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IT professionals are often told to prepare for the rise of the gig economy and a future workplace of flexible and short-term contracts. While often this is seen as a development directed at less senior employees, CIOs are also seeing a change in their working terms.
Some experts believe there has been as much as a 25 per cent rise in demand for interim CIOs during the past five years. For CIOs who are looking for a change in career direction, what are the potential plus-points and challenges associated to the interim position?
1. Take the chance to become a well-rounded executive
After a range of permanent IT leadership positions, Omid Shiraji is currently interim CIO at Camden Council in London. It is a position he relishes.
“There’s something interesting about the interim role,” he says. “People take more notice of the external voice. Your ability to influence others appears to be greater when you’re freelance. There’s also something positive about taking your experience to other sectors – it makes you a more well-rounded individual.”
Some might question whether an interim CIO boasts the degree of loyalty of a permanent IT leader who is committed to the business on a long-term basis. However, Shiraji says it is short-sighted to suggest interims lack the ambition of their permanent peers.
“The most successful interim CIOs think about sustainability,” he says. “There’s a negative reputation associated to the interim role and that’s related to short-term delivery targets. Actually, the more successful interim IT leaders focus on what’s right for the organisation both now and into the future.”
2. Use your experiences to improve other leaders
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