Sorry to hijack this thread, but update on above. As reported, I’ve been in a strange limbo career-wise due to shifting sands and changes in huge company strategy, and increasingly fearful my existence on the spectrum may limit future opportunities.
I work for a huge well known services and tech company, with a big internal business research division.
Each multi-billion industry has a lead thought leader. It’s sort of like a tenured professor in residence, or as it’s been described to me privately, an ivory tower.
Job is to meet with clients and industry experts, do external research on trends, understand how tech is solving real problems or poised to, and translate into papers, blogs, decks, and do a lot of speaking at conferences, to internal sales teams, and sometimes with execs at clients.
Global role, when travel resumes it essentially means thinking about stuff, translating it into a distinct point of view, then going around the globe and sharing ideas, and promoting a personal brand as a representative of the company. Half analyst/researcher, half futurist.
Guy who had this role for last 15 years for my industry just announced his retirement, and a few different execs submitted me for consideration, including my last two bosses. Have interviewed with 2/3 decision makers with third one Monday.
Feedback I got is that job is mine to lose, so don’t screw it up.
It’s not an easy job, in that I will be measured by quality of work and it’ll be fairly constant deadlines and volume of deliverables. My industry is actually divided into two large sub-industries with their own dynamics. (Telecom and Media & Entertainment.)
...But if there’s anything I could do longterm that suits my brain and career ambitions, it’s to gravitate to what interests me, think about stuff, and geek out with my business network. Could see myself doing that for the rest of my career if I can stick the landing!
Excited about the prospects!