knowing the products I worked on are on the shelves of people worldwide.   Joining Bain opened new opportunities for me. Becoming a part of a consulting firm has allowed me to work on a variety of client cases across different industries. We drive new trends and generate innovative ideas that allow us to shape the traditional ways of doing business. In the last three years, I have had the privilege of serving numerous multinational brands and local enterprises, devising commercialization strategies for various prominent Internet companies.   Working at Bain helped me grow as a multiplier leader. Previously, I was a leader whom people were kind to because of what I did for them. Today, I am a leader whom people naturally follow, not because of a title or the decision power I hold, but because of my personal integrity, and trust they have in me.   There is an old Chinese saying that advises how to become successful in career – make achievements, nurture talents, and inspire greatness. I have been following these principles throughout my professional journey.   After almost 30 years of career and relocation to 6+ countries, I learned to live life multiple times as well as to become a multiplier leader." #atBain

Why do new CEOs get less scrutiny than fresh graduates? It’s an everyday story. A well-respected firm is appointing a new CEO. On the same day as the new CEO is appointed, a new graduate trainee is employed. Expectations for the former are surely higher than for the latter, that’s why the difference in the degree of scrutiny each hire will receive is peculiar. Our latest article, titled "Demystifying Successful CEO Recruitment and Selection," challenges conventional CEO recruitment methods, and sheds light on the disparity in scrutiny between new graduates and CEOs. Failure rates among new CEOs are staggering (only 50-60% make it over 18 months) since the conventional search industries work with outdated recruitment models dependent on prior experiences and personal connections. This piece marks the start of MU’s new article series: "CEO Success Demystified." In this series, our experts from the MU Board & CEO practice will guide you, step by step and drawing from their personal experiences, on how to effectively select and develop Boards and CEOs. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/d7mRfUDm Find out more about our science-based approach to the effective selection and development of Boards and CEOs at https://lnkd.in/diEbhYZP