At the CTLC10 in Baltimore a few months ago, one of the presenters recommended increasing your visibility and building your professional practice by promoting your business through professional media. She told about getting contacted by a reporter a very long time after submitting a press release which described her unique knowledge and expertise. This incident confirms the value of going on the record to local news organizations, radio stations, newspapers, etc. informing them about your special talents and offering to be an expert resource.

I recently came across this list of websites to use for getting publicity published in the Fordyce Letter.

Idea Calendar — a list of what’s happening when (right down to National Oatmeal Month) to help you relate your message to what journalists may be covering.

BookSurge — for help publishing.

Congress.org — to find media outlets around the country.

Radio-Locator — to find radio stations and their corresponding web pages, worldwide.

GuestFinder — pay to get listed on a database used by TV, radio, and other producers.

Radio-TV Interview Report — another site used by radio and TV producers.

In thinking about the delay in BP’s PR response to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, do you see an ostrich mentality? I can’t help but see parallels in the lives of executives, many of whom are current or former JobWhiz executive talent agent clients. These very accomplished professionals ignored the necessity for proactively marketing themselves when times were fine and their careers seemed to be in good shape. They did not continuously strive to promote themselves, didn’t purposefully network to enlarge their impact and develop new contacts, were not on the inside track learning about potential new challenges on a constant basis, and were not sought out for their recommendations and referrals. They thought they would be safe if they focused on the job to be done at their company. Meanwhile their world
unraveled while they failed to promote a positive image and make others aware of their potential. They did not protect their good name, their reputation, their careers.

Unfortunately for some otherwise successful executives, it is only when the handwriting on the wall can no longer be denied, like BP, that they finally, too late, start their “official” campaign. They rush to implement their personal PR campaign. They seek to renew dormant connections, furiously attend networking events, work the phone and make appointments to meet with former colleagues, headhunters, etc.  It is far better to dig your well, as Harvey McKay says, before you are thirsty. And IMHO, BP should have started their PR work right when the first drop leaked and not when it was obvious that the problem was huge and they owned it.

How many top leaders are guilty of ignoring their own career needs for self-promotion when everything is working out at their current job? Only when disaster strikes, like they have to acknowledge an impending layoff or are faced with a sudden termination, do they respond appropriately by reaching out to their network, polishing a resume, joining groups, participating in social media, etc. all of which are the right steps to help them identify a new job. Too little too late just like BP. The time to take preventive action or be proactive in managing a career transition is before all the facts are in when there is more time to influence and make new contacts.
I see similarities in how an executive gets caught up in the day to day and
relies only on their current employer to take care of their future or they
think they have more time than they actually do to prepare for their next
assignment. Is it just human nature/wishful thinking to roll along until we
are forced to do something? Do we lack initiative? Do we make excuses
because it is easier? For all those reading this and seeing themselves, wake
up!! Start to plan your next career move even if you would rather not put the effort into developing new
contacts, publishing your thoughts, sharing your ideas with those who are
not your immediate colleagues in order to promote yourself within your
industry. Is it human nature not to act until an outside party tells us we
have to move? You know very well how much better it is to always be
networking and creating a positive professional image. Don’t be a BP!!!!

Please comment with your ideas for what these two initials can represent like blind XX or
blatant XXX etc.

When I first entered the careers field as an executive talent agent a decade ago, I asked those with expertise and experience for their words of wisdom and advice. Universally, at some point in the conversation, the colleague offering advice about executive careers would say that the candidate’s resume could make or break their campaign. I carefully researched and discussed differing resume writing styles with experts and soon found out what made some writers better resources, in my opinion, for my executive clients. Along the way, I learned to recognize different stylistic preferences and grew to respect, even revere, various approaches.

During the intervening years, the world of executive career management including recruiting, and in turn the role the resume plays in a job search has been changing. I think it is not an exaggeration to remark that we are living a revolution. Dramatic changes in communications, technology and the economy all have shifted the relationship between prospective employee and potential employer which in turn, are forcing career industry professionals to adapt. The Career Thought Leaders Consortium is one fine example of this trend

Many in our profession have recognized this sea change and have polished their skills, updated their knowledge, added new services and transformed their businesses.  They  continue to push our field forward and provide the high quality  services that more sophisticated clients demand. Executive clients today are more knowledgeable.  They can get information via Internet search, through virtual communities and online discussions.  Unfortunately for some,  they master this arena by spending their own time in the job market while in transition.

