and Jennifer Doyle Vancil, M.Ed.
Communicating Strengths

For undergraduates and MBA students, launching a new career or transitioning can be challenging, especially in the time of uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2020, some internships were cancelled, job offers rescinded, or things were put on hold. Many of us thought this was going to be a short term thing and then it turned out to be much longer term than we anticipated.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers published data on its website from the companies surveyed last spring in 2020, which was pre-pandemic. There was actually a strong outlook on increase in hiring with 45% of the respondents thinking there would be increases in their number of employees. But then in reality, when surveyed in July 2020, only 16% of the companies thought there would be increases in their hiring and 31% projected decreases.

Some sectors rebounded tremendously and had to hire more people, including health, food, supply chains, and technologies. Here are a few tips for recent graduates (of any career level) to get a foothold in today’s job market.

Access Support from Career Centers    

Career centers in colleges have tremendous resources including job fairs and career services such as helping students write cover letters, practice for interviews, or connect with alumni from similar industries. However, surveyed graduates across the United States are not accessing their career center for support. 

Take advantage of the free help from your career center. You can ask multiple people and find support for your specific challenges. If you find yourself struggling, get help and ask for these service providers to take a look at your resume or connect you with people to network. Don’t forget to ask your professors for industry insights or connections as well!

Customize Your Resume 

If your resume still says, “My objective is to find a good job at a great company using my skills,” then you may want to replace that outdated objective with a customized profile. Customizing does not mean rewriting your entire resume every time, but creating a section at the top with 3 to 4 key points and a job title that gets rewritten each time for the job.

Write 4 bullets about how you meet the qualifications for that job. If the company, for example, needs someone who is good at customer relations, write a bullet right at the top that says “increased membership as club president by improving communication.” Pull out the experience that demonstrates the qualifications required for the job. 

If you put something at the top that you can customize from job to job, it will be very easy to just switch out those points and the keywords in them, not rewrite the entire resume. This can speed up your application process. 

You can also get support from professional resume writers (Resume Writing Academy - Find a Writer) or a coach (Career Thought Leaders - Job Search Coach) to advance your job search.

Target Group of Jobs

Your main resume needs to be targeted to a group of jobs. Find 3 main types of jobs that you will apply to and make sure you are clear on that underlying focus. When you have focus, it will make your resume stronger and make your job search proactive instead of reactive. 

Having a clear focus also enables you to write the bottom part of your resume in a targeted way and reduce customization for each advertisement. Knowing your target jobs also means you have the opportunity to research the industry. 

You have to know the landscape of your industry before you can start looking for jobs. What part of marketing are you going into? Are you going into relationship based selling or digital technology? Whatever field you choose, research the industry very well so that you understand the differences between the different kinds of jobs.

Join a Professional Association

Whether you are transitioning with a degree or looking for your first job, professional organizations provide training and webinars to share knowledge. It is a good way to learn about the industry and get to know professionals in the field.

Getting active within professional associations can also help you identify additional certifications or training that can improve your job search and career advancement. Before spending more time and money, know what is important in your field. Professional associations can be a place to identify networking contacts or perhaps even a mentor that can guide you in launching your career.

Engage and Build Connections

Make yourself as findable as possible and then people can come to you. On LinkedIn, for instance, if you are liking, sharing, and commenting strategically on content in your industry, then other people who follow the industry have you on their radar. You can make some interesting connections through your online conversations. 

If you are still studying, make some relationships now and figure out how to interact or engage during classes. Where could you talk to someone beyond class to learn more? Talk to your professors not just about the coursework, but about how their teaching fits into whatever you think you want to do in your life. That is how you build those relationships you can rely on when you are looking for a referral to a company or getting ready to graduate.

We learn more when we are engaged, asking questions, responding to discussion, and participating. If you are taking an online class, it is even more important to find ways to engage. Find an accountability partner who is also taking the class or sign up with a colleague or someone to help you engage with the materials. Take advantage of the time and the commitment that you have made.

Make the Most Out of It

It is helpful to sit down with yourselves and remember your reason for investing in your education. If you want to achieve a goal, you have to do something different. Even if you are taking a LinkedIn learning class or a free Coursera class, when you put in the time, figure out what you need out of it and how you make that happen.

Most of those courses, even the free ones, give you suggested projects that you can do if you want to use that class to make a pivot in your career. Do the project, even if it is not required, and find someone who will look at it or help you with it. Then, you can talk about that project in your resume and in your future interview to show the skills.

Set yourself on course to proactively manage your career by keeping abreast of changes in your industry and maintaining your network throughout your career -- not only when you are in job search!

Ready to find a coach or resume writer to help you? See our Associate directory

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode

Executive Search – It's Personal!

It is different from job search by managers and professionals because it is still personal. Executive recruiters from Associate to Partner, for example, still talk with sources, prospects and candidates. Hiring executives and Boards still meet with candidates face-to-face individually and in person or virtually by video – and eventually in person – as they fill unique, mission critical roles in the company. For those engaged in a job search, therefore, networking counts, relationships count, communication counts, and professional presentation counts. It also means that candidates must be articulate as to the value they bring and clear as to alignment with the needs of a particular company at a specific time.

