Executive Essentials, from APerfectResume.com

Your Network: It's Already Bigger Than You Think

Networking is the #1 most effective way to land your next executive position.  Hands down.  It is a fact.  Particularly for candidates on the senior level.  Those on the executive level should not be concerned about starting a network; one would hope you know people after living life for a certain period of time.   

Your network is likely already bigger than you think it is.  And managing it should not be as difficult as you might fear it to be.  Right now there’s a general contractor doing work on my house.  In the normal course of discussing this with my social circle, book club, and professional circle, I have sent at least six people to this contractor.  He’s really benefiting from my network.

Before that, this same contractor sent me resume clients.  So how about that?  Do you think I actively campaigned for resume customers in front of this person?  Of course not.   He knows what I do and he mentioned it to others when they expressed a need.  And I’ll tell you something else: I have literally networked with people by complete and total accident.  In a venue where I don’t even remember ever mentionining that I write executive resumes, more than one person approached me to inquire about this service.

The point is, your network is not just colleagues, former colleagues, and the like.  It’s people you just know.  It’s normal to speak in casual conversation about what you do.  (Elevator pitch, anyone?)  Then when that person hears of an opportunity that might suit you, they tell you, and vice versa.

Think about the people in your every day life.  The girl who babysits your kids?  Chat up the mother and father when you pick her up and drive her home.  The manager of the grocery store?  His brother could hold a VP position at a company you’ve had your eye on for some time.  The examples could go on and on.  Don’t even get me started on church, kids’ athletic games…

Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

I had a potential executive resume client request a free resume evaluation this week, with a note saying, “I need the least expensive fee because money is a big issue now and I need to make an emergency change.”

Uh-uh.  My I respectfully suggest the adoption of a new perspective?

You know, I’m a consumer also.  I use other people’s professional services.  One that springs to mind is my accountant.  His name is Jerry Glickman.  His firm is Shechtman, Marks in Philadelphia, PA.  It’s questionable whether he’ll be thrilled that I’m mentioning him in this particular forum.  In any event, I was referred to Jerry by a close friend.  It was suggested to me by this friend that I had reached a point in my life and my resume practice that I needed to graduate from using the services of the typical chain tax preparer that pops up on every street corner come tax time.

So I accepted the referral and went to Jerry.  It was, to say the least, expensive.  But guess what: I am 120% confident that my taxes are done right.  And isn’t that really the point?  Let’s see: do I want a cheap tax preparer who will get my stuff done in assembly line fashion, but who knows if I’ll get audited or not?  Or do I want to sit with Jerry, have him review my issues with me, give me his time, lend me his expertise, and instill confidence in me that he expertly handled each facet of my complicated (at least to me, anyway) financial matters?  I’ll take Option 2.

Option 1

   

Option 2

Let’s apply this philosophy to other professional services.  When you have a major illness, do you search for the cheapest doctor?  Or do you go to the one you’re confident has the most experience and resources to manage your specific problem?

If you’re in some unfortunate situation that may require, ahem, prison, are you interested in the cheapest lawyer in a storefront shop?  On the contrary, most people go for the biggest “name” out there.  Think: OJ’s “Dream Team.”  His dream was to stay out of jail; his dream was fulfilled.

Ladies in particular, do you insist on the cheapest hair cut?  Or the best one?  The one that suits the shape of your face, takes into account your hair thickness, and suits your overall style?

Get it?

So why on earth, at a time when you really and truly need a job, would you insist on the cheapest resume possible?  Do you honestly think that will get you there?  Am I trying to sell you a resume right now?  Not necessarily.  What I want is for you to see the value in a resume prepared by a real person, a certified professional, who takes the time to communicate with you and present your authentic story.  That’s how you get what you really want.  And that, my friends, is priceless.

I Don't Believe In Salary Histories

“Only resumes with salary histories will be considered.”

Does this put a bit of fear and trepidation in your heart?

I say it’s RUBBISH.  And that's my nice word for it.

