When your supervisor is the U.S. President offering career guidance, you heed his words. Aneesh Raman recollects a valuable lesson from his time as a speechwriter for President Barack Obama (2011-2013): “Focus on what you want to do, not who you want to be.” Drawing from Obama's community organizing roots in Chicago, this advice emphasizes the importance of impact and skills over job titles.
Raman, now a LinkedIn Vice President, suggests aligning career goals with skills development to navigate evolving job landscapes. Given the emergence of roles such as chief growth officer and sustainability analyst in 2024, unknown positions await today's young professionals. Rather than fixating on titles, Raman proposes a three-phase career approach:
1. Ages 20-35: Acquire core skills based on interests and strengths.
2. Ages 35-45: Apply unique expertise to specialized concerns, be it in a specific field or broader subject matter.
3. Age 45 and beyond Envision the organizational and global impacts aligned with personal values and skills.
Raman advocates for this structured career strategy as it empowers individuals to steer their professional trajectories, unlike fixating on specific job titles that may become obsolete. Prioritizing skill development and impact may pave the way for enduring success in an ever-evolving job landscape.
Raman is a fan of what he calls a “squiggly line” career that isn’t quite linear but still has a connective thread. He lives it, too: In addition to working for the Obama administration, Raman also worked as a CNN war correspondent in the Middle East, head of economic impact at Facebook, and senior advisor in the Office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“My job titles as a career don’t make sense,” he says, “but my skills across the board are storytelling and coalition building” around economic opportunity.