While some say the recession is technically over, unemployment is still rising and indicators predict it will continue to rise for the first quarter of 2010. As the number of senior-level executives in the job market increases, and hundreds of online tools promise to help you find that ever-elusive next position, the most effective strategy is to focus on people.
Go Where Your Target Is
Attend the conferences, meetings and events the executives attend and spend time, where they congregate outside of the office. If any of the executives publish a blog, follow their blogs, and post comments. Also, read the publications the executives read, and write articles or editorial comments for those publications.
Executive officer recruitment committees and executive consulting firms are looking for the “perfect fit,” and there are hundreds of senior executives that are a “perfect fit” in the marketplace today
Niche Yourself to Stand Out in an Over-Saturated Market.
It’s imperative to position yourself with your contacts as a deeply niched senior-level executive with expertise in a particular function and industry. Trying to position yourself as a senior executive with a broad range of functions such as CEO, CFO, CIO and Senior Business Development & Marketing Executive is far too broad and weakens your message. It sends a message that you’re not only unfocused, but also desperate.
In an over-saturated marketplace, the only way to set yourself apart from the competition is to market your value proposition – your unique selling proposition – your innate talents – your passion that drives you to be a successful senior executive. It’s what will attract people to you and make them want to hire you.
You’ll need to be able to articulate this when initiating contact, in networking situations, in your marketing materials (resume, cover letter, leadership profile, branding statements) and through your online presence (blog, webportfolio and LinkedIn profile). It’s important to position yourself as a senior executive with a memorable, tightly niched message.
Bottom Line
Once you’re able to clearly communicate who you are and what you can do for a company, building relationships will become effortless and your contacts will be clear about the value of helping you. Opportunities will begin to manifest as a result of these relationships
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© Copyright, 2009, Beverly Harvey. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Beverly Harvey has been coaching senior-level and C-level executives in job search, career transition and career management for over 17 years. She has helped thousands of executives land their next position quickly. Beverly is the founder of HarveyCareers.com and holds eight certifications in resume writing, branding, job search, career transition and career management. She is a resume expert for six executive job boards; contributor to more than 20 career books; Director of the Job Search Academy; and is the author of Career News & Trends. She can be reached at 386-749-3111 or 888-775-0916.