What I am getting around to is that today we are light years away from the olden days of paper resumes and are living with a complexity beyond the days of broadcast faxes and mass emails. Today, a candidate’s competitive advantage is not just a great (but static) resume documenting a fantastic track record of accomplishments. Their future career success stems from how an individual communicates and distributes and makes available their reputation and unique problem-solving capabilities to those who can hire them and offer them additional opportunities to learn and grow their success.  Sounds like a networking process doesn’t it?  Sure, the individual has to have the goods, but just putting it in writing is not enough, just communicating this in one well-crafted document is too little and just sharing this when asked is usually not enough to ensure  a career.

The best possible resume is a good starting point for discussion; a better strategy is not only to build a strong reputation (good resume content,) but to also be visible.  Achievements have always been necessary and still are necessary, but are not sufficient for success.  How an individual communicates their value has broadened from just a “dam good resume” occasionally distributed when the candidate was actively looking or asked to submit their credentials to being a full time, non-stop personalized PR campaign.  This means being visible and searchable online.

We’ve been learning that having a personal website or online portfolio or Linkedin profile alone seldom attracts enough attention or generates enough desired contacts from prospective recruiters or hiring managers. These online pieces are major parts of a larger effort that includes an online resume, a marketing presence that is vibrant, updated regularly and contains relevant data differentiate those who get noticed. Think: what did you do today, what will you be doing tomorrow that demonstrates your abilities. It is said that past performance is no guarantee for the future. To be competitive, executives have to prove themselves, visibly speaking, in real time. In addition to producing results, they engage others.  They develop new connections. They interact. They give to others. And when the timing is right, they learn about a new position and make a move. In other words, the resume is now an important part of the overall marketing plan implementation process.  There is an intention to attract attention and pull opportunities towards the candidate.  Contrast this to when all career marketing/job searching efforts were designed to push the candidate to potential employers.

Today’s environment means game-changing strategy and a new style for executing an effective search for candidates and the modern career industry professionals who support them.  The best solution is for every employee to always have the mindset and behaviors of a potential candidate:  maintain their visibility with up to date information and messaging. There’s no worry about anyone discovering they are looking for a new job because they are always open to new opportunities that are able to find them even when they are not actively looking for leads to a new job. They never are out of “job search mode” but their standard MO is inviting connections, sharing  ideas and being approachable.

Recommendations for improving job searching effectiveness often center on ways to improve the format or style or content of a resume in order to better attract employers.  A runner up for most touted job search advice are pointers about how to get that well-crafted resume into the hands of a hiring decision maker.  The most recommended methods include mass distribution, online submission, traditional applications, networking, responding to classified ads, going to job fairs, etc. There is a growing interest in using social media to access new career opportunities. This approach may fall under the broader scope of networking to unearth jobs that may not be advertised to the general public. Networking is one of the most effective job search methods and can spark the unexpected creation of a new position just to accommodate an individual into the company structure. These circumstances are ideal for the candidate who is not a perfect  round or square and it also represents a less competitive situation when one person is the only candidate under consideration. In today’s job market, this is definitely a big advantage because there are so many qualified candidates to the relatively fewer openings.

My ten-year track record as an executive talent agent designing and implementing  turbo-charged strategic job search campaigns with a success rate in excess of 95%  is proof that something other than the resume itself and resume distribution is determining job search progress and outcome for my clients.  I never use a resume to promote interest, but rely on a telephone pitch or emailed letter of introduction only after obtaining permission to send more info that explicitly demonstrates to the employer how they will benefit from knowing my client.  Resumes are associated with job hunting. Most employers are far more receptive to “just having a conversation” and “sharing ideas and common concerns” than they are to reviewing a formal document or thinking of how to help a stranger find a new job. I have experience that resumes are best left behind after a meeting to encourage further discussions or as a way for one contact to share information about a prospect with their own connections.

So if it is not their resume, what enables a JobWhiz client to penetrate this very competitive job market?  The differentiators that propel individuals into a new and better opportunities faster are having and executing the correct go-to-market job search strategy. It’s the plan that guides the search project specifying the product (what the candidate offers that the employer needs, focusing the introduction on these particular elements not extraneous facts that distract from the candidate’s immediate value and future potential ), the market (which employers will appreciate the knowledge, skills, experience, personality, background, talent etc that characterize an individual prospect, identifying the appropriate individual contact within the employer organization) and how to connect them (introducing the two parties to each other, getting the candidate and decision maker to agree that they want to collaborate, and working out the terms of engagement.)  It’s accepted that a good plan predicates success and sometimes it is quoted that the right plan is 80% of  producing success. Getting all ducks in order can shorten a job search by starting out with the right focus, concentrating resources where they can generate the most benefits and anticipating and then removing obstacles that might impede progress or crush momentum.

