4 Steps to Executive Job Search Success

If you’re ready to take the plunge and explore new career opportunities, these 4 steps will help you transition into a new role faster.

Clarify Your Target:

You need to have a clear view of what position you are seeking and how your skills and qualifications will be of value in your next role. Are you moving up the ladder? Changing industries? Or seeking a new opportunity in the same role with a new employer?

After you’ve clarified your target, perform due diligence on what leadership, technical, and/or managerial skills are being sought in their next executive (CEO, CIO, CTO, CFO).

Define Your Personal Brand:

Now that you are armed with an understanding of your own aspirations and your ideal position/company’s needs, creating a summary statement that showcases the value you offer in your next role is the next step.

What differentiates you from other candidates seeking the same role?

What skills and experiences do you have that employer’s value?

The answers to these questions will help you more clearly articulate the value you bring to the table.

Even at the senior level, you still need to clearly articulate your strengths and key contributions and how they are a great fit for the employer. Most of all, avoid getting caught up in stringing together generic words and phrases and strive to maintain focus on your key differentiators.

Craft Career Stories that Resonate:

You have a wealth of experience, but that doesn’t mean you should share every detail. Keep in mind your resume is a marketing tool and every word and piece of information you use needs to differentiate you from your competitors and prove your value.

Give priority to your greatest strengths, most recent experience, and top achievements.

Use short sentences, paragraphs, and bullet points.

§Include metrics that highlight how you’ve saved time and/or money; increased revenue; turned around struggling teams/business units.

Incorporate keywords throughout your document that are relevant to your career target. Review the job listing/description to find keywords and only use ones that intersect with your experience.

Above all else, do not write out your responsibilities.

The information you include should support your career goal by aligning your skills and experience with the employer’s pain points/needs.

Leverage the Power of Social Media

If you don’t already have an online presence, start building one now. Employers turn to social media to authenticate a job seeker’s candidacy.

Make yourself easily found by integrating keywords in your social media bios.
Establish yourself as a thought leader by sharing industry-related content, writing articles, and offering insights on other people’s posts.
Monitor your online presence by typing your name into a search engine and keep adding new fresh content to maintain relevancy.
It is better to pick one or two social media platforms and post consistently than it is to be on several and sporadically post.

These steps will help you master your executive job search and close the gap between where you are and your new role faster