Executive Career Insights

g8dwzuph64

Are Companies Only Interested In Hiring Happily Employed Candidates?

I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, "Only The Employed Need Apply" - it seems like many companies would rather actively pursue potential employees who are already gainfully employed and NOT job seeking....seems strange, right?

Despite the fact that millions of talented executives have been victims of downsizing and not due to poor performance, some hiring managers think that they can find the best candidates by going after them directly.

Well, if you are still knee deep in a job search, where does that leave you? How about developing a multifaceted job search campaign that combines online and offline strategies that put you in the company of "passive", employed executives.

Your primary goal is to increase your visibility and reputation in your industry as an expert and thought leader. Embrace specific, targeted written and speaking communication strategies that include the following:

-- Join professional associations and become actively involved through committees or officer positions.

-- Write and submit articles for trade journals, industry magazines and other leading publications that are always seeking industry perspective.

-- Get active online with your personal blog, making comments on other company blogs, participate and offer resources and information on forums.

-- Network consistently with decision makers and influential industry experts - take full advantage of Chamber of Commerce events, local alumni events, annual conferences, online teleclasses and webinars.

-- Become a member of a speakers bureau and accept requests for free and paid speaking engagements.

-- Volunteer in local charity and community group - take it a step further by offering to lead workshops and group seminars.

-- Seek out opportunities to be quoted in articles, ebooks and printed publications. (http://www.helpareporter.com/)

Overall, if recruiters are regularly scouting networking events to find top performers and industry leaders, make it easy for them to find you. More importantly, by consistently building your reputation, your expertise and perceived value will speak for themselves.

Abby M. Locke of Premier Writing Solutions (www.premierwriting.com) is a master resume writer and career marketing architect who helps talented professionals and senior-level executives achieve career success through cutting-edge, brand-focused documents, innovative job search tools, and proactive career management strategies.

Executive Job Search Success - Part 3: Identify Your Target Companies

A step that is often overlooked in the executive job search process is developing a list of target companies. Many executive candidates will have a job search strategy that is dependent on the available positions listed on various career and recruiter-based websites.

The flaw with that passive strategy is that you are forced to compete with thousands and thousands of other candidates through an online application system with minimal human contact and very little opportunity for follow up.

Wouldn't it be easier and a lot more direct if you can identify 15-25 main companies that you know hire executive candidates with your background and qualifications?

Regardless of whether the company is hiring at the moment, through online and offline networking tools/events, you can build relationships that can give you firsthand knowledge and insight on the company's future hiring needs.

In the end, the elusive "hidden" job market that everyone is looking for simply requires engaging a proactive, laser-focused job search strategy that puts you in the driver's seat and in front of key decision makers long before their openings are advertised to the masses.

Get a step ahead of your competition and maximize these free online and print resources to help you learn more about your target companies and narrow down your job search.

Online Resources

www.corporateinformation.com

Great resource for learning more on public companies; also have some limited information on private companies.

www.business.com

Online portal to valuable insight, current news, research, and key contacts for more 50,000 public and private companies.

www.pac-info.com

Home to vast collection of free public records for companies and main industries in the US.

www.forbes.com/lists/ 

Solid tool based on Forbes Magazine's company research on the largest public companies and private companies.

Print Resources & Publications (available at your local library)

• Million Dollar Directory (Dun & Bradstreet)
• Standard and Poor's Register of Corporations
• Adams Job Bank
• Ward's Business Directory of Private And Public Companies
  
• American Business Disc

 

You Cannot Have A "Brilliant" Executive Resume Without A "Brilliant"Target

I was having a conversation recently with a potential client was proudly stated that he wanted me to create a "brilliant" resume. After reviewing his existing resume and talking further about his career goals, it was evident that unless he determined a clear target, a "brilliant" resume was simply not possible.

Here is one of my favorite analogies when it comes to resume writing - you jump into a taxi and tell the driver to get you there in ten minutes, he/she agrees, but you cannot give them a solid location.

Sounds strange, right? Well, it is the same reaction I get when eager job seekers want to retain my services to create an executive resume, but are unable to tell me the types of positions they want to target.

I can always create a general resume, but an executive resume without a clear focus is like having no resume at all.

On average, recruiters, employers and hiring managers are going to spend about 10-30 seconds reviewing your executive resume. More importantly, the top-third of your resume's first page has to hook readers, so without a clear target, how do you know what to emphasize and/or highlight?