Hiring of managers and professionals is diverging dramatically from executive search. It is increasingly technology-driven and initial screening outsourced to call centers or even chat bots. Recruiters connect with talent pools through social media and engage in conversations there, often in advance of having a specific opening. Tools such as AI-based selection, self-recorded video applications, and text-driven application systems are maturing. There is also increasing emphasis on pre-interview assessment testing and later on group and panel interviews, especially for high volume recruiting and mass hiring. 

Paula Asinof
Wharton MBA, CCM, NLPC
Yellow Brick Path Career Management
pasinof@asinof.com \ 214-526-8690

Build a Wider Network 

Regardless of your level, more than seventy percent of new positions materialize from networking. At the executive level, networking is a must. Career and executive development professionals know that approximately eighty percent of jobs are never posted. This is the hardest point to hit home with executives—especially those that hold long tenures with one company or industry. Vast networks in your own company or industry aren’t enough. You must widen your network outside of your comfort zone.

Although many executives are strong strategic business thinkers, that mindset tends to become dormant when it comes to marketing oneself. Naturally, we are our own worst critics, and it is difficult to know where to begin when it comes to an executive search—especially if you haven’t looked for a new position in a long time. You must build your network before you need it. 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
Career and Leadership Development Executive
Golden Ratio Coaching, Ltd.
coachbarens@gmail.com 
www.goldenratiocoaching.com 

Executive Job Search in Learning & Development

There are four components that make an executive job search stand out: 

• First, a professional seeking an executive role in the Learning and Development field should focus on communicating their philosophical beliefs concerning learning and development in addition to sharing their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  
  
• Second, a traditional interview requires you to explain what your motivations are; whereas an executive interview requires you to explain how you lead and motivate others.
  
  
• Third, a resume or curriculum vitae used for an executive job search should start with your leadership style, highlight executive functioning skills, and focus on major organizational/industry related contributions and accomplishments.
  
  
• Fourth, an executive job search may be handled with a high level of discretion to protect both the company and the candidate.

Lakeisha Mathews, Owner
Certified Professional Career Coach & Resume Writer
Right Resumes & Career Coaching 
www.rightresumes.org
rightres@gmail.com

Executive Job Search as a Business Plan

Many executive clients have never conducted a comprehensive job search. Instead, they’ve been recruited into successive positions for ten, twenty, possibly thirty years.

Executives are more likely to be conducting a confidential job search and therefore must be strategic in how they approach their network.

As an executive, you understand the importance of writing a business plan to outline your objectives for the coming year. Much like a business plan, a job search plan lays the foundation for your ultimate success.

Taking the time to map out your plan now, will save time, and frustration in the future. In preparing for your job search now, you can ensure a smooth transition when the time comes for implementation.

You will be surprised how an effective job search strategy will shorten your time back into the market. And, as we are all aware, time is money. Save your money by reducing the time it takes you to get back to work.

Resources:

What every executive should know about how to stand out: http://www.mypromotion.ca/2016/04/what-every-executive-should-know-about-their-resume-how-to-stand-out-in-a-competitive-market/

Maureen McCann, BA, CCDP, MCRS, MCES, MCIS, MCCS
Promotion Career Solutions | www.mypromotion.ca

Know Your Point of View

We all know that it is imperative that an Executive/C-Suite resume showcase specific business accomplishments, however, with the increased emphasis on employee engagement and retaining top talent, the resume must demonstrate value-driven, trusting and authentic leadership. It is the differentiator in today’s world. This makes the Executive/C-Suite resume even more challenging to write and is beyond branding. It’s assumed that the business/technical skills of executive applicants are extraordinary, however, demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness are hard to pinpoint. The resume writer needs to know more about the executive than just business skills, they must “get under the skin” of the executive, have them think deeply about why they want to move into the position, what are their beliefs, as Ken Blanchard relates, ask them to explain what their LPOV-Leadership Point of View is.

Pam McHugh, MA, SPHR/SHRM-SCP, CCMC
prmchugh22@gmail.com
410-215-1782

The Job Search Process

Job search at the executive or C-level is not any different from other professionals. A successful job search process has the same steps involved regardless of the level of position you are seeking to land.

First you need to identify your target organizations. You don’t even want to think about updating your resume until you know whom you’re writing it for.

Then you need to identify your personal brand and value. It’s an essential part of selling yourself, knowing how you uniquely can solve your target company’s problems.

Now you’re ready to update your personal marketing materials – resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, etc. so you can be ready for the critical step, NETWORKING.

Networking in any job search is essential, but even more so for an executive. Executive and C-level roles are not often publicized so you need to rely on your network (and recruiters) to uncover opportunities.

Finally all job seekers go through interviews. When you’re prepared to tell your brand story, answer the tough questions and ask the right ones you’ll surely be on your way to an offer.

