10 Basic Tips for Job Seekers

It is getting close to the Christmas season and there are still many executives in transition that could not find a place to land during the Fall Hiring season.  With the number of newly created executive positions being fewer in number, PLEASE give yourself the best opportunity to be successful in your job search by doing the following.  These might be common sense to some, but I can assure you that I regularly see violations from executives who should truly know better.

1.  Do not send your resume in a mass email to a hidden contact list.  Don’t send mass emails ever!  I instantly delete these emails and I do not feel guilty about doing it.

2.  Personalize your linked in invites.  If you care for a response, you are much more likely to get one if you personalize the email.  Otherwise, you are kidding yourself into thinking you are working on your job search.

3.  Don't rely on Executive Recruiters to find you your next job.  We only have access to a minority stake of the overall job market.

4.  Aim for 3 Networking meetings a day.  The minimum is 2 but by shooting for 3 you will likely land 2.  Lots of activity generates the best results.

5.  Do not send your resumes to job postings.  Find the hiring manager and connect with them rather than leave your resume in the hands of a junior recruiter.  Executives should always be taking a proactive approach.

6.  Do not have a one page cover letter.  Two succinct paragraphs is all that is required and all the reader desires.

7.  Please stop using a 4 page resume.  You are no more important than any other executive that is able to concisely summarize using only 2 pages.

8.  Establish a social presence.  This is not the 1980's.  Your competition has adopted technology, so should you.

9.  Update your LinkedIn profile or establish one if you are really clueless.  Everyone should have one.  If you don't, you are a dinosaur.

10. Put your picture on LinkedIn.  If you don't, it looks as though you are hiding something or that you do not know how to upload a photo.  Either way, you are not putting yourself in the right light.

Farewell,

Mike