Here are some executive resume writing basics:

1) Know Your Target

A general resume makes you appear unfocused and leaves the reader to guess your career aspirations. With the millions of people actively looking for jobs, no-one has time to guess and your general resume will end up in the trash.

2) Know How You Want To Be Perceived

Think about your personal attributes, personal strengths and career-defining achievements that are most valuable to your target companies and make sure it comes through on your executive resume.

3) Know What Information Is Relevant

There is nothing more confusing than an executive resume that contains everything under the sun that you have done in your career. Only include aspects of your experience, qualifications and achievements that are most relevant to your target market.

4) Know The Facts - Numbers Sell

Incorporating quantifiable facts and numbers can take a simple statement or career achievement from ordinary to extraordinary. Which of these statements sound more impressive?

A. “Manage daily activities of real estate portfolio for investment management company and supervise staff members.”

B. “Challenged to deliver 10% return on $700 million investment portfolio in unpredictable real estate industry. Oversee all daily activities including ROI maximizations, client relations, loan negotiations, and investment dispositions. Recruit, train, and coach 50 employees.

5) Know Your Achievements

Your executive resume should be more achievement-driven than task-driven. If your current resume only shows your tasks then you are simply showing potential employers what you are paid to do.

However, by bringing attention to top achievements for each position, you are demonstrating how well you have done your job - that is a huge difference and is bound to make a greater impact.

Revisiting Resume Best Practices

Marketing Yourself In An Executive Job Search

I was recently contacted by an executive candidate who has been in career transition for more than five months and has finally recognized that beyond having an distinctive executive resume, she will need to learn the tricks of self-marketing.

So often when I talk to job seekers especially female executives, I hear the concerns and even hesitation about marketing themselves.

One thing that you will need to embrace very quickly if you want to succeed in today's job market is to the art of self-marketing. It may feel uncomfortable and seem like "bragging" at times, but the job market is entirely too competitive for you to depend on your good record to land you a great job.

Here are four self-marketing tips that you should always keep in mind:

TIP #1: Know The Product You Are Selling = You

You have to know who you are (a technology guru, marketing whiz, operations expert) and what type of positions you want (a CIO, VP, Marketing or Director of Operations) before you can launch an executive job search campaign.

Don't depend on employers and executive recruiters to review your resume and determine what you should be doing - you have to be very clear on your target as it helps you identify the right marketing strategies for your career situation.

TIP #2: Know Your Customer = Target Companies

By now, I have drilled it into your head that you cannot even begin to write an effective resume without knowing your target positions  - similarly, you cannot conduct a successful search campaign unless you know the companies that regularly hire candidates with your background.

-- Use free resources like virtualpet.com, industrylink.com, and vault.com to identify your target companies

TIP #3: Know Your Strategies = Multifaceted Marketing Campaign

If you are placing all your eggs into the online job search arena, you will quickly find yourself in a scramble. Your career background, the need for confidentiality, timeframe, size and support of network, comfort with technology, stage in your career and many other critical factors will all influence the type of self-marketing techniques that will lead to your next job.

Executive Job Search Success - Part 2: Determine Your Job Search Tactics

TIP #4: Know Your Value Proposition = Personal Brand

I remember telling a group of jobseekers at a recent workshop that being "qualified" for a position is no longer a differentiator in today's competitive market. For every position you see posted online, there are literally thousands of "qualified" candidates swarming the company for an interview.

To stand out in a sea of applicants, you need to have a clear understanding of how you bring value to the employers and what gives you an edge over your colleagues. Your personal brand and brand statement  should be reflected in your written (and verbal) communications through out your job search. 

In addition, don't solely depend on the executive resume to open doors for you, consider adding a career biography, a networking resume and leadership testimonial documents to your portfolio.

Personal Branding - Truly The Only Way To Survive In Any Economy

TIP #5: Know Your Network = Social Media

Social media is here to stay and more importantly, it continues to grow in popularity as recruiters and employers turn to platforms like LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, Plaxo, Facebook and Twitter to find qualified candidates. Don't get left in the dark.

Make sure that you are actively building and nurturing your professional network both online and offline through Chamber of Commerce, alumni, industry association and trade show events.

Going Public With Your Job Search