There are two clear options when salary history is requested.  Well, before I even get to that.  I have never in the past and never would in the figure prepare a salary history for any of my executive resume clients.  There is no earthly reason to denote salary figures for every year of the candidate’s life.  I simply don’t believe in salary histories.

Here’s what I do recommend, though.  First, I ask the executive, “Philosophically, are you in favor of or against stating an actual number?”

If the answer is that they will state a number, then I recommend stating a range of minimally $10K.  This range should be based on research.  The bottom number of the range should represent a level of compensation that you will be happy and fulfilled living with.

If the answer is they have no desire to reveal a number, then I recommend stating that salary will become a serious consideration essentially after both sides have established a mutual professional interest.  At that point, you expect to participate in intelligent negotiations to reach upon a mutually agreeable figure.

By the way, I have never in my professional history had an executive resume client come back to me to later report that his resume was rejected because of not submitting a salary history.

Now & Forever

• Do you know the worst time to network?  When you need a job.
• Do you know the worst time to investigate joining your industry’s professional associations?  When you need a job?
• Do you know the worst time to prepare or update your resume?  When you need a job.

There are certain elements of executive career management that you need to do now and forever.

Networking: This concept can be daunting.  But networking simply starts with leveraging who you already know.  You know colleagues, former colleagues, former bosses, vendors, and more.  Keep communication going.  It doesn’t have to be job-related every single day.  Let your network know you are available to help them when they need it, and that will be paid back to you when you need to identify your next executive position.

Associations: Ask your colleagues what associations they belong to, and why they like the associations they’re in.  Accompany your colleagues to association events and request introductions.  Get direct contact with associations’ management teams.  They can be invaluable “insider” resources.

Your Executive Resume: Keep a running log, after every project or major achievement, of the details of your success.  This will be essential to updating your resume.  And even when you aren’t looking for your next executive assignment, it’s strongly advisable that you update your resume every six months.  It would be ideal to have a fresh resume on hand in case one of your contacts from your network or your professional associations asks for it.

I'm Every Woman

Q: "I know I need a new resume because the one I have was written more than 10 years ago, and I am up on things enough to know that times have changed.  Here’s my situation: I have been a COO, CIO, and CFO over the course of my career, and I am confident I can land a senior executive role in any one of these areas.  Should my resume be general enough to present all of this?”

A: To be cliché: “No, no, 1,000 times no.” 

While I understand you are brilliant in several key areas, you cannot be all things to all people.  Your name is not Whitney Houston.  You are not Every Woman. 

You are also not alone in this situation.  Many of my executive clients come to me with a similar set of circumstances.  My first strategy is to see if I can narrow you down to two choices, say, you want to target COO and CIO roles.  If you feel equally compelled to more possibilities than that, I would strongly recommend career counseling with my partner Bettina Seidman at Seitbet Associates in order for you to gain greater clarity regarding your objectives.

I will say this, before I present the second step of my strategy: I am not a big believer in preparing two resumes.  I have found time and time again that the second resume is weaker, significantly so.  My other feeling is that your history is your history, and it cannot and should not be written completely differently depending on whether you’re target is COO or CIO.

What I do recommend, though, is an alternate cover letter and profile.  The cover letter is critically important in further enhancing your authentic voice.  It guides the reader to what you are most proud of and passionate about.  Most likely, you are proud of a different set of achievements from your COO roles, than during your CIO work.

The profile (also known as the “summary,” “synopsis,” or “qualifications” section) at the top of the resume is your opportunity to emphasize those assets which are absolutely most relevant to the employer.  There would certainly be different points to emphasize, based on the role you’re targeting.

The remainder of your resume would be the same for both presentations.

This strategy works because it’s important to not dilute your message.  After all, you’re not going to be a COO and CIO in the same company at the same time, right?  A singular, focused, spot-on message is infinitely superior to a “general” resume.  Uuuuuggh.  I cringe when executives ask me for a general resume.  I cringe even writing it here.  Let’s eliminate that from our lexicon.

This approach has proven to be a sound one, and I send many executive resume clients to pursue their career management goals with their alternate cover letter / profiles.  This positions them to go forth with confidence.