Susan Vitale, CMO of iCIMS (SaaS talent acquisition platform), has gradually climbed the corporate ladder from intern to CMO and has been with the company since 2005. At only 30 years old, Susan directs iCIMS’ go-to-market and portfolio strategy as CMO to drive corporate growth and product adoption. As a young woman in the business world, she knows first-hand what it takes to excel in your career. One of the things Susan is most passionate when it comes to the workplace is the need for finding the right mentor. Susan believes women need to find ways to mentor each other as well as mentor men and vice versa. Finding the right mentor can be the key in learning about yourself and understanding what you are best aligned for work-wise. MyCity4Her caught up with Susan recently and asked her to share her thoughts about her own career path, mentors and tips for effectively mentoring.
1. What is your role as a “CMO”?
As CMO I oversee direct marketing efforts as well as our portfolio strategy. For our company, that means determining what types of products and services we should offer to customers. In order to do that, I have to have my finger on the pulse of what is happening in the industry at all times. I report back with ideas on how we can be on the cutting edge. The other side of it is dealing with partnerships and alliances, so it is a very diverse role.
2. Is what you are doing today what you imagined when you started out in the professional world?
It is what I aspired to do, but I didn’t know it was really going to happen. Marketing is always something that came naturally to me, but I also wanted to go beyond being just a marketing professional. I knew from day one that I wanted to have some involvement with the business development side. I made it very clear when I got hired that I wanted to have an impact on the company overall. My role today is a good mixture of everything, plus certain aspects of the business I never expected to be involved in.
4. Why do you feel good mentorship is so important to women who want to be successful?
I feel like good mentorship is important for anyone who wants to be successful. A mentor can give you a different perspective. They allow you to bounce ideas off someone else, get out of your own head, and see the bigger picture. I think that women especially benefit from a mentor because they tend to doubt themselves and are very critical of themselves and the reassurance they can get from a mentor is very helpful.
5. How have you benefited from mentorship in your career?
My mentor has been an invaluable positive influence throughout my career. I know I can go to my mentor when I’m stressed, upset, discouraged, and I can count on getting that push of encouragement and reassurance I need to push forward and succeed. I also have benefited greatly from being a mentor to others as well. As I’m coach them, I am also reinforcing the advice I give to others with myself. It not only helps me to practice what I preach, but it’s so rewarding when you get to help others and see them succeed.
6. You’ve broken the proverbial “glass ceiling” in your industry, what are the top four things you did that you can directly attribute to your doing so?
One of the most important things is drive. You can be the smartest person but if you are not willing to work hard, you won’t get to the finish line. You really need to have the drive to succeed. I also attribute a lot of my success with surrounding myself with the right people. When you have people around you that believe in you, it helps you to believe in yourself and achieve great things. You also have to have faith in yourself. There are times when you have zero experience and you just need to dive in to something. Instead of thinking you can’t do it, or you’re not good enough start saying to yourself “I’m capable, I can do this.” Lastly, you need to remain hungry for knowledge and the acquisition of new skills. No matter how successful you are, you need to realize there is always more to learn. The more you stay open minded about learning from others, the more successful you will be.
7. What do you enjoy most about your career?
I come from a family of entrepreneurs. When I first started out in the workforce, I remember talking to my family about my aspirations. Of course I wanted to be successful, but I wanted to go further than individual achievement. I vividly remember saying that wherever I worked, I wanted to have an impact on the overall organization. I didn’t just want to be a cog in the wheel, I wanted my actions, my thoughts, and my ideas to leave a mark on the company. No matter what role I have held at iCIMS I always felt like I could make a tremendous impact. That’s what I enjoy the most and what I find to be most valuable to me in my career. It’s exactly what I wanted and I find it so rewarding.
8. What if you knew THEN what you know NOW – would you (if anything) do differently?
I have learned so much through the years. I tend to be stubborn and impatient which I came to realize are not the best qualities when you are managing people. It is such a different role to be a manager than it is to be an individual contributor, or a director, or an executive. Managing people takes patience and you really need to have a knack for it. I think I’ve evolved my management skills by taking note of the people around me. I have learned how to be a better listener and how to collaborate with others with more experience in the workforce. Without a doubt, I’m happy that the path I took got me where I am today. But if I could back and do it again, I would take all that knowledge I have now and make my road here a lot smoother.
9. What do you believe are the biggest challenges continuing to face women in business today?
I think part of the challenge is that women feel a need to approach their careers in a different manner than men. Men don’t get asked what specific challenges they face because they are male. I think we create a challenge for ourselves by thinking we are at a disadvantage because of our gender. I will say that a lot of women need to juggle. We have family, friends, work, sometimes children and it isn’t easy, but I know a lot of women who can do it all and think we need to give ourselves some credit. We don’t have a handicap. We are smart, and strong, and driven just like men. Maybe the biggest challenge we face is the doubt we have in ourselves.
