Land Your Executive Dream Job
Snagging that coveted corner-office job used to be a distant, late-career dream for many new professionals, but thanks to technology, globalization and innovative educational programs, that’s not the case anymore.
At 27, Jaime Neely manages content and culture at Trend Hunter, a website that seeks to be the world’s top source for trend information and ideas. Seeking an efficient way to enhance her skill set and confidence in her role as a young manager, she turned to Smith School of Business’s executive education programs.
“The more professional development you can gain early on, the more adaptable, versatile and valuable you’ll be,” says Neely, who completed the two-day Coaching for Challenging Conversations program. “The foundation of a successful career and successful leadership is anchored in one’s ability to connect with others and build authentic relationships. Professional development goes beyond technical ability, which in my opinion, is becoming less important.”
Neely isn’t alone in her thinking. Salman Mufti is the associate dean of executive education at Smith School of Business, and he says that as the world continues to globalize rapidly, competition grows just as fast throughout both Canadian and international sectors. With more and more people going to business school, it’s becoming increasingly important for young managers to wield the business acumen and leadership skills traditionally associated with seasoned professionals.
“Now there is a high level of expectation that even young managers will know the fundamentals of business and management and have an understanding of best practices in these areas,” he says. “Having knowledge of these complementary skills may give young professionals an advantage, but more critically, not having these skills will definitely put them at a disadvantage as they work through their careers and compete in a global market.”
For young professionals, like Neely, who says the program she attended not only made her more confident but also helped her see challenges as opportunities, Smith School of Business offers a range of management education programs designed to help accelerate the pace of their careers.
“We feel that the short-format programs, the 13 two-day programs offered in Toronto, would be ideally suited to younger professionals and managers. It’s more difficult for an entry-level manager to take time off, and they may have more budget constraints on their training. Coming to these programs provides them with a flexible and affordable way to get a taste of these programs to start an educational portfolio in this area.” Mufti adds that a new program geared specifically at young professionals, Business Management Fundamentals for New Managers, will be launched this fall.
Smith School of Business has long maintained this forward-thinking approach. In fact, it was one of the first Canadian business schools to offer executive education, launching programming in 1983. Since then, Smith has seen more than 30,000 managers representing more than 100 industries from more than 60 countries go through its programs.
All the offerings include an experiential method of learning and foster a collaborative environment, and Mufti notes that the faculty members teaching in the executive programs are experienced educators as well as successful practitioners.
Adds Neely, “the atmosphere was really inclusive and interactive. The small group was conducive to plenty of sharing and connecting with others.”
Contact an adviser or register online for one of the short-format executive education programs offered in Toronto by Smith School of Business.