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…

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.

Let's Please Keep Things Professional

Guru has an interesting post about ridiculously unprofessional cover letters.  I'd like to rant and rave about ridiculously unprofessional email addresses.

Executives: this is what I command you to have for your email address: FirstNameDotLastName@Doman.Com.  Can we please not make things any fancier than that?  When clients come to APerfectResume.com with something less than professional, I make them change it.

OK, I don't MAKE my executive clients change their email addresses.  I strongly counsel them on the reasons why a silly email address is not funny, but hurtful to their job search campaign.

Ladies, I hate to say it, but you are the bigger culprits when it comes to sexy or otherwise inappropriate email addresses.  Executives, you need to be building a brand.  That brand needs to convey leadership, forward thinking, and maturity.

Please don't make me talk to you about outgoing voice mail messages...OK, but I will: speak clearly, record your message in a quiet area, and record your cell phone voice mail from your land line to prevent the signal from breaking up.  Oh, and don't end your voice mail with anything to the effect of, "Peace, Out."  Yes, I did have an executive who did that...until, of course, I got through with him.

The Hot Flash Lady

Interesting article to think about here.  The moral of the story is: executives, don't overshare.  Keep a balance between being friendly and being professional.  I smiled at the article that mentioned two coworkers who barely knew each other, in the elevator talking about the weather.  Then Coworker 1 said something to Coworker 2 to the effect of, "The heat doesn't bother me because I have hot flashes anyway."  Coworker 1 was The Hot Flash Lady forevermore. 

Values: Know Yours, Then Use Them To Define Your Career

A new study by Spherion says nearly half of employees say their employer's corporate values do not agree with their own personal values.

A key consideration for the executive candidate is to define what is truly important for you as you manage and advance your career: money or fulfillment.

I raise this consideration with every executive who inquires about professional resume development services.  Executives tell me more often than not that fulfillment is the primary consideration, and a robust compensation package is the second priority.

To make sure that a corporation you're interested in promotes values similar to yours, ask yourself some questions beforehand:

• What is my brand, which is the professional image of me that other people are likely to hold?
• How do I want to be known professionally, as a person who...?
• Can I articulate the overriding value I bring to the table, and how does that fit with the company's values?

Consider these points to determine if you are a good fit with the organization.  Both the executive and the employer have a vested interest in making a good fit.  The employer will get an executive who is motivated to advocate for the business' success.  The executive will thrive in an environment in which he can spread his personal values to benefit the business as a whole.

Executives, Consider This Before Changing Employers

Michael Wist posted an interesting point about how workers near retirement really and truly hold a lot of power.  That experience can prove invaluable to businesses as they bring in younger workers, train them, and develop them. 

Before you decide it's time to move on, or before you accept a severance package, examine the opportunities within your current employer's organization.  After a long career with an employer, you undoubtedly have valuable experience to pass on.

Another suggestion, if you separate from the company, is to use the experience you gained there to come back in a consulting capacity.

Good News In The Face Of Age Discrimination

Age discrimination exists.  It's hard to prove.  But there most definitely are techniques to work around it.  George Lenard a labor and employment lawyer in St. Louis, blogged about how in the IT industry specifically, employers are looking for experienced senior level candidates who have the technical background AND business acumen.

I can offer several recommendations for executive candidates facing apparent or blatant age discrimination: consult.  I've pointed several clients in this direction, advised them to leverage their professional network, and land some engagements in which they can truly do what they love and what they're expert in.

The additional recommendation is to continue seeking traditional employment simultaneously with consulting.  In researching organizations where you'd like to work, find out all you can about their corporate philosophy, their values, WHO they value.  The experienced worker who has technical skill AND high-level business operational expertise is a candidate who will never go out of style.

HERE's What You Do To Advance To The Executive Level

Interesting post about something that's apparently semi-necessary in order to make it to the top: alcohol.  Drink some.  Probably some.  Not a lot.  There's a study out in the Journal of Labor Research that says CEOs see a direct correlation between social drinking and career advancement.  Make nice with your boss, be sociable, and climb that corporate ladder! 

Attitude Isn't Everything; But It Is A Lot

Dr. Bamster, aka Dr. Barbara Marchilonis, provides some good information on taking the time to adopt a positive attitude.  I would recommend doing so BEFORE you embark on your search for your next executive position.

If you're coming out of a negative situation, a firing, a layoff, a change in organizational control, take some down time.  Relax.  Get your head together before you go back out there into the working world.  The reality is the next potential employer doesn't want to hear negativity about your last employer.   You'd only be hurting yourself.

Networking. Do It The Right Way

Networking.  Leslie Levine writes on the issue, and one of her main points is that you can't network when you need a job.  I say you need to network waaaaaay before that.  Networking is such an ongoing activity, I'd venture to say that you need to be doing it FOREVER.

Now, don't be intimidated by forever, even though I do literally mean forever.  Networking, done right, should be something that you enjoy.  You could almost apply the concept of "It's better to give than to receive."  Almost.  Give to your network.  You will ultimately receive.

The key to networking, particularly for candidates on the executive level, is to be available and responsive to people in your network.  Your network should be tight.  They should know who you are.  They should be inclined to answer the phone when you call, respond swiftly to your email, and do a reasonable favor at your request.  More importantly, you should be doing all these things for them as well.

So when the time comes for you to be in search of your next executive position, accessing your network should be easy, and the professionals in your sphere should be willing to give you a leg up.