I got my first CEO job at a nonprofit because the woman who hired me as her second in command told me she would invest in my development and ensure that I was prepared to take over when she retired – and she did just that. Her investment in me cut 3-5 years off of my career plan. Thinking back, some of my best positions came as a result of a referral from a mentor or because someone advocated for me to be hired into a position where I was not a clear ‘fit’. On the other side of this is the time I spent languishing in positions where I knew I … [Read more...]