4 n io t c Se Routes to the top: the career paths of digital-ready CIOs The digital-ready CIOs that are most engaged in the business show high levels of satisfaction in their status, career prospects and ability to influence the corporate strategy. These CIOs also show several key differences in their approach to their personal development and career choices, most importantly around ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to their education and work experience. It is clear that digital CIOs take a different approach to tackling their • Their ability to influence corporate strategy, which is vital given roles. But this research also reveals how they actively plan and how much this is a core part of their job: 60% find this strongly shape their career paths — and how much they enjoy their jobs. satisfying, compared with 45% of IT-intensive industry CIOs. High job satisfaction • The potential for future career development: 54% are strongly The first thing to point out is that digital-ready CIOs appreciate the satisfied, compared with 43% of IT-intensive industry CIOs. opportunity they hold: 64% are either content to stay in their • Their status: 59% are strongly satisfied with how others in the current position, or are simply seeking out a bigger CIO role. This is business perceive their role, versus 45% of IT-intensive industry a similar proportion to other IT-intensive industry CIOs, but digging CIOs. This is unsurprising, given that they are more often called deeper reveals a much stronger core satisfaction with their upon for advice by executives in the rest of the business. positions and prospects. Across all elements of their jobs, they express greater satisfaction with their work than their IT-intensive industry peers do. This is especially striking in three areas: 30 | Born to be digital