Michelle Robin, NCRW, CPRW
Chief Career Brand Officer
Brand Your Career
www.brandyourcareer.com

By Marie Zimenoff 
Career Thought Leaders & Resume Writing Academy

Maureen Farmer
Westgate Executive Branding & Career Consulting

When we speak of the hidden job market, we are talking about the wealth of jobs that go unadvertised and the roles that are filled by referrals even though they may be advertised.

Hidden jobs may be a job that does not currently exist in a company or is not currently hiring. They are in the pipeline with funding in place, but without the right person to fill the role. Organizations may be in the process of succession planning for an incumbent who will soon retire or transfer to another position.

Between 80%–95% of senior level positions never get advertised. There are statistically less jobs in senior positions anyway and if only 5% are advertised, this means limited availability for executive opportunities.

Some companies hire executive recruiters who work solely for the company, which means the available jobs never make it to the market. For competitive reasons, companies may undertake the recruiting process in private, so the information is not made public.

Why you need to access the hidden job market

Most people do not know about the hidden job market. The majority of people apply for advertised roles through traditional methods like job boards. This requires a significant time investment and usually yields low returns.

You can beat the numbers by being proactive in applying for the jobs that are not advertised. Statistically, it is better to be the 1% applying for the 95% of unadvertised senior roles, rather than the 99% applying for the 5% of advertised jobs. This will always produce a much higher success rate.

The opportunities are everywhere, but for the best success rate, you need to become known within the organization before the job is ever advertised.

Who is the hidden job market for?

The hidden job market is available to anyone, not just executives. Maybe you are having to search for a job for the first time after a formerly successful career. Maybe your current organization is undergoing a merger or acquisition, or your industry of expertise is disappearing.

Maybe you have been in a steady sequence of promotion and now you want to take control of your career progression. Perhaps you are returning to the labor market after caring for family or early retirement. The information here can help anyone looking for opportunities, either inside or outside their current organization.

Where to begin

It is important to realize that it is in your control. Levelling up your career is not just about networking. It goes beyond that. Accessing the hidden job market requires that we start with a defined marketing plan. This includes being clear about:

-       the types of roles you are targeting,

-       your strengths and unique value to bring to those roles,

-       and your target companies or industries.

With this information, you can create a job search plan of how to connect with the target companies and communicate your value.

Redefining networking

Many job seekers and career professionals think that networking is key when applying for new positions, but their understanding of what networking means is often misconstrued.

Networking does not mean attending cocktail and industry events. New job opportunities are unlikely to come from a new person you meet at a random networking event. This would be like winning the networking lottery.

Networking is most often with those people you already know, like, and trust. Building upon existing relationships is easier, faster, and more comfortable than trying to forge new ones.

Building your brand

It is essential to have a well-defined and consistent message of what you do and what you want to achieve when discussing with decision makers and colleagues. This makes you more confident and will instill decision makers with trust and confidence in you. Good branding will attract interest from potential employers and save you a lot of work in self-promotion.

Part of your brand is what you see as your strengths. A great way to identify these for yourself is to detail the story of three accomplishments you have made or times when you were successful in something specific. Review these stories and look for themes. What do you consistently do well? What unique element do you bring to everything you do?

The perceptions of others also define your brand. You can understand this external aspect of your brand and rekindle networking relationships by reaching out to your professional network. Select between 7 to 12 people you know, like, and trust – colleagues and supervisors are the best place to start. You can use a tool like the 360Reach to gather their feedback (here’s a list of coaches that can help you through this process) or contact them directly and ask how they would describe you.

The feedback you gain from each of these processes can be used for branding components in your career marketing materials, including your resume, LinkedIn profile, interview answers, and much more.

Your centers of influence

Your network can be anyone, friends, family, co-workers, or acquaintances. Do you know someone in your network who works in your target industry or can help you out with a reference? Identifying these specific people – your centers of influence – can help move your job search forward faster.

People in your colleague group, past and present, know you the best. They have seen you in action and can give you the best recommendations. Spend some time identifying those individuals and doing research to see who is still active in your target industry.

Before you contact anyone, it is important to define exactly how you think this person can help you. If they cannot help you, they might feel unsuccessful.

The best way to engage your network and receive help is to signal to them you are in motion.

Many of us find it awkward to ask for help but it is important to find a way to ask so they know we want it. You can also use your network as a source of information by simply starting conversation about your industry. This removes awkwardness and needs no payback. Maybe you can return the favor by paying for lunch or send them a small gift as thanks. Perhaps you help them in their career in some way.

Project execution

Project execution is the ability to formulate a strategy for success and execute it. You need consistent effort and tenacity, but without being pushy. Follow up on interviews and conversations. Be conscientious and thorough when executing your plan.

The execution stage is the place where most people falter because it has its internal challenges. You have to find a way to overcome the discomfort around asking for help from your network. Many people are happy to assist and it can even be beneficial for them in their organization to bring onboard quality colleagues.

Are you a coach looking to improve your job search results with clients? Check out the Certified Hidden Job Market Coach program

Are you a job seeker looking for help with your job search? Find a Certified Hidden Job Market Coach here

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode

By Marie Zimenoff 
Career Thought Leaders & Resume Writing Academy

Co-Authored By Tanya Mykhaylychenko
 TM Writing & Editing

Before you start your job search, ask yourself some questions to hone your focus and clarify your strategy. You may already have these questions in mind, and they sound simple. Let us review your approach again. It may not be as simple as it seems initially.

