10 expert secrets to shorten your executive job search.
You've probably heard the term "hidden job market" and know that networking is critical to uncovering your next professional opportunity. In fact, research shows that more than 75 percent of candidates hired are identified as top candidates through networking. To reduce their risk of a bad hire, employers prefer to hire those who are known and trusted by current employees. What does that mean for you as you search for your next executive position?
First things first
Job searching at the executive level isn't overnight; plan on the search process taking an average of eight months. Having a clear focus and plan will shorten your search and make sure your next step is aligned with your career goals and in an organization with a good culture fit. Here are a few initial steps to creating a solid job search plan:
Know your offer. What strengths, experiences, and problems solved keep you thriving within an organization? What do you want more of in your next position? Sure, you can do many functions within your field, but focusing on your strengths will motivate your search and accelerate your performance on the new job.
Know your audience. What types of companies will you target? What size? What cultures are the best fit? Who needs someone with your strengths? When you consider this audience, what are their pain points? Clarifying your audience will make every communication throughout your search more effective.
Know your value. Now it's time to connect the dots. What from your strengths will be most important to the target audience? What do they need to know about how you can solve their problems? How are you uniquely positioned to add value to their organization? This is your personal brand, the foundation for your career communications.
Search in earnest
After you have your job search plan foundation, you are ready to move into writing your career documents, networking, working with recruiters, and the many other facets of a job search. Career expert Paula Asinof of Yellow Brick Path notes that the executive job search is different because it is still personal. Executive recruiters still talk with sources, prospects, and candidates. Hiring executives and boards still meet with candidates face-to-face individually as they fill unique, mission-critical roles in the company.
How can you land your ideal executive position? I've gathered tips specific to the executive job search from Career Thought Leaders experts and have included the highlights below.
Write a resume that showcases specific business accomplishments and demonstrates value-driven, trusting, and authentic leadership. Demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness requires thinking deeply about why you want to move into the position, your beliefs, and—as Ken Blanchard relates—your Leadership Point of View.
—Pam McHugh, Social Security Administration
Be authentic. At the executive level, all applicants have incredible, powerful stories of organizational success. The basic threshold for entry is a career history involving broad leadership scope and the ability to act as a leader of leaders. The "one-degree difference" is your ability to quickly and authentically connect with people.
—Catharine Craig, ReFresh Your Step
Communicate your philosophical beliefs concerning learning and development. Your resume or curriculum vitae should start with your leadership style, highlight executive functioning skills in the framework of results, and focus on major organization- or industry-related contributions and accomplishments. Be prepared to explain during executive interviews how you lead and motivate others.
—Lakeisha Mathews, Right Resumes & Career Coaching
Recognize the personal nature of the executive job search. Networking, relationships, communication, and professional presentation all count. You must be articulate as to the value you bring and clear as to alignment with the needs of a particular company at a specific time.
—Paula Asinof, Yellow Brick Path
Focus on building relationships. Whether it is an idea, business partnership, or new role, opportunities come through people. Creating an effective, never-ending networking strategy is a critical key performance indicator.
—Susan Barens, Golden Ratio Coaching
Be ready to talk about why you are looking for a new job without negatively implicating your current company. Confidentiality is imperative for the executive-level job search because of the potential risk that the current organization discovers. Loyalty is critical to organizations, and if you are perceived to be disloyal or indiscreet, this will damage your reputation in the community.
—Maureen Farmer, Word Right Career and HR Consulting Inc.
Consider preparing a 30-60-90-day plan. Ask if this would be of value at the end of your first interview—after you have explored the organization's needs—and provide it prior to a second interview. These documents can be useful for new positions or promotion opportunities. They typically share an overview of the plan, previous leadership experiences relevant to the plan, a list of deliverables, a detailed plan for each time period, and a conclusion or summary.
—Grant Cooper, Strategic Resumes, Executive Career Coaching & Business Plans
Putting it all together
Whether the number of open positions in your industry or geography is growing or shrinking, there always is opportunity and fierce competition for the most desired roles. Give yourself a head start by setting a strong foundation for your search. Maureen McCann of Promotion Career Solutions encourages candidates to think of the job search plan like a business plan: Take the time to map it out at the beginning. Doing so can save time and frustration in your search.
Then, focus on relationships. Create authentic connections. Seek opportunities to reconnect with colleagues and other industry leaders for mutual benefit. Find ways to add value to every connection you make, even executive recruiters. Engage on social media and use it as a tool to build and maintain relationships instead of being overwhelmed by creating a lot of content or just hitting "like." Start conversations and make connections.
