The NextSeat Newsletter

Career Intelligence for Senior Leaders

Welcome to The NextSeat Newsletter™ My passion for helping senior leaders climb the corporate ladder began with my very first placement as an executive recruiter! After decades of interviewing and advising thousands of candidates, I gained a front-row seat to what helps people advance their careers and what causes others to be overlooked.

Today, I draw on that experience to share practical insights that will help you think strategically about your career, communicate your value, and prepare for what's next.

Is Your Career Headed Where You Want It to Go?

As the year winds down, many professionals begin thinking about goals for the year ahead.

They review budgets, business plans, team objectives, and performance metrics. They consider what needs to change, what needs improvement, and what they want to accomplish.

But how much time do they spend applying that same thinking to their own careers?

It's easy to get caught up in the demands of your current role. You deliver results, manage competing priorities, solve problems, and help the business move forward.

Before you know it, another year has passed.

Yet being busy isn't the same as growing. Performing well isn't the same as advancing. And years of experience don't automatically translate into new opportunities.

The question worth asking is this: Is your career headed where you want it to go?

As you plan for the coming year, I encourage you to take a step back and evaluate four areas that can influence your professional future.

1. Career Direction: Do You Know What You Want Next?

You may be successful in your current position and still be uncertain about what comes next.

Perhaps you're ready for a promotion or a role with broader responsibilities. Maybe you're considering opportunities outside your current organization. Or perhaps you've reached a point where you want to reassess your priorities and determine what you want the next phase of your career to look like.

You don't need to have every detail figured out. But you should have a sense of where you want to go.

Ask yourself:

• Where would I like my career to be two or three years from now?

• Am I moving toward that goal, or simply responding to what's in front of me?

• What would need to change for me to feel more engaged and fulfilled professionally?
  

Clarity matters. Without it, you can spend years working hard without necessarily moving toward the opportunities you want.

2. Career Growth: Are You Preparing for Your Next Opportunity?

Doing your current job well is important. But the capabilities that made you successful in your present role may not be enough to prepare you for your next one.

If you're aiming for a promotion, are you demonstrating the judgment, business perspective, and leadership capabilities expected at the next level?

Are you taking on challenges beyond your immediate responsibilities? Building relationships across the organization? Contributing to decisions that affect broader business priorities?

If you're considering a career move, are you clear about the roles you want and how your experience positions you for them?

Career growth rarely happens simply because you've been in a role long enough. It requires deliberate preparation and an understanding of what your next opportunity will demand.

Ask yourself:

• What capabilities or experiences would make me a stronger candidate for my next role?

• Am I demonstrating what I'm capable of, or primarily what I've already accomplished?

• What is one thing I could do differently in the coming year to expand my opportunities?
  

Don't wait until a promotion or an attractive position becomes available to start preparing.

3. Career Relevance: Is Your Experience Keeping Pace With Change?

Industries evolve. Business priorities shift. Technology changes how work gets done, and organizations face new competitive pressures.

Experience remains valuable, but its value is strongest when you can apply it to the challenges businesses face today.

This means staying informed about changes in your industry, understanding how expectations are evolving in your function, and identifying the skills and knowledge that will matter in the years ahead. It also means recognizing that what made you successful five or ten years ago may need to be complemented by new capabilities today.

You don't need to chase every new trend. But, you do need to understand which changes could affect your role, your organization, and your future opportunities.

Ask yourself:

• What changes in my industry or profession could affect my career over the next few years?

• Are my skills and expertise aligned with what organizations need today?

• What knowledge or capabilities should I strengthen to remain competitive?
  

Your experience is an asset. Keeping it relevant helps you continue to put it to work.

4. Professional Visibility: Do the Right People Understand Your Value?

This is an area many accomplished professionals underestimate. You may be delivering outstanding results, solving difficult problems, developing talent, and contributing significantly to your organization. But do the people who influence your future opportunities understand the impact you're making?

Visibility isn't about self-promotion for its own sake. It's about ensuring that your contributions, expertise, and leadership are understood.

If you're pursuing a promotion, that might mean communicating your accomplishments more effectively, contributing to strategic discussions, or building relationships beyond your immediate team.

If you're considering a career move, it could mean strengthening your professional network, updating your resume and LinkedIn profile, and becoming more effective at explaining the value you bring to a prospective employer.

And if you want to take on broader leadership responsibilities, technical expertise alone may not be enough. You also need to communicate clearly, influence decisions, and help others understand your perspective.

Ask yourself:

• Do decision-makers understand the impact of my work?

• Can I clearly communicate my accomplishments and the value I bring?

• Am I building the relationships and visibility that could open doors to future opportunities?
  

You shouldn't have to rely on others to piece together your contributions. Make it easier for them to understand what you bring to the table.

Turn Your Answers Into a Plan for the Year Ahead

You don't need to change everything at once. The most effective career plans begin with an honest assessment of where you are today and a clear decision about what deserves your attention next.

Start by identifying the area where you see the greatest opportunity for improvement.

Perhaps you need to clarify your direction before making a career move. Maybe you're ready for a promotion but need to demonstrate your readiness more clearly. You might need to strengthen your communication, increase your visibility, or develop capabilities that will keep you competitive as your industry changes.

Your priorities will depend on your goals. What matters is that you make them intentional.

Rather than entering January with a vague plan to advance your career, identify one or two specific actions you can take in the first quarter. Decide what progress would look like and how you'll know you're moving forward.

Then revisit your plan throughout the year.

One final question to consider: If nothing changed over the next year, would you be satisfied with where your career was headed?

Your answer may reveal more than you expect.

If you're uncertain, that's not necessarily a problem. It's an opportunity to take a closer look, identify what you want, and make more deliberate decisions about your future.

A Complimentary Resource to Help You Get Started

I've created a Year-End Career Direction Assessment to help you evaluate these four areas, identify potential gaps, and determine where to focus your attention in the coming year.

Whether you're considering a career move, preparing for a promotion, strengthening your communication and visibility, or looking to remain relevant in a changing market, this assessment can help you take a more purposeful approach to your career.

Your career deserves the same thoughtful planning you give to the other important priorities in your life. Here's to making the year ahead count! Get the free assessment here.

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To your success! Lisa

Lisa Chubinsky is the CEO and Founder of New Career Directions, a Career Development Company. She’s a Certified Career Coach, Executive Coach, Resume Writer and former Executive Recruiter with more than 25 years of experience in Life Sciences, IT, Finance and Manufacturing. Drawing on her extensive executive recruiting experience, Lisa developed her proprietary approach for corporations and her 1:1 sessions to helping senior leaders position themselves for advancement, communicate their value, strengthen their leadership presence, create impact, and successfully navigate their next career move.