The Best Guaranteed Executive Job Search Method Simplified for Quick, Reliable Results

There are four steps needed to ensure an executive-level job search campaign cannot fail. Adopt these and your campaign will take you from where you are to where you want to be faster.

ONE Create the right focus. Identify what you want. Name deal-breakers. Pare them down to serious no-goes and must-haves then stick with your choices. Waffling on your values comes across to employers as a lack of self-confidence and worse, desperation driving candidates to accept any job which means the new hire is not committed, is probably a high risk for leaving, and likely not going to try hard to do their best for the company. Some examples of what to focus on

a.    Responsibilities

b.    Corporate culture

c.     Location

d.    Industry

e.    Growth potential

f.     Commute

g.    Total Compensation - Salary and benefits

h.    Reputation

i.      Authority

j.     Dress code

k.    Hours

l.      Corporate financial status

m.   Corporate ownership

TWO Identify individuals who are aware of opportunities that fit your needs. Often job seekers are advised to assemble a list of target companies. Ultimately, companies do not make hiring decisions, people do. You can start with naming specific companies that are likely to need and appreciate your talent and then take that further by finding the names of individuals in charge of the functions you want to do and who oversee staff in the roles you qualify for or want to pursue. Do not include external recruiters or HR on this list of contacts; they cannot make a job offer. Go straight to the hiring authority and avoid the middle person.

 a.    Select based on the job title

b.    Seek referrals to hiring managers from employees among target companies

c.     Inquire for recommended contacts from industry and professional associations

d.    Ask authors and bloggers to suggest either their contacts or others they are aware have the appropriate hiring authority

e.    Comb through corporate organization charts (use the dark web to find employee directories)

f.     Contact alumni organization leaders and members for referrals

g.    Request guidance from academic program directors

h.    Check with local business councils

i.      Contact state government offices that oversee an industry category

j.     Legal, consulting, and accounting firms often know their clients’ leaders and current needs for new talent

THREE Determine what information will attract hiring authorities and build their trust in you. It’s a very competitive job market. There are many qualified candidates eager to please employers making it an employer’s not a candidate’s job market. It is necessary for an individual job seeker to stand out. This means to differentiate themselves from the other cookie cutters and distinguish themselves as first -choice, go-to, lowest risk experts. 

a.    Required skills and knowledge

b.    Bonus skills and knowledge

c.     Unexpected, value-add skills, knowledge, experience, relationships, personal characteristics

d.    Anticipate any of your weaknesses and deficits from the employer’s perspective - present evidence that you will avoid mistakes, are a dependable, careful resource, can compensate for any missing requirements, etc.

e.    Show up where the right contacts are already present, and they can’t miss seeing how capable you are and enthusiastic about a future opportunity as a member of their team

f.     Promote your visibility, develop relationships and establish credibility among individuals who know the target contacts- personal recommendations are very persuasive and extremely influential in hiring decisions

g.    Discreetly call attention through a “@Nameofhiringmanager” on LinkedIn

h.    Post and comment where hiring authorities are known to be regular readers and/or participate in discussions, initiate conversations, report company news, etc.

FOUR Decide on the most effective way to communicate with each contact. In addition to some of the suggestions described in THREE that rely on social media interactions to attract employers, promote yourself one to one.

a.    Create private written correspondence and send by email

b.    Attempt a cold call – be patient, polite, and be wary of a call to action. Keep voice messages short and be ultra-courteous. Befriend any administrative or junior staff who may respond to your inquiry to keep your reputation as a professional who observes the rules.

c.     Send a note by standard mail, hand delivery, or by express delivery (to an official work address, not home even if you know they are working remotely)

d.    Send an invitation to a zoom, webinar or other events that you think will interest them then speak up when appropriate during the presentation or ask the hiring manager a question or mention them in your chat

e.    If you find an online post they have submitted on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, an industry forum, book, or article comment, publish your remarks and call their attention to your participation and shared interests. Send a note citing a resource that might be valuable to them adding a personal affiliation or association to help them understand why you shared with them.

f.     Avoid being cute, too clever which can border on unprofessional. Aim for good attention that builds your brand, avoid anything that might cause a stranger to wonder about your business know-how or common sense.

FIVE   Follow -up consistently and you will differentiate yourself and be memorable.

 a.    Most people do not keep in touch, bother to confirm receipt or stay true to their word which gives individuals who do follow-up as remarkable among their competition.

b.    Watch that your follow-up actions and communications are tactful, always courteous, and not so often that they are annoying.

c.     Use each follow up as a high touch opportunity to make a positive impression.

d.    Be especially kind to administrative staff, your target’s direct reports, and others who have a close relationship with the desired contact. You want them to say nice things about you to their boss, our target contact. Moreover, you may end up as work colleagues and you don’t want to start off on the wrong foot.

e.    Copy the style of your target contact mimicking their use of casual or formal language, choice of media, frequency of responses (but you must always use recommended business practices)

f.     Following-up is a good chance to reinforce your message, offer support and share knowledge and resources