Career Shaping Conversations: Mark Osikoya

Who are you and what do you do?

’m Mark and I’m the Chief Executive Officer at Commonwealth Games England, who are responsible for leading and managing the participation of Team England in the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.

I’ve worked in sports business and marketing for over two decades, with roles at rights holders like the Football Association, the NBA and the Organising Committee for London 2012, as well as brands including adidas, Coca-Cola and Barclays.

I’m a Trustee of doorstep sports charity StreetGames, which aims to bridge the sporting inequality gap for young people from underserved communities, and I’m a Crystal Palace fan and keen runner.

A conversation that opened my eyes

The first conversation I had with the Marketing Director of adidas really opened my eyes to what my career could look like.

I’d done a traditional grad scheme post-uni, and was working in marketing. I really wanted to get into sport, which was my passion, but couldn’t really see a way in as I had no relevant experience.

In that conversation I came to see that it didn’t matter. Maybe it was good timing, maybe it was where adidas was at as a brand then - but they were more interested in who I was and what I might be able to do, than what was already on my CV.

I think early on in your career you believe you have to tick all the boxes and have evidence that you have specific skills, and it can hold you back.

But this conversation challenged that belief and gave me the confidence to think it would be possible to work in an area I loved - it might not happen straightaway, but it could happen sometime. And ultimately it did.

A pragmatic conversation

Careers are not always linear. Sometimes you have to move sideways in order to get to where you want to go, and that was the focus of a lot of conversations I had around taking a project role for Coca-Cola working on the London 2012 Olympics.

It wasn’t a promotion, there was no progression, the job would end when the flame went out, but it would give me a platform that I would be able to build on.

I moved from a permanent role at Coke into the project team knowing I’d have to make big decisions at the end, and that was what I talked about with others - the fact that from the day I started that the clock was ticking. It’s just a different mindset and I saw a different perspective in myself.

That role also allowed me to have numerous conversations that enabled me to plot a path forward. It was high profile job at a high profile sponsor, working on the biggest sporting event the UK had seen in my lifetime. It opened doors.

The role wasn’t a step up, but it was this unique opportunity and I definitely went into it knowing what I could get out of it.

A conversation that helped me grow

Sometimes interview processes can surprise you. Often they feel like adversarial conversations focused on trying to catch you out or show you why you aren't qualified for a particular job. But when they’re good, they can help outline a blueprint for your development.

I’ve had that experience, with a series of conversations that showed me exactly what the job I was interviewing for would entail, and where I would be challenged, where I would need to develop my skills and step outside my comfort zone.

It was a brilliant experience. Regardless of the outcome, I knew that the process would help me down the line. I learned a lot about myself and the areas I would need to develop to move to the next level. The conversations didn’t probe for things I couldn’t do, they focused on figuring out how best to set me up for success.

I think it’s important to remember that job interviews are two-way conversations, and that they are as much about the individual as the role. And what that individual might become.

And yes, I did get the job.

Someone I'd like to have a career conversation with...

I think it’s important to have a network of trusted people you can consult about the ups and downs of your career. Rather than looking for one career ‘guru’ to solve your problems, bouncing ideas off people who understand the challenges and have diverse viewpoints is just incredibly valuable.

There are about four or five people I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone to and ask for advice. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to your career, so you need to have multiple conversations, and get a wide range of perspectives.

I would also like to have a career conversation with my daughters. I want them to know that it’s never too early to start having conversations about careers, but those conversations don’t have to be definitive. You have time, you don’t have to rush into anything, you can figure out what you enjoy and what motivates you.

And as I have learned, you can combine your passion with your skills, and make that your career focus!

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