10 Steps to Executive Job Search Success

Many executives contemplating a career move or already job hunting haven’t faced an executive job search in 5, 10 or even 15 years or more.

If they’ve changed jobs over that time, they were sought after by executive recruiters and managed to circumvent the job search process.

They’ve been fortunate.

However, things can change in an instant. They can be let go without warning. Or they can suddenly find themselves living with the threat of a lay off.

And there are those who truly have job security, at least for the time being, but are dissatisfied with their job or their company. They’re anxious to move on, or at least see what else is out there.

All of them face the same dilemma. They have little to no experience with the new world of job search, so they often trip themselves up.

So they rush to update their resumes . . . or write one for the first time, because they never needed one before. But they have no clear idea of where they want to go next.

Then they rush to post that new resume to every job opening on every job board that even remotely matches their qualifications and needs.

They get stuck using methods that have dismal success rates . . . despite every indication that these methods aren’t working. They’re getting zero results and unnecessarily prolonging their search.

As with many complicated issues in our lives, it’s always best to start with an understanding of the path ahead of us.

10 Steps to Executive Job Search Success

Here is the fairly linear path to prepare for and navigate a successful executive job search. In addition, I’ve included links to resources and articles I’ve written on these topics:

1. Identify Companies/Organizations to Target

Don’t even think about writing your executive resume before you first know who you’re writing it for. Determine what kind of work you want to do and which employers will provide that kind of work.

For more information:

7 Tips to Build Your Executive Job Search Target Companies List

2. Research Your Target Employers and Industry

With your target list of employers in hand, spend time researching each one. Identify their current situation and needs that you’re uniquely qualified to help them meet. In addition, researching for market intelligence about your industry and target employers serves as your due diligence.

For more information:

Best Ways and Places to Research Your Target Employers

3. Define Your Personal Brand and ROI for Executive Job Search

Now that you know who you’re targeting and what their current needs are, work on defining your personal brand. Determine what areas of expertise, driving strengths, passions, values, and personal traits you possess that make you a good fit for them.

For more information:

THE Personal Branding Worksheet

Explore. Dream. Discover. Work Your Passion!

Going To “Create” Your Personal Brand? Nope, You Already Have a Brand

4. Write Your Personal Marketing Content – executive resume, biography, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, etc.

Build personal brand content and messaging around the value you offer your target employers.

For more information:

Set of 4 Worksheets for Today’s Executive Job Search (includes Personal Branding Worksheet)

What is the Perfect Executive Resume?

Essential LinkedIn Guide for Today’s Executive Job Search

How to Write an Executive Career Brand Biography

Do I Really Need a Cover Letter for My Executive Resume?

5. Build Your Online Presence

The vast majority of executive recruiters and employers search for and assess candidates by what they find about them online. Therefore, those with a dismal or non-existent online footprint are often overlooked for those who have a diverse, far-reaching online presence.

For more information:

10 Best Ways to Build Your Personal Brand Online

Get CareerBrandVideos™ to Build Your Online Presence

Does Your Online Presence Scream “DON’T Hire Me”?

6. Embrace Social Media in Your Executive Job Search

Go beyond creating social media profiles and take advantage of all that these platforms offer. Demonstrate your subject matter expertise and thought leadership, and stay top-of-mind with your target employers.

For more information:

Top 10 Ways to Build Your Online Personal Brand with LinkedIn

15 Savvy Tips To Boost LinkedIn Profile Views

Does My LinkedIn Profile Really Need a Photo?

Free Email Services (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) May Not Be Safe for Job Search

Email Follow-Up: How To Get Responses and Results

How Much Is Enough Social Media for Job Search?

Twitter vs LinkedIn for Executive Job Search Networking

7. Network into the Hidden Job Market

The perfect job for you may never be posted on a job board or anywhere else! It may only exist in the vast “hidden” market of unadvertised jobs. The idea is to circumvent the gatekeepers at your target companies. Connect directly with key hiring decision makers where they hang out online and offline.

Build a networking strategy that includes in-person interactions (networking events, etc.), virtual communications (email), and social networking (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

For more information:

Use Job Boards for Research … Not to Find Executive Jobs

How to Network Into the Goldmine of Hidden Executive Jobs

8. Cultivate Relationships with Executive Recruiters

Identify and stay top-of-mind with several recruiters in your niche.

For more information:

How to Find Executive Recruiters Specializing in Your Niche

Social Recruiting: The Surprising Ways Executive Recruiters Assess Candidates on Social Media

Secrets Executive Recruiters Can’t Tell You and Tips for Working with Them

Why the Best Executive Recruiters Ignore Your LinkedIn Profile and You

How To Get Executive Recruiters’ Attention With The Right Email Messages

9. Prepare to Ace Job Interviews

Rely once again on your initial industry and company research to help you prepare to excel in job interviews.

For more information:

How to Brand Your Executive Job Interviews and Land the Gig

Power Posing and Body Language in Job Interviews

Executive Interview Questions: What Should YOU Ask?

Smart Executive Job Search: How To Sail Through Salary Negotiations

10. Monitor and Safeguard Your Online Reputation for Executive Job Search

Allot time, say, once a week in your executive job search efforts to self-Google. Digital dirt can surface at any time and sabotage your chances. You’ll need to take care of it as soon as possible.

For more information:

Why You Need to Self-Google Once a Week

The Online Safety and Privacy Dilemma in Executive Job Search

5 Online Reputation Management Keys for Executive Job Search

Social Media Snark: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People