My Executive Compass

Companies are buying solutions... what are you selling?

2008-04-15T22:36:00.002-04:00

Companies aren’t hiring employees; they’re buying solutions. What are you selling?

10-15 years ago “bottom-line” was a good thing. MBAs from the top business schools across the country carried that as their tagline. Turnaround specialists could get by with little more than catch-phrases as long as they mentioned the “bottom-line” somewhere in their mantra.

Today, the “bottom-line” may be the ruler by which you are hired or fired. Business is a numbers game. The financials were always important, but they weren’t always the only call in the playbook. Unfortunately, a couple of decades of outsourcing, reengineering, rightsizing, off-shoring, and virtualizing have left many previously valued employees in the wake of an employment vortex that they can’t comprehend, much less master.

Unfortunately, you can’t stop the world and just get off. If you want to be in the game, you have to know the playbook.

So, what are two key plays in the playbook? Job search is a numbers game, and you’ve got to think “bottom-line”.

The landscape of job search and recruiting are completely different because of automation and the Internet. The process begins with exposure… can you get your credentials in front of the right hiring manager or recruiter at the right time? This is especially critical in a downsized job market; there is less churn among impact jobs. Supply and demand dictate the economics of the number of candidates vying for a given position.

When you get your 15 seconds of visibility, you better have a message that speaks to the “bottom-line”. What key skills will you bring to the game? What problem will you help solve? What key client can you bring to the table? Why you and not the next guy? This is the type of concise message that had better be in your resume and cover letter if you even want to get on first base.

If you thought job search was hard work before, think again. Now it’s a mission.

Are you sending your resume into a black hole?

2008-03-30T12:36:00.005-04:00

That’s the feedback I get from many job candidates… they diligently search online for job opportunities, polish up their resume and email or post it in response to a job that seems like an ideal match… never to hear a word back!

Finding job postings is not a problem. We may be settling into a recession (or at least a pretty good dip), but if you look online, there are jobs out there! Maybe not a lot of jobs if your requirements are really narrow, but there are jobs! And, when you look at your resume and the job postings, you think, “I’m a pretty good match!” So, why are you not getting responses? Why isn’t the phone ringing?

Well, there are at least three contributing factors. First, most resume collection sites (whether on company websites, recruiting websites, or job portals) are just giant fishing nets… and you are the fish, one of thousands! Secondly, it’s a timing issue. By the time you see a job posting and respond to it, you are just one of many, again. The recruiter or hiring manager probably already has more than enough resumes in-hand from earlier responders. Thirdly, maybe your resume and cover letter look like all the others – one more reason that you don’t stand out; you’re just one of many.

So, to make a difference, you need to DO something different. You need to do something to change the distribution of your resume, the timing of your resume, and the appearance of your resume.

Executive Compass offers solutions to each of these challenges with resume distribution services, resume and cover letter writing services, and access to industry-leading software (with templates) to help you write amazing resumes and cover letters that will differentiate you from your competition – the thousands of other candidates applying for the job you want!

Executive Compass will also provide you with a free resume review, with tips for improving the readability and response to your resume.

Differentiating Yourself in a Lousy Job Market

2008-03-23T00:44:00.002-04:00

So, you've heard the latest job news, and it's depressing... downright demoralizing. You've been holding out in a less-than-exciting position in a mediocre company, waiting for things to turnaround so you could make a move. Yeah. You and how many others?

You're not the only one that had to hunker down and just stay employed when things started getting bad. Or maybe you were just lucky to grab something, anything to pay the bills, and you've been waiting to get back on track. That's a bad enough scenario, but when you think about the fact that you're just one of many and that the market's going to be flooded with folks jockeying for change and advancement once things do start looking up, it's enough to sap any sense of optimism you have.

The job market (and the whole economy for that matter) has been moving en-masse the last seven or eight years... very little individualism, few rewards for independent thinkers or entrepreneurs, pretty much everyone moving together: up, down, sideways, watching this or that, waiting for the next "window of opportunity". The rapidly expanding economy in the nineties led us to believe that everyone could win, that there really was "gold in them there hills", and that there was enough for everyone who was willing to go after it. That was then; this is now. Times have changed.

So, you just have to wait a little longer, right? Wrong! Unless you want to continue being a part of the crowd and settling for the common denominator, that's the wrong approach. There ARE opportunities out there, and there is actually LESS competition for many positions because most candidates are playing it safe, going with the market momentum and staying put. That is an opportunity for those who stay active, who keep their resumes current on the job boards, and who stay in touch with recruiters through resume distribution services or networking.