-         Who is the audience for your resume?

-         What types of jobs will you be applying to?

-         Who is going to be on the receiving end of your application?

Instead of keeping all these ideas in your mind while juggling various job search tasks (company research, job description analysis, networking, and resume updates), write down some of your processes notes. You may be able to see a pattern and organize your efforts more effectively.

Create a list of the job titles that have been the most interesting to you

This is one of the most challenging steps for some people because we want to keep our options open. The more focused you are, the easier it will be to put together your resume. If you are too broad in your focus, you may not connect with as many opportunities as you could because you are at the whim of whatever is posted. What types of positions are most interesting to you? What are the elements that make a job really attractive to you?

This list will help you come up with 2-3 slightly different resume versions; for instance, an account manager focused nurturing existing relationships while a business development professional is finding business, creating accounts, influencing, persuading, and selling.

Identify common threads across all of the types of target positions that you will use in your social media

Your professional brand has to be consistent across your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter channels.  What it is that you do? Knowing the types of target roles helps you articulate your professional value with clarity across all channels, providing that 30,000-foot view of the important skills. In this step, prioritize 2-3 different types of positions at the most. Identify key areas of expertise and your skills in each area.

Identify your desired geography

Your search can be local or national. Depending on your choice, think again about the target audience. What should you know about the company’s requirements, target markets, recent performance, and expectations based on their location or geographical scope of operations? Identify the companies where you would like to work and research them proactively.

Identify your top 3 target industries

What types of companies have you worked in (healthcare, high tech, biomedical, financial industry)?  What types of people do you want to be around? For instance, if you are an accountant, you could be an account in any kind of industry, in any kind of company. Yet you'll have certain types of experience that will make you more desirable in certain industries. Identify the specific skills you have based on your past industry.

If you worked in manufacturing and want to transition to healthcare, consider approaching your resume in a different way, highlighting transferrable skills instead of industry-specific skills. If, on the other hand, you’d like to stay in manufacturing, emphasize skills specific to manufacturing. Consider the requirements and the language of each industry when updating your resume. You may come up with a different resume for each industry.

Identify the needs of your target company

Company cultures differ, so you want to reflect on your desired company profile and size. Once you narrow down those criteria, pay attention to the company’s needs as described in the job announcement. Research the company online (Glassdoor, social media) to learn more about their culture. Create a list of 10-50 companies and return to this list on a regular basis. Write down what makes each company desirable for you and what makes you a great fit for them. This is going to be the foundation of your communications plan, your career documents, and your social media efforts.

Once you have mapped out these core elements of your search, start reaching out and applying proactively.

Use networking and social media

Have a strong LinkedIn profile focused on your goals. Use the keywords that are specific to the type of work you want to do to get traction from recruiters. Networking is used widely across various industries and company sizes. If a smaller company has an open position, it may prefer to identify candidates through networking, while a large company (100+ employees) may make a posting. Think about how hiring happens in your target companies. Ask people if you know anyone who hires within your industry (“Can you tell me a little bit how the hiring process works or if you have been a manager or helped hire?”)

The idea of networking is that you are trying to build warm leads into your target companies. The best place to start is the people that you already know, love, and trust. They want to help you. Do not assume that your friends, family, or people from church or other organizations you attend do not know anyone in your target industry. Ask them. It is going to be the fastest and most comfortable way.

Consider cold approaches to contacting target employers

If you do not have any connections in a particular industry or company, you are doing something similar to a cold call. Applying online is part of the cold approach, and your success is based on your skill level. Do you have the skill that they are looking for? Do you fit their needs? Focus on how well you can articulate your value for the reader, both electronic (Applicant Tracking System) and human. You should apply online because you do not want to miss a great fit, and you might need to apply online even if you are also networking.

However, you want to minimize the time you spend applying online. Look at your target companies’ websites once a week or create a schedule that works for you. Check their websites for job postings and news. The more focused you are, the less time you spend adjusting your resumes. Keep your searches targeted.

You might send direct letters to companies to learn if they may have a position on the forefront or in the near future that would be a good fit for you or if they may have some need that you can fill even though they do not have a position posted. Your goal is to understand the company’s problems and hone your sales pitch.

Attend industry events where you can meet your target employers

Finally, go to several events where people from your target companies might be. This is where your social media presence comes in because you can connect with people who are already working at your target companies. You can connect in groups to people who might be working at your companies and start building a network. Avoid announcing that you’re looking for a job right away. Instead, ask to learn more, share resources, and build a relationship first.

At every stage of the process, keep reviewing your job search plan and notes, adding ideas, revising your career documents, and honing a particular message to a specific type of audience. This will raise your chances of getting a response and starting meaningful dialogue.

