The writer is an expert on the labor market
Once in a while I meet people in brain professions who aspire to the positions of CEOs, and they don’t know that brain professions are not the way to get there, not even for VP positions. why? Because the senior management is staffed by the people who execute and not the people who think. That’s why those who grew up in professions where the core of the occupation is analysis, research and planning, will discover that the most senior positions in the organization are blocked to them, unless during their career they made a diversion to the performing professions.
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The paradox of the economists
Let’s take for example one of the most prominent mental professions – the economist. Before I elaborate, it is important to clarify that I am not referring to people who hold a degree in economics, on the contrary: this is one of the most versatile degrees, a quality degree that forms an excellent basis for senior management positions in a long list of professions outside of economics (except in the financial sector). Economics graduates can build a magnificent career in the worlds of marketing, sales, business development, operations, service, human resources and more, because they hold a much higher quality degree than a degree in business administration, for example, which is a general degree and not a profession. In each of these professional worlds, they can advance to vice president positions in leading organizations, except for finance.
Economists will find it very difficult to advance to the position ofCFOalmost always reserved for those who hold an accountant’s license and grew up in the accounting track, while they will have to “make do” with management positions in the economics department/division.
The paradox is that precisely in the other professional worlds economists can move from brain positions to executive positions relatively easily, especially if the transition is made in the organization where they work, but not in the most natural department for them – finance. There they are required, as mentioned, to be certified as an accountant – a task that for most people is very difficult to accomplish, if only because in addition to studies and bar exams, they are required to do a two-year internship, at a low salary.
Senior management positions are blocked not only for economists. People too BI And data analysts in many fields will have a very hard time climbing there, including algorithmists who hold a Ph.D. They too can advance “only” to managing teams or algorithmic departments, as mentioned above, architects who will have a very difficult time advancing to vice presidents of development, even though they grew in the executive track and served as development engineers.
Latest research and strategy in line
Research and strategy roles are also classic brain roles, the analysis component of research and planning is the core of their work, and therefore it is rare to find them in senior management. Let’s take for example the strategy managers in the marketing departments, who are the least likely to overshadow the VPs. They are preceded by the managers of the executive tracks, with the first in line being those who grew up in brand management, followed by the digital managers (depending on the type of company). Marketing communications managers can also advance to VP “Lot marketing, although only in high-tech companies (in high-tech the product VPs are the ones who manage the real marketing, while most marketing VPs manage the marketing communications).
Is the recommendation not to build a career in the brain professions? of course not. Let’s start with the fact that for many people, it is much more appropriate to engage in intellectual professions than in executive professions, what’s more, those of them who are interested in management positions, do not have to insist on female vice presidents. For example, managing an economic system in a serious company may be much larger and more significant than vice president positions in most companies In the economy, although the manager of the array is not a member of the board.
Do not delay the transition
Secondly, even people who started their careers in brain professions can make a detour to executive professions, and advance along these paths to positions in the management of the company – provided that they do not postpone the transition to too late a stage in their career.
Moreover, economics graduates are definitely recommended to do at least one significant role as classical economists before moving to the executive axis. This professional base is going to be very valuable and give them a considerable relative advantage over colleagues without a background in brain positions.
The main disadvantage of some brain professions is their relative rarity, especially outside of high-tech. As strange as it may sound, most companies in the business sector do not have a classic economist, certainly not a strategist, simply because they are too small and poor. As a result, management positions in these professions are much rarer, and exist only in large enough companies.
Is this a reason not to choose a profession? Depends on the value of the brand you have built for yourself. Good luck, and remember – career is the opposite of what you thought.