Yes, Virginia there is something like a list for Santa Claus for choosing companies that should be on a candidate’s target employer list. Specific circumstances, conditions, observations and trends are often strong indicators that a particular company may need new talent, will soon be posting openings or be receptive to having potential employees initiate contact and demonstrate interest in discussing how to address and solve their challenges. Therefore, those who recognize these first, gain a competitive advantage in the job market and can increase their ability to Network Purposefully and start a meaningful dialogue with appropriate hiring decision makers getting a foot in the door and a chance to present their qualifications.

By setting up Google Alerts, monitoring Twitter for news, following the Facebook fan page, browsing employee blogs and staying in close touch with contacts with company connections who have inside company knowledge, it’s possible to find out about which decision makers may be hiring or looking to talk with experts who can help them increase profits, reduce expenses or improve processes.

These are a dozen signs that harken of potential opportunities for the astute, attentive and aggressive candidate who’s on the watch. These are indicators for unadvertised jobs, opportunities in the hidden job market.

1. Announcements of promotions, re-organizations, consolidations, expansions, relocations, etc.
2. Corporate M & A activity
3. New products or services
4. Regulatory or changes in other mandated requirements
5. New funding sources
6. Changes in outsourcing policies
7. New technology
8. Adoption of new policies or procedures
9. Hiring a consultant
10. Switching partners or consultants
11. Taking on a new partner or establishing a new alliance or change of terms of an existing relationship
12. Cluster of job board postings (in one area can have ripple effect and produce needs elsewhere)



In this tight job market, candidates need all the help, strength and fortitude they can muster to conquer numerous barriers to employment and to eliminate multiple obstacles that thwart personal career progress. Job search success depends on the correct strategy effectively executed, directed at the right time to the appropriate decision makers, providing a clear, compelling message unquestionably detailing a remarkable contribution that will make money, lower costs or improve process. Then it’s critically important to follow up with patiently persistent and always courteous, polite reminders.  While their job search is the candidate’s number one priority, employers have lots of other demands on their time.

Here are a few quick ways to spark a job search campaign that’s stalled and to propel a new search effort project forward.

Plan- Hope is not a plan. Create a job search plan and stick to it

Prepare- Assemble the necessary resources to implement the plan

Position- Identify target employer market, research their challenges and needs, determine how to attract their attention by showing the ability to deliver profitable solutions

Potential contribution- identify specific skills, talent, knowledge that employers will value

Package- differentiate by defining a niche expertise, be distinguished as a reliable, go-to expert

Presentation- demonstrate capabilities with quantifiable achievements and qualified accomplishments

Propose- share ideas, discuss solutions, seek advice (not a job referral) from key contacts (hiring decision makers, industry leaders, academic authorities, thought leaders) who have access to potential unadvertised leads personally or via their networks

Prospect and research employers- circumstances that generate opportunities include news and announcements about restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, expansion, new products/services, partnerships, retirements, awards, facility moves or renovations, legal proceedings, new regulations, community initiatives,etc.

Persevere- persistence pays by promoting relationships and developing trust, prerequisites for an offer. Polite pings remind decision makers of a candidate’s serious interest

People learn from experience. Candidates are rarely job search experts.  Some of the most successful people have rarely had to officially look for a job. They have been recruited or promoted during their careers. They may never before had to proactively seek out their next position. Many competent and talented job seekers need assistance in getting started their job search on the right path and then need ongoing support to stay on track until they land.

Networking is undeniably the most successful job search method. It always works. Candidates should be prepared that their search could last months.  There are likely to be surprises and setbacks. Even after an  offer is made, they should not stop networking. In fact, networking should never stop. Networking is good career management. The way to source new opportunities and a participate in the hidden or unadvertised job market.  It takes a professional with extensive and diverse job searching experience to design an effective strategy and manage an efficient implementation that will be both effective and efficient. A job search expert will anticpate roadblocks and intervene early to remove barriers to accelerate results and land swiftly.