2017 BlueSteps Executive

Career Outlook
Exclusive insights on global
executive-level career trends.
For BlueSteps and AESC members only
 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook
Exclusive insights on global executive-level career trends
Global Insights
B
ased on predictions by 1,219 senior
management professionals worldwide,
who are also members of BlueSteps,
the executive career management service
of the Association of Executive Search and
Leadership Consultants (AESC), the mood
among global management professionals is
more optimistic about the global executive job
market in 2017 compared to the same time
last year. Executives worldwide understand
there is fierce competition for top executive-
level jobs, and todays successful candidates
for the C-suite must bring much more than
relevant skills, but also learning agility and
Management-Level Professionals are More Optimistic
Chart 1: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for 2017
*Comparison to AESC member forecast based on perspective of leaders of AESC member firms worldwide (right).
2 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report
demonstrated thought leadership in their
industries.
While management-level professionals cite
global uncertainty as a key concern for this year,
45% still feel more optimistic about executive
job opportunities in 2017, compared to only
40% last year. Less than a quarter (23%) feel
less optimistic about the executive job market
in 2017 versus 2016. This increase in optimism
also aligns with a more optimistic outlook by
AESC member executive search and leadership
consultants for 2017 compared to 2016, as
revealed in the AESC Executive Talent Outlook
report this year.
Executive Search Consultants are More Optimistic
 Thirty-six percent of management-level level professionals surveyed expect no significant
professionals expect the number of executive-level change in executive job opportunities in 2017
job opportunities to increase this year, compared compared to last year, and only 21% expect
to 31% last year. A larger segment of management- opportunities to decrease from the year prior.

Chart 2: BlueSteps members predict volume of executive job opportunities in 2017

2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report - 3

 Economy is moving in the
right direction

Trumps pro-business
policies

Less unnecessary
regulations should spur
continuing growth

I have been approached by

executive search consultants
more frequently
Tax reform will stimulate
corporate investment, which
will drive greater M&A and
overall opportunities
There are a few key trends influencing the mood
among global management-level professionals
related to their career prospects in 2017. Of
those who are feeling more optimistic, the
highest percentage cited the global economy
as the number one reason why, with 38%
feeling that a more positive economic climate
in 2017 was contributing to a stronger job
market. This was followed by 25% who feel
that the geopolitical climate is positively
influencing the executive job market in their
favor. Other management-level professionals
cited the overall business climate, investment
and recruitment activity as signs that 2017
would be a more favorable year for executive
job prospects than 2016.

Increased expenditure on
technology infrastructure
and product development

Digitalization is changing
the way organizations
operate across boundaries
and borders and requires
new insights into operations
and go-to market strategies.

Chart 3: BlueSteps members share why they are feeling more optimistic about the
executive job market

4 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report


On the other end of the spectrum, of those
management-level professionals who are
less optimistic, the highest percentage cited
the geopolitical climate as the number one
reason why, with 38% feeling that geopolitics
are clouding the global executive job market
in 2017. This was followed by 31% who feel
that a volatile global economy is negatively
impacting executive job prospects in 2017.
Chart 4: BlueSteps members share why they are feeling less optimistic about the executive job
market
Seems as though C-level
and executive management
positions are being
eliminated or not filled and
more responsibilities are
being spread through the
existing executives.
Attacks on globalization
Uncertainty in key regions
around the world will lead
Other management-level professionals cited companies to be more
direct evidence of fewer jobs, cost cutting and conservative and executives
consolidation as signals that 2017 would be a who have jobs will stay put
less favorable year for executive job prospects
than last year.
It is interesting to note that both the global Most companies are still
economy and the geopolitical environment finding ways to cut costs.
ranked in the top two reasons influencing both There seems to be a trend to
those management professionals who are reduce CXO level positions
and increase responsibility
within the lower ranks
I was optimistic when I
returned home to the US
in late 2016 but after four
months searching for an IT
leadership position, I am no
longer so optimistic.
The economic outlook is
bad worldwide. Everyone I
know is pessimistic about the
global situation. Companies
are looking at how to reduce
costs as a first priority.
Market consolidation and
too many people in the
market for too few positions.
2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report - 5
 more optimistic this year and those who have a
negative outlook. Those surveyed hold varying
views of how the economy and the geopolitical
landscape are impacting executive-level jobs this
year depending on where in the world they are
based, as well as their own political leanings.
When looking at attitudes about the
executive job market in 2017 based on age
of management-level professionals, age also
Chart 5: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for 2017 by age
bracket
6 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report
does play a role. Both older and younger
management-level professionals cast a less
optimistic forecast for the executive job market
in 2017, signaling that age may be a limiting
factor in executive opportunities, or that the
perception is that opportunities are more
limited for those under 35 and for age 55 and
older. Optimism for the executive job market
in 2017 is higher among those aged 35 to 54.
Regarding executive mobility, of those expect it will take six to twelve months in the job market, 52% cited executive
management-level professionals who to land a new executive-level job. When coaching, followed by 49% who expressed
plan to actively look for new opportunities asked what additional education or further digital training as a competitive
in 2017, the greatest percentage (46%) services could help them stay competitive advantage.

