Getting Traction in your Search

Ask the Coach: How To Get Traction with Your Job Search

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from the most recent session with Peter Engler, president of the Engler Career Group.

What’s the best way to move your career to the next level? Peter offered this week’s Ask the Coach callers some very practical tips:

First, lead with a well-crafted executive bio, not a resume. A bio tells the other party you want to meet; you want an introduction rather than a job. It should include information to grab the other party’s attention and make them want to learn more. Check out your favorite corporate sites to get a feel for style and format.

Join groups that specialize in your areas of expertise. Consider the Marketing Executives Networking Forum (MENG), Finance Executives Networking Forum (FENG), or Finance Executives International (FEI). Industry associations, alumni groups, and other groups are excellent ways to network. Also join online groups on LinkedIn and NETSHARE. Become known!

Having worked with many executives, Peter cautions you not to send out more resumes than you can service. You can’t really talk intelligently about 500 companies – pick 20 to 25 that you can really target. Remember, just because the C Suite seems happy, the board of directors may think otherwise. Do your research! Find out who’s on the board and get to know them. To learn more about how to research companies, join Ross Macpherson to learn about “Properly Researching a Company,” this month’s Experts Connection teleseminar.

Remember your references are gold. Use them sparingly, and when you need them refresh their memory about the good things about your working relationship. Give them a heads up that they may be contacted. Ask them to contact you and share the questions they were asked, this will alert you to possible issues you can address with the recruiter or hiring manager. And when you land, let your references know you succeeded and thank them again.Ask the Coach: How To Get Traction with Your Job Search

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