Are you a coach looking to improve your job search results with clients? Check out the Certified Hidden Job Market Coach program

Are you a job seeker looking for help with your job search? Find a Certified Hidden Job Market Coach here

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode

For the best job search results – in terms of quality of job and time to land – it is best to minimize the time you spend applying to jobs online. However, you may not want to eliminate online applications from your search completely, as there are benefits to applying when you are qualified for the position.

When you apply to a position on a company’s website, through LinkedIn, or via a trusted job board, you are showing the company you want to work there. In fact, many companies prefer "active" job seekers (those who apply to positions) ... see the bottom of the article for the link to the data!

The tips below from our Career Thought Leader Associates can help you stand out and improve the effectiveness of your online applications.

Be Strategic About Your Online Applications

Do not apply for positions that you are obviously unqualified for. There is a big difference between “I’ve never done that but I’m sure I can do it” and “I have the required experience and have been successful at that."

While you might use networking to get your foot in the door in a new role, applying online will most likely be a frustrating experience. Make sure you have 75% of the qualifications for jobs when applying online.

Ellie Vargo, MRW, CCMC, CFRWC
First & Only Master Resume Writer in St. Louis
Certified Career Management Coach
Noteworthy Resume & Career Services, LLC
www.noteworthyresume.com
linkedin.com/in/ellievargo

Limit Your Time Online & Maximize Each Application

Limit the amount of time you spend looking for online postings by selecting a short list of sites to focus on, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and specific sites for your line of work industry/professional organizations). Set up searches on sites so that you're emailed postings daily.

When applying use a cover letter that is specifically targeted to that company. Doing your homework and crafting a well thought out letter may help to get you noticed.

Tailor your resume to the job description. Align your resume language specifically to the job opening.

Don't assume that applying online is enough to catch attention. Work your network to see who might know someone at that company.

Lynda Grossman
LG Career Coaching, LLC
513.240.9831
linkedin.com/in/lyndagrossman/

Follow the Directions & Write a Cover Letter that Connects

Make sure you clearly address the application instructions, which means addressing any key selection criteria in full. Many candidates skip this step and diminish their application. Use a Situation, Action Outcome answer framework and highlight how your personal values, knowledge, skills and experience meet the selection criteria. Be factual and positive and add supporting data where possible.

Include a highly customized cover letter and, for nonprofits in particular, lead with your passions and ensure they align with the nonprofit client and their mission. Research well and relate your track record, achievements, and skill set to the target client and the role you are applying to. Nonprofits place great emphasis on values and the demonstrated commitment of the candidate to their organization and mission. Highlight related key experience and skills under headings or in bullet points.

Don't forget to make sure your resume and cover letter highlight experience the job description requires, key word optimizing it will ensure a closer perceived fit. If in doubt use a key word generator, (for example word clouds), to make sure your application is highly relevant.

Adding related extracurricular activities and voluntary work on your LinkedIn profile will support your application and showcase your commitment to the mission and to nonprofit work in particular.

Lois Freeke, ACRW, CPBS
NGO Recruiter, Resume Writer, Personal Branding Strategist
Niche Career Services
linkedin.com/in/loisfreeke/

Go Beyond Applying Online

After you have uploaded your resume online (as the employer has asked), don’t sit back and relax. Conduct research to find the name of your potential boss/manager then send him/her a customized cover letter with your resume by regular mail.

In the cover letter, make sure to let the person know you followed the rules by applying online, but since you both know that great candidates sometimes get lost in the ATS, you decided to send a hard copy of your application package. People like to see their names in print, so you can bet that the envelope will be opened by the person to whom it is addressed.

This approach is one sure way to get eyeballs on your documents and get the attention of the decision maker. 

Daisy Wright, CCDP, CCMC, CELDC, CRS
Chief Encouragement Officer
The Wright Career Solution
www.thewrightcareer.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/daisywright

Activate Your Referral Network

Whenever possible (like always!) locate a referral to submit your application materials. 

Why will refer you when they don’t know you? It could be possible they want to have great coworkers, or they may be interested in expanding their network and make connections themselves for the future. Some referrals even receive a $ bonus!

The referral MUST submit the application materials for the applicant as their application materials go into a different part of the corporation’s applicant tracking (ATS) system. 

If the job seeker submits their materials first, they go into the overall ATS system and the referral cannot help. The application materials once submitted cannot be changed to the referral part of the ATS system.

You may be the only person, or among only a few other applicants, in the referral part of the (ATS) system! 

Elizabeth Craig, MBA
Master Career Strategist
www.elcglobal.com 
linkedin.com/in/elizabethcraig1

If you want help improving your application for online positions, contact the experts above or find an Academy Certified Resume Writer to assist you.

Why do some companies prefer active candidates? Here's an article from Indeed that shares what they see as the benefits!

You can find a list of resources to find open positions on our Who's Hiring During COVID resource page.

Executive Search – It's Personal!

It is different from job search by managers and professionals because it is still personal. Executive recruiters from Associate to Partner, for example, still talk with sources, prospects and candidates. Hiring executives and Boards still meet with candidates face-to-face individually and in person or virtually by video – and eventually in person – as they fill unique, mission critical roles in the company. For those engaged in a job search, therefore, networking counts, relationships count, communication counts, and professional presentation counts. It also means that candidates must be articulate as to the value they bring and clear as to alignment with the needs of a particular company at a specific time.