Chart 6: BlueSteps members forecast how long it will take Chart 7: BlueSteps members share what additional services/
to secure a new executive job in 2017 experiences will most help executives remain competitive in the
job market this year

Of those management-level professionals

not looking for new opportunities in 2017,
nearly a third (29%) cited being satisfied in
their current role as a reason they were not
looking to make a move this year, followed
by 27% who just started a new position.
Twelve percent revealed they are simply
too busy to make a career move this year.

Chart 8: BlueSteps members reveal why they are not looking

to make a career move in 2017

2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report - 7

 Outlook by Sector
Management-level professionals worldwide
believe that Technology and Healthcare/Life
Sciences are the two sectors that will experience
the most growth in 2017. This aligns with the
forecast of AESC member executive search and
leadership advisors who, in the AESC Executive
Talent Outlook report this year, also predict
these two sectors as the top two for growth in
2017. There is a 14% increase in the number of
management level professionals who expect the
Management-Level Professionals and Executive Search Consultants Expect Growth in Technology and Healthcare Sectors
Chart 9: BlueSteps members forecast top sectors for strongest growth in 2017
*Comparison to AESC member forecast for sector growth in 2017 (right).
8 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report
Technology sector to experience the strongest
growth in 2017 compared to last year (64% to
73%). The percentage who predicted growth
for Healthcare/Life Sciences decreased by six
percentage points this year compared to last year,
but more than half (52%) expect growth in the
sector this year. Financial Services, ranked third
in growth sectors for both years, increased this
year with 19% more management professionals
expecting growth in the sector during 2017.
Sectors forecast to experience
the most growth in 2017.
 When examining attitudes about the executive
job market in 2017, as well as the volume of
opportunities this year, in comparison to last
year, management-level professionals worldwide
working in Professional Services cast the most
positive outlook, along with those in the Industrial
sector. Fifty-two percent of management-level
professionals working in Professional Services
feel optimistic about the executive job market
in 2017, compared to only 37% last year. This
Chart 10: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for 2017 by sector
increase may signal that in times of uncertainty,
insights from trusted advisors are more sought
after in order to minimize risk. Those in the
Industrial sector also cast a similar outlook
for 2017, with 52% feeling optimistic this year
compared to 39% last year. Management-level
professionals in the Nonprofit/Education sector
were the only respondents who expressed a
decline in optimism in 2017 compared to last year
(53% to 32%), with a 40% decrease in optimism.
2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report - 9
 Of those management-level professionals
surveyed, those in Industrial (43% compared
to only 33% last year) and Professional Services
(42%) were the highest percentage who
forecast increased executive job opportunities
in 2017. In the AESC Executive Talent
Outlook report this year, AESC members rank
Nonprofit/Education as the sector least likely
Chart 11: BlueSteps members predict volume of executive job opportunities in 2017 by sector
10 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report
to experience strong growth in 2017, with only
14% of AESC members expecting strong growth
in the sector, down from 19% last year. Those
management-level professionals surveyed also
forecast the volume of opportunities in the
Nonprofit/Education sector to experience less
growth this year compared to last year (41% to
34% respectively), a 17% decline.
 Outlook by Function