First, keep your resume up-to-date. If you’ve been in your position for a while, you might be surprised at the new experiences you've gained that are not reflected in the resume you were peddling a while back. Take a moment to review your resume and dust off the cobwebs. Streamline or refocus some of the previous positions, skills, or experiences in light of today’s market and your objectives. Maybe your objectives have changed… one or two or three years ago when you were looking, maybe you were more desperate, maybe your feelings about relocation have changed (one way or the other – maybe you don’t think you could sell your house now!). Maybe it’s time to consider a resume writing service to help with your resume. There are a lot of excellent resume writers out there, and many of them offer a free resume review.

Secondly, think about your cover letter. If you don’t have one that’s appropriate anymore, take the time to invest in one. Your cover letter (even if it’s in email form) is the first thing a recruiter will see, and it’s what determines whether your resume gets read. Your cover letter should be short and to-the-point, conversational in tone, but professional. It should highlight two or three compelling qualifications that you bring to the table, either significant accomplishments or skills and experiences that will be of interest. Your goal is to get the reader to look at your resume. If you don’t have a solid cover letter or a good template that you can use, you’ll be at a disadvantage when you do see an opportunity worth considering. Coming up with a cover letter will be just one more obstacle, or you’ll do a mediocre job of throwing something together, hoping it does the job. That’s not going to get it done for you. Consider using a resume writer to help you draft a cover letter or get your hands on some good examples or templates and do it yourself.

Next time you read another lousy headline about the job market or hear another depressing statistic on the radio or television, you can take hope in the fact that YOU are doing something. You are moving forward. You are differentiating yourself from the crowd.

Shake off the cobwebs and focus your job search

2007-12-27T16:26:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it's a new year just around the corner, and you've probably had some holiday time to reflect on your situation. How long have you been looking for a new job? What have you tried? What haven't you tried? Are you bogged down and going through the motions without feeling like you are getting anywhere? Or like you even have a direction anymore?

So, shake off the cobwebs! Take a deep breath and relax... Your job search has probably gotten too complicated. With the plethora of job sites and resume posting sites It's easy to be overwhelmed. Soon you find yourself just reacting... reacting to every job posting that seems even remotely like a job you might be qualified for. And admit it, if you've been in the job search for very long, you're not sending off your resume with very much confidence. You probably don't even expect to get a response, unless it's an automated response that says your resume is being reviewed...

Okay, let's take a timeout. Clear your desk. I mean really clear it off. Move all the stacks and printouts of job postings and checklists and whatever else you've piled up around your primary job search location. Take out a pad of paper and write down no more than three types of positions you would be interested in. No more than three. If you only have one, try and think of two related positions that could lead to the ideal job you are seeking. Now, under each of the three positions list no more than three things that uniquely qualify you for the position. It might be your education, a specific experience you've had, or a project you've managed. Whatever you've got, list it. But only three. Your three best. It's not the candidate with the longest list of qualifications that gets the interview, it's the candidate that has the one or two specific things the employer is looking for that gets the call.

Refocus your job search on two tracks. Specifically target positions that match one of the three you listed, and treat everything else as a general job search. In other words, prepare custom cover letters and give extra attention to posted jobs on your list of three. Write cover letters that detail the qualifications you wrote down, keeping them direct and simple. Speak with confidence and authority. Ask for the interview. Now, for other posted jobs that you might consider, draft a more general cover letter with broader qualifications. You can use this cover letter with little or no modification for all of these jobs or for general distribution.

Approach your job search going forward by categorizing all positions into your two categories. You can respond to ones in the second more general category with little effort or emotional investment by using your general cover letter. Reserve the bulk of your time and energy for positions that hit your list of three. Be more discriminating. You can decide how much time to give opportunities that don't match your list. Save your prime time for the ones that count; this will give you more time for research, networking, and follow up to increase your chances of landing a job you really want.

What kind of candidate are you?

2007-12-01T15:38:00.000-05:00

If you’re thinking about kicking back over the next few weeks, you might want to reconsider.

Even though the job market cools off through the holiday season, the best recruiters never take time off.

The best recruiters know that they have improved access to hiring managers, and they take advantage! The next few weeks are generally more relaxed in most offices. "Gatekeepers" are more friendly and relaxed and work shorter hours. It's easier to get through and have a conversation with an executive or hiring manager, and good candidates that fall into the hands of the best recruiters can benefit from this access.

So, what kind of candidate are you? How serious are you about making a change? Only you know whether you are trolling or seriously looking to take your career to the next level.

Don't let up over the next few weeks. Get even more serious about your job search. Try for personal contact with as many decision makers and influencers as you can.

You'll thank yourself later!