Hiring of managers and professionals is diverging dramatically from executive search. It is increasingly technology-driven and initial screening outsourced to call centers or even chat bots. Recruiters connect with talent pools through social media and engage in conversations there, often in advance of having a specific opening. Tools such as AI-based selection, self-recorded video applications, and text-driven application systems are maturing. There is also increasing emphasis on pre-interview assessment testing and later on group and panel interviews, especially for high volume recruiting and mass hiring. 

Paula Asinof
Wharton MBA, CCM, NLPC
Yellow Brick Path Career Management
pasinof@asinof.com \ 214-526-8690

Build a Wider Network 

Regardless of your level, more than seventy percent of new positions materialize from networking. At the executive level, networking is a must. Career and executive development professionals know that approximately eighty percent of jobs are never posted. This is the hardest point to hit home with executives—especially those that hold long tenures with one company or industry. Vast networks in your own company or industry aren’t enough. You must widen your network outside of your comfort zone.

Although many executives are strong strategic business thinkers, that mindset tends to become dormant when it comes to marketing oneself. Naturally, we are our own worst critics, and it is difficult to know where to begin when it comes to an executive search—especially if you haven’t looked for a new position in a long time. You must build your network before you need it. 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
Career and Leadership Development Executive
Golden Ratio Coaching, Ltd.
coachbarens@gmail.com 
www.goldenratiocoaching.com 

Executive Job Search in Learning & Development

There are four components that make an executive job search stand out: 

• First, a professional seeking an executive role in the Learning and Development field should focus on communicating their philosophical beliefs concerning learning and development in addition to sharing their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Second, a traditional interview requires you to explain what your motivations are; whereas an executive interview requires you to explain how you lead and motivate others.
• Third, a resume or curriculum vitae used for an executive job search should start with your leadership style, highlight executive functioning skills, and focus on major organizational/industry related contributions and accomplishments.
• Fourth, an executive job search may be handled with a high level of discretion to protect both the company and the candidate.

Lakeisha Mathews, Owner
Certified Professional Career Coach & Resume Writer
Right Resumes & Career Coaching 
www.rightresumes.org
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Executive Job Search as a Business Plan

Many executive clients have never conducted a comprehensive job search. Instead, they’ve been recruited into successive positions for ten, twenty, possibly thirty years.

Executives are more likely to be conducting a confidential job search and therefore must be strategic in how they approach their network.

As an executive, you understand the importance of writing a business plan to outline your objectives for the coming year. Much like a business plan, a job search plan lays the foundation for your ultimate success.

Taking the time to map out your plan now, will save time, and frustration in the future. In preparing for your job search now, you can ensure a smooth transition when the time comes for implementation.

You will be surprised how an effective job search strategy will shorten your time back into the market. And, as we are all aware, time is money. Save your money by reducing the time it takes you to get back to work.

Resources:

What every executive should know about how to stand out: http://www.mypromotion.ca/2016/04/what-every-executive-should-know-about-their-resume-how-to-stand-out-in-a-competitive-market/

Maureen McCann, BA, CCDP, MCRS, MCES, MCIS, MCCS
Promotion Career Solutions | www.mypromotion.ca

Know Your Point of View

We all know that it is imperative that an Executive/C-Suite resume showcase specific business accomplishments, however, with the increased emphasis on employee engagement and retaining top talent, the resume must demonstrate value-driven, trusting and authentic leadership. It is the differentiator in today’s world. This makes the Executive/C-Suite resume even more challenging to write and is beyond branding. It’s assumed that the business/technical skills of executive applicants are extraordinary, however, demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness are hard to pinpoint. The resume writer needs to know more about the executive than just business skills, they must “get under the skin” of the executive, have them think deeply about why they want to move into the position, what are their beliefs, as Ken Blanchard relates, ask them to explain what their LPOV-Leadership Point of View is.

Pam McHugh, MA, SPHR/SHRM-SCP, CCMC
prmchugh22@gmail.com
410-215-1782

The Job Search Process

Job search at the executive or C-level is not any different from other professionals. A successful job search process has the same steps involved regardless of the level of position you are seeking to land.

First you need to identify your target organizations. You don’t even want to think about updating your resume until you know whom you’re writing it for.

Then you need to identify your personal brand and value. It’s an essential part of selling yourself, knowing how you uniquely can solve your target company’s problems.

Now you’re ready to update your personal marketing materials – resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, etc. so you can be ready for the critical step, NETWORKING.

Networking in any job search is essential, but even more so for an executive. Executive and C-level roles are not often publicized so you need to rely on your network (and recruiters) to uncover opportunities.

Finally all job seekers go through interviews. When you’re prepared to tell your brand story, answer the tough questions and ask the right ones you’ll surely be on your way to an offer.

