Are You Ready?

So, you’ve adopted a new identity: aspiring Chief of Staff. But first, are you ready? Are you ready to conduct an arduous and grueling job search?

Let’s be real, this requires you to update your resume and LinkedIn. It requires you to outreach to specific jobs and people for informational interviews. And of course it requires you to nail the actual interviews while competing against 100s of candidates.

So first, ask yourself these 8 questions.

1) Do you have a clear motivation on why you want to be a Chief of Staff?

You have to be crystal clear on your motivation, otherwise you're gonna fall flat in the interview process, while wasting a bunch of time and energy.

2) Do you fully understand the job and its responsibilities?

Having a strong foundation of knowledge around the Chief of Staff roles and responsibilities is important so that you go in eyes wide open.

3) Do you have the right skills to be successful in the job?

You need to have the right skillset to actually deliver impact to your boss and your company. Review Chapter 2 to understand the hard skills and soft skills for a successful Chief of Staff.

4) Do you understand the career path to the role and beyond?

It's important to understand how to get to the Chief of Staff role and then how to exit into the role that you desire. Make sure you define your professional path.

5) Do you have what it takes to be a competitive applicant in today's labor market?

The Chief of Staff role is extremely in demand and there are plenty of extremely qualified applicants. Are you in the top 20% of the candidate pool?

6) Are you ready to commit time and energy to the job search process?

You need to have the space in your calendar and the mental fortitude to commit the right amount of energy to the job search process.

7) Is now the right time for you?

Do you have other things going on in your life, other personal matters to attend to? Maybe it's time to wait if so.

8) Do you have the right mindset to manifest your dream job?

You know, it really starts with the right motivation and intention. If you have the right mindset and are ready to go, then let’s go!

In sum, if you’ve said HECK YES to all 8, then we say off to the races, you are READY. Get after that Chief of Staff job that you’re targeting.

Share our Chief of Staff playbook with a colleague or friend who is exploring the Chief of Staff role in their professional journey using the link here.