Interim Managers – The Dynamic Demographic

Forget the corporate ladder, increasing numbers of the most talented in the workforce are moving into the interim management market. Moreover, interim management as a career option is fast losing the ‘pale, male and stale’ reputation that was held ten or so years ago. The new generation of interim managers reflect a younger, more dynamic demographic. Those with talent have a wider arena to excel and succeed, regardless of age or gender.

The previous perception – that most interim managers were males, close to retirement age who wanted more time on the golf course and less time in the office, whilst still earning enough to pay for long lunches at the nineteenth hole – is now as outmoded as plus fours. With talent and skills in ever-increasing demand, interim management opens up the perfect playground to be recognised for key skills, whilst gaining a range of valuable experiences, and opportunities that might have been withheld in the past.

More women are taking the interim route, recognising that there are key advantages to this freelance option. For women juggling a career with child-care obligations, interim management creates greater opportunities to have more control over home/work balance, or at least feel that they are able to prioritise their needs on their terms to a greater extent. For example, timing the end of an assignment to coincide with long summer holidays offers an option to take time out without jeopardising a career. There is also a growing recognition that some key elements of interim contracts can be undertaken at home, without the need to spend weeks in a hotel. So, it’s clear to see why a growing number of talented women are stepping in to this market.

There is, of course, a downside. As anyone who is essentially self-employed knows, life can feel precarious until the next work contract is negotiated. However, as more women step into interim management, they are also finding that it can provide a faster route to promotion and pushing the ‘glass ceiling’ of upper management, than remaining with one employer. Since interim managers are ‘judged’ purely on skills and expertise, many office bound prejudices lose momentum. What a relief to be free from office politics, or judgement about potential maternity leave and to be respected purely for the skills that you bring to an assignment.

With a recognised ‘war for talent’ acknowledged in every board room it’s not just women who are reaping the rewards as interim managers. As a career path, it can offer greater potential for those with drive and ambition, regardless of age. Talented thirty somethings can build an impressive CV, without stepping on toes; undertaking an assignment with a clear remit, won’t pose a threat to the established workforce, as, after all, they are only temporary.

Interim management is here to stay and doing well, in part, as a direct result of shaking up traditional corporate demographics. Perhaps the only threat it might pose is to the ‘old boys’ on the golf course.