Michelle Robin, NCRW, CPRW
Chief Career Brand Officer
Brand Your Career
www.brandyourcareer.com

By Brenda Bernstein
The Essay Expert

Are you a talented professional with amazing accomplishments, but who is getting nowhere applying for jobs through job boards? If so, you are not alone, and you are fighting an uphill battle. The fact is, job seekers get only a 1-3% response rate from the major job boards. That means you might have to send out 100 resumes to get just one response!

There are plenty of jobs out there that are not posted on job boards, and that even your networking contacts don’t know about. The company itself might not even know they want someone like you until you show up! Mary Elizabeth Bradford, who won a Career Innovator Award at the 2011 Career Directors International conference, has packaged a Job Search Success System that will help you present yourself powerfully to find those hidden jobs.

The basic premise of Mary Elizabeth’s system if that you need strategies to connect directly with companies. You cut out the “middle man” (recruiters, HR, job boards, etc.).

Most companies go through at least five steps to fill a position before they will post the position to a major job board. They get on the phone to a few trusted colleagues. They look to see if anyone internal is qualified to be promoted. They alert their staff to refer someone they might know. They launch an intimate campaign to try to fill the position waaaay before the general public is notified. And if after a few weeks, the position is still not filled, perhaps they contact a related association to post the job on their “Members Only job” — or they contract a recruiter. Job boards are a last resort.
Can you break through to the Hidden Market?
Mary Elizabeth emphasizes, “ANYONE (and I mean even if you are right out of college) can enjoy the benefits of the hidden job market. These jobs are available on all levels and in virtually all industries. The trick is to hone your focus so you actually achieve the results you want.”

What are the advantages to you of connecting to the hidden job market? You get more job opportunities, more market leverage, less competition, a shorter interview process and bigger offers. You still might want to send resumes out via the internet as part of your strategy; but why would you focus there exclusively when you can have so much more control over your next career move?!

You might be wondering precisely how to tap into the unadvertised job market. There are three strategies recommended by the Job Search Success System that help you focus on and find great jobs that will never see a major job board.

Tip #1: Have a plan

Launch a proactive job search. Know precisely what you are looking for, then reach out to get it. Know your primary target market(s), primary positions sought, geographic parameters, and timeline.

Tip #2: Pick three main job search strategies for tapping into your market

Here are two examples of techniques you can utilize:
Offer your skills to growing or changing companies: Companies that are expanding, merging, acquiring other companies, rolling out new products or services, or moving are likely to be seeking new employees to help them with their transition.

Make direct company contact: Contacting a company directly is a great way to take leadership and control over your job search. Are you interested in looking at the higher education market in your state or the top organic food manufacturers in the US? Or maybe the fastest growing healthcare oriented businesses in your city? All of these “lists” are accessible to you and allow you to tap right into your market of focus.

Tip #3: Manage your job search like a marketing campaign

Make a simple plan to move forward. Pick the hours and days each week that you plan to invest in your next career move. Block out those times and stick to them! Honor your commitment to your job search just like you would honor your commitment to your present employer to show up on time each day.

During your job search, keep things simple and focus on your actions, not their immediate results! This way you can celebrate your initial “successes” – the completions of your daily and weekly goals. The results will unfold elegantly and abundantly and you will enjoy the satisfaction of success whether you are investing in marketing yourself or basking in the warm glow of landing your third or fourth interview!

How are job boards sounding now?

By Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW
Enelow Enterprises, Inc.

For true job search success, you must focus yourself and your campaign on the 3 M’s – Mindset, Merchandising, and Multichannel.

MINDSET – Executive job search is sales, pure and simple. You have a product to promote (yourself), and you must create a strategic marketing campaign to sell that product. It is an active process to which you must commit your time, energy, and financial resources. No product is ever sold if it sits quietly on the shelf. It’s all about market visibility – in the right places at the right times.

It’s also about having a clear mindset as to your value in the marketplace. With each passing day, the market becomes more competitive, and the candidates who manage their campaigns well are the candidates who receive the offers and opportunities. It is not necessarily the most qualified candidate who gets the position; it may be the individual who most effectively manages his or her search campaign. Therefore, your value must be clearly and concisely communicated, for it is the foundation for your entire campaign and your market success. It is what prospective employers and recruiters will want to buy, so be clear to communicate what you are selling.

MERCHANDISING – Designing and writing powerful job search communications (e.g., resumes, cover letters, executive career profiles) requires a strong focus on merchandising your qualifications, achievements, successes, skills, and knowledge. In theory, you want to lay ALL of your experience on the table; then pick, choose, and merchandise those items that are most related to your current career objectives. Communicate who you “want to be” and NOT “who you have been.”

Consider the following example of merchandising your resume. Assume you’re a Chief Marketing Officer with three different objectives. Objective #1 is another CMO position; objective #2 is a COO/CEO position; objective #3 is an International Business Development position. How you merchandise your qualifications and expertise will vary significantly between the three versions so that you are able to bring to the forefront the core skills and experience you have that are most related to those three different objectives.

It is also critical that you appropriately merchandise your letters. Remember, you’re taking your entire career, consolidating it into a 1-3 page executive resume focused on your current objectives, and then consolidating it even further into a 2-3 paragraph executive cover letter. Yet, despite the consolidation, you must still focus on merchandising the same core qualifications.