Board Directors, Chief Finance Officers
(CFOs) and Chief Operations Officers (COOs)
are the functional roles of those who
participated in the survey who cast the
greatest positive shift in attitude about the
job market in 2017 compared to 2016. Fifty-
two percent of CFOs feel optimistic about
the executive job market this year compared
to only 35% of CFOs last year, a 49% year-
on-year increase among finance executives.
Chief Technology and Information Officers
(CTOs/CIOs) cast the greatest negative shift in
attitude about the executive job market with
only 29% of CTOs/CIOs optimistic this year
compared to 48% last year, a 40% year-on-
year decline.
While AESC member executive search
consultants forecast strong demand for
CIOs/CTOs, CIOs/CTOs who expressed
lower optimism in the surveycompared
to management-level professionals in other
functions, referenced uncertainty caused by
geopolitical eventsas well as a perception
that while middle management Tech roles
were abundant, there were less opportunities
at senior-level.

CFOs Significantly More Optimistic This Year AESC Members Rank CISO as Most in Demand Function

Chart 12: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for 2017 by C-suite function
*Comparison to AESC member forecast for growth functions in 2017 (right)

2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report - 11

 Of management-level professionals surveyed,
CFOs are also the most bullish about their job
prospects this year, with 48% predicting increased
job opportunities in 2017 compared to only 22%
in 2016, a 118% year-on-year increase. Board
Directors are also casting an optimistic outlook
for opportunities in 2017, with 43% more Board
Directors positive about the year ahead than in
2016.

Chart 13: BlueSteps members predict volume of executive

job opportunities in 2017 by function

12 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report

 Outlook by Region
Among management-level professionals
worldwide, those in Latin America are feeling
the most optimistic, with 55% casting an
optimistic outlook for the executive job market
in 2017 compared to only 24% last year, a
129% year-on-year increase. Latin America is
experiencing strong signals of a return to growth
and that is reflected in the outlook for the year
ahead by management-level professionals in
Chart 14: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for 2017 by
region
Latin America. Management-level professionals
across all regions cast a more optimistic forecast
for the executive job market in 2017 compared
to the year before, with the exception of
Europe. The future of the European Union
and geopolitical events, including increased
terrorism across the continent, is impacting the
mood among Europe-based management-level
professionals.
2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report - 13
 At the country-level, the survey reveals the
greatest shift in outlook for the executive
job market among management-level
professionals in China, with a 260% year-
on-year increase in optimism, and Brazil, a
240% year-on-year increase in optimism.
Management-level professionals in the
UK & Ireland cast the greatest decrease
in optimism, with 55% optimistic last year
compared to 44% this year, a 20% decline,
influenced by Brexit and the future of
the EU. New data this year also reveals a
highly optimistic outlook for the executive
job market in 2017 among those in Spain
& Portugal.

Management-Level Professionals in Brazil Executive Search Professionals Forecast Strong Growth

Significantly More Optimistic for China

Chart 15: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for 2017 by country
*Comparison to AESC member forecast for market growth in 2017 (right)

Chart 16: New This Year: Optimism about the executive job market among BlueSteps members for
2017 by European market

14 - 2017 BlueSteps Executive Career Outlook Report

 Are You Ready to Take the
Next Step in Your Executive Career?

The Executive
Management Package

Kathy Simmons
Executive Director of
BlueSteps Executive Career Services

Fast-track your executive career and work with a distinguished executive career advisor to
develop and improve your three most vital tools for career progression.
This comprehensive and highly bespoke package includes:

Your Executive Resume/CV

Your Fully-Optimized LinkedIn Profile
Your Executive Bio

BlueSteps is dedicated to helping you reach your career goals. Join the thousands of
BlueSteps members who have already achieved success by working with our excellent rated
team of executive advisors.

Purchase this package with the code EMP500, and receive a discount of $500.

Simply submit this form to get started

www.bluesteps.com/Executive/CareerServicesRequest.aspx