skip to main content
John Flanagan

John Flanagan

CareerSource Tampa Bay

Tampa, FL USA

"If you’ve never failed, you’ve never tried."

Career Roadmap

John's work combines: Government, Business, and Helping People

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

CEO

I lead an organization that helps emerging talent gain the skills they need to thrive in their careers.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Bachelor's

    Gannon University

  • Graduate Degree

    Organizational Leadership

    Gannon University

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a CEO:

Bachelor's Degree: Bachelor's

Graduate Degree: Organizational Leadership

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Growing up, I had planned to follow my parents and siblings into the healthcare industry and become a physician.

  • 2.

    I did an internship in college at the Boys and Girls Club—I had gone to the Boys and Girls club since I was six years old and realized I wanted to remain a part of our emerging talent as I got older.

  • 3.

    I decided to make a shift and pursue workforce development so that I could keep working with emerging talent.

  • 4.

    I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees in public administration from Gannon University.

  • 5.

    I’ve spent over 14 years gaining experience in various roles in workforce development, including director roles in both Colorado and Pennsylvania.

  • 6.

    I’m now the CEO of CareerSource Tampa Bay, where I’m responsible for carrying out our mission to provide workforce development education, resources, and opportunities within the community.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Myself:

    This career path isn't going to work for me—I've failed.

  • How I responded:

    In high school, I had planned to follow in my family's footsteps, go into healthcare, and become a physician. In college, I realized that that path wasn't actually right for me. I felt like I had failed. I know now that you can't be afraid of failure. You're the only one who is responsible for your journey. Don't be afraid to try something different. Don't be afraid of failure. You'll fail more times than you'll succeed in life, but the successes are much more impactful than the failures.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • My dad passed away when I was very young. I needed that male guiding figure in my life, so I started going to the Boys and Girls Club. I gained many valuable mentors through the Boys and Girls Club.