MULTICHANNEL – An integrated approach that uses multiple channels of distribution is what typifies a winning job search campaign. Use each and every channel that is appropriate for your search objectives. This should include networking, ad responses, targeted direct mail and email campaigns, Internet resume postings, Internet job postings (ChiefMonster.com is the #1 source), and executive job lead reports. Think of your multichannel campaign as a wheel with many spokes, each of which is vital and each of which contributes to your overall ability to move your campaign forward.

Consider the 3 M’s to job search success as your new mantra and repeat the words over and over – Mindset, Merchandising, and Multichannel. If you can effectively build your campaign around these concepts, you will be one of the fortunate ones whose search campaign is quick, efficient, and successful.

By Brenda Bernstein
The Essay Expert

Reasons.

We have so many of them. Reasons to do things, reasons not to do things. Reasons why something is possible, and reasons why it’s not. Reasons to spend money, and reasons not to spend money. Reasons to give up, and reasons to take action.

Pretty much every decision we make is based on a reason of some sort or another.

Sometimes reasons conflict with each other. For instance, when I look at discounted mocha brownies in the day-old bin at my food coop, my brain comes up with many reasons to buy (and eat) the brownies. They are on sale! They will taste so good! I deserve it! Yet on most days, I do not buy them, because my reasons for not eating them far outweigh my reasons for indulging. I feel better. I look better. Kale will serve me so much better in the long run. Who cares if it costs twice as much and takes five times as much work to prepare?

Reasons at work in your job search

If you are a job seeker, you probably have lots of reasons to explain why you chose to apply or not apply for a particular job; why someone will or won’t hire you; and even why you are or are not going to hire a resume writer. You can choose to take the easy road, perhaps your default action (buying the mocha brownies), or you can choose to do something a little more difficult that will serve your career in the long term (invest in the kale).

Annabelle’s story

Two weeks ago I got a call from a woman (I will call her Annabelle) who was referred to me for resume assistance. Annabelle had just found out about a position that was available at a national non-profit in Washington, D.C., and she believed she was perfect for the job. The problem: Through her connections, Annabelle had discovered that the hiring process was quickly coming to a close, interviews were done, and the organization was making a final decision on the person they wanted to hire.

Annabelle had also been told by a friend at the organization, who also happens to be a friend of mine, that the language in her resume was confusing and that she should hire me to get it into shape.

Not giving up

Many people would have given up as soon as they heard the words, “We are too far along in the hiring process.” Others would have given up at the prospect of spending hundreds of dollars unexpectedly to overhaul their resume.

Annabelle could have listened to all the multitude of reasons against applying for this position. But she listened to the reasons to give it a shot.

After all, this was a job she wanted more than anything, and no one had actually confirmed that anyone been offered the job yet. Also, there would be more positions open in the future, so it couldn’t hurt to send in her resume.

Annabelle jumped into action. She hired The Essay Expert for two hours at our RUSH rate, reformatted her resume on her own, and, despite having a family emergency intervene in the midst of the process, managed to submit her materials to the organization the next day.

Was it worth it?

The day after sending in her application, Annabelle got an email: the organization wanted to talk to her. She was put through an expedited interview process, and during one of the interviews she could hear one of the managers there going through her resume line by line. He was impressed.

Annabelle moved forward with confidence, incredibly well-prepared for her interviews after having talked to me about every bullet on her resume.

Yesterday I received a call from Annabelle, who told me with great excitement that she had received an offer last Monday for her dream job. A job, you will remember, that was not available until the hiring manager saw Annabelle’s resume.

Annabelle’s job search, beginning to end, for a job at a national non-profit in Washington, D.C.: 4 days. Wow.

Annabelle did have a leg up because she had met the hiring manager at a prior event; her network played a crucial role in opening up this opportunity, as it does for many job seekers. She also believes, and I agree, that “a network can only take you so far; the resume is the only way others can justify your consideration to those who might not know you; it’s your only real voice in the matter.”

She continues (and I promise I did not write this), “No matter how well you think you fit the position, no matter how well you have your contacts lined up, if your resume does not accurately reflect your level of professionalism or capability, hiring managers will never see the true candidate that you are. Having an ill-prepared resume should be the last reason why you don’t go after or get considered for a job. There’s no reason you can’t have a great resume to represent yourself!”

Where are you stopped?

If you are a job seeker, where are you getting stopped? Are you letting reasons keep you from applying to jobs you are qualified for? Are you using a mediocre resume in applications for your dream job because you don’t want to hire someone to bring it up a level or two?

Do you believe that you can find a job in 4 days or do you think such a thing is impossible?

What reasons are you listening to? The ones that have you give up (the equivalent for me of eating mocha brownies) or the ones that will move you forward in your career?

I encourage you to believe that you can turn impossibilities into possibilities if you put your mind to it. Please use Annabelle’s story as an inspiration. And if you have a voice in your head saying, “That could never happen to me,” don’t give up. There is always a different set of reasons you can listen to, if only you are willing.