10. What is the best business advice you’ve ever been given and why?
I would say that Colin Day, the CEO of iCIMS, has a great philosophy that I have adopted. He says to hire people that are better than you. I have applied that a lot in my career even when it comes to the people I surround myself with. When you are around people that are smart and passionate and hard-working, it drives you, keeps you motivated, and gets you inspired. I realized I don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, or be threatened or fearful of other talented people. Great opportunities come from having the best and brightest around you all the time.
11. Do you ever get discouraged? If so, what do you do to stay enthused about what you do and stay motivated?
Yes, I get discouraged all the time. We all do. There are times when I fall short on goals at work and it really impacts how I feel at the end of the day. But I think that’s normal. You’re not always going to win. For the most part, if I’m discouraged it is because I’m not as engaged as I should be. I hate feeling disconnected. I can deal with not hitting a number, or losing a deal but when I feel unplugged it really bugs me. Sometimes I have to check in with myself and find a way to reenergize and get motivated again. For me, taking on a new project is the best way to motivate myself. It just injects excitement into me to have a new challenge and makes me feel alive again.
12. What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I’m not at work I really enjoy powering down and relaxing. I love curling up with a good book and with my dog, Henry. I love going to the beach and have a passion for yoga. Of course sometimes there’s nothing better than sitting back and zoning out with a nice glass of wine.
13. What are some of the best resources, tools, organizations you’ve found that have helped you grow professionally in your career?
There are some really good books out there for career growth related to business and leadership. Although I don’t take them as literally as others do and feel like I have to apply them to my life immediately, I like to refer to them to gain self-awareness and a new perspective. I think people are my best resource. Finding the right people to vent to and people I can trust has been the most valuable thing for me. My mentor has helped me grow every step of the way in my career. That’s why I always suggest finding a mentor to all women who want to be successful in business.
4 Tips to Being a Great Mentor
Being a mentor is a unique opportunity to have an impact on someone else’s career and life in general. Helping someone asses their skills, set goals, and then watch them achieve them can be very rewarding. Here are a few guidelines to being a great mentor.
1- Pay it Forward!
Did you have a great mentor that helped you succeed? It’s impossible to repay someone who inspired you and helped you achieve your goals, but instead of trying to pay them back, pay it forward. The first step to being a great mentor is volunteering to be a mentor. Haven’t met the right mentee just yet? Take to the web! There are several online mentor communities that help foster strong relationships between women in the workforce. Two sites that I recommend are MicroMentor, a mentoring service for business professionals and entrepreneurs, and Levo League, a mentor community focused on the personal and professional success of women. Believe me, helping someone navigate the winding road of a new career can be so rewarding and its good karma for you.
2- Practice What You Preach
Do as I say, not as I do doesn’t work in the world of mentoring. Remember that your mentee is taking it all in and looking at you to serve as an example for them. So stay true to all the words of wisdom your share with them.
3- Be Honest
Although it’s nice to be a cheerleader for someone, that’s not your job as a mentor. Chances are your mentee is coming to you for answers, so shoot straight with them. It’s okay to tell them when they’re wrong and help put them back on track. Give specific, honest, and constructive feedback.
4- Share Your Story
One of the best things you can do as a mentor is impart the wisdom you wish you had when you were starting out. An engaging way to do that is by sharing your experiences. By telling your story, you not only show your mentee that you’ve “been there,” but you can help them avoid common career pitfalls.
Being a mentor is rewarding in so many ways, so be open to being a mentor to someone in your workplace. Use the wealth of your knowledge and experience to help set someone on the path to success. It a great way to pay it forward, but you never know, it can also pay YOU back someday!
About Susan Vitale
Susan Vitale joined iCIMS in 2005 and serves as the organization’s Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, Susan directs iCIMS’ business strategy to drive corporate growth. Her responsibilities include developing new business opportunities for iCIMS via new product lines, exploring expansion into new international markets and developing additional revenue streams through channels. Susan works closely with linking iCIMS’ business vision to the product roadmap to ultimately help bring valuable new functionality to market through iCIMS’ Talent Platform.
Prior to overseeing corporate strategy, Susan was iCIMS’ Director of Marketing for two years, leading all strategic marketing initiatives including demand generation, brand management, promotions, and public relations. Susan holds a BS in Marketing from Lehigh University
To find out more about iC IMS click here.