CEO Job Network The Best Information on Today's Top Jobs

September 30, 2011

A Great Interview and CEO Job Network

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 4:30 pm

Making sure you are at your best in an interview is important. This is where you will seal the deal on your new position, and, in your case, show you have what it takes to be the leader of the company. Make sure you are at your best when you go before a boardroom of executives.

Are interviews just question-and-answer sessions? This may happen, but an interview that turns into a good offer involves far more. Last year there were more than 800 million interviews, and no two were the same. So how do you prepare? Compare this to a sports contest—there were millions of them and none were the same.

In an interview or a contest, you can’t plan exactly how things will go, but you can have a game plan for coming out on top. We guide clients in achieving personal chemistry with executives of all personalities. Here are some ways to make sure that you build maximum chemistry with everyone.Research the firm and be informed.

Did you ever meet a person for the first time who knew a lot about you? It takes you by surprise, doesn’t it? It’s a great way to make a positive first impression. One friend of mine, an attorney, attributes his success to research he does ahead of time. Four out of every five of his clients tell him that he wins their business because he knows a lot more about them than anyone else.

When you arrange an appointment, use the opportunity to gather more information. Many people have been able to get job descriptions and brochures ahead of time by requesting them over the phone. Visit the firm’s website, but go further to learn about their industry and the person you will be meeting.Impress the front office staffBuilding chemistry with the front office staff can also make a difference.

Can you guess what percentage of executives say their secretaries influence them? One-third? One-half? Well, about two-thirds of them do. Not too long ago, I was interrupted by Carol, who stated that Mr. Baxter had arrived for his interview. I had forgotten about the appointment, and it was a busy day. I immediately asked, “What do you think of him, Carol?” She didn’t say a word. She just gave a thumbs-down signal. That was the end for poor Baxter. No one ever taught him how important it is to make a positive impression on the front office staff. I told Carol to have him see one of our assistants, and to provide her opinion first. So, please be attentive to the front office staff.

September 22, 2011

CEO Job Network and Avoiding Common Mistakes

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 4:28 pm

To find success and become an executive or CEO, you need to do everything right, especially in this day and age. People who are at your level will stop at nothing to get that next great job opportunity, but that doesn’t meant they are not making mistakes along the way. Make sure you are not falling into the same pitfalls as others who are your competition for that next great CEO chair.

With the highest unemployment rate in more than 20 years, over 35 million people are now circulating resumes. But many haven’t looked for jobs in some time and are falling victim to 10 common mistakes.

Many talented and marketable people are simply doing the wrong things and could easily adjust their approach to get more interviews and offers.  SET has created a free 25-minute video that educates job seekers on the “new basics” of the job market today and how to succeed in it.  Some of the 10 major mistakes people make are while looking for their new opportunity are:

1. They don’t know how to find enough openings published or online.

2. They use old-style resumes that no longer work in today’s market.

The video educates job hunters on how to handle each of the 10 major mistakes, and introduces them to some of SET’s revolutionary breakthroughs in technology.  Here is some of what it reveals.

Not knowing how to find enough public openings

The public job market, which is openings published or online, is now broken into five key areas. 300,000 employers list their openings on their websites; 2,000 newspapers carry help-wanted ads; 1,500 job boards such as Monster and Career Builder list openings; 2,100 trade magazines have help-wanted ads; and 3,500 recruiters list their openings on their website.

Using old style resumes that no longer work

SET has one of the largest professional resume writing capabilities in the world, specializing in serving professionals and executives seeking $100,000 to over $500,000. Each year they professionally write more than 25,000 resumes. SET advises job seekers and executive level candidates to use these key rules to drafting an outstanding resume.

– The jobs you are going after must be listed first.

– The top third of your resume must include a 20-second summary.

– Liabilities must not be revealed.

– Your transferable skills must be listed.

– Your resume must have a first class image.

– Your resume must be scanning ready with relevant key words.

–  For initial contact, always use a one-page resume

Do all you can to put yourself in the best position to be successful in this demanding, tough job market.

 

September 13, 2011

Transferable Skills with CEO Job Network

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Portfolio — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 4:51 pm

Knowing all that you have to offer is vital when looking for a new, or better, opportunity. As a successful executive or CEO, you have an impressive work history, but do you know all that you can do and how those skills can cross over into other industries… industries with better options and income?  Now is the time to discover all your transferable skills.

You’ll need to do more than just present your background. Don’t trap yourself by thinking, “This is simply who I am, where I’ve been and what I’ve done.” People fail because they never surface and communicate all that is marketable about themselves… and they never build their appeal beyond factual credentials.

Using our career history and marketability profile, our starting point will be to organize your lifetime of experiences and achievements. Whether you are a young attorney or a company president, there is probably much more to your story than meets the eye. We’ve learned that people need to identify 10 to 12 skills that can make a major difference in their career opportunities.

About 20% of the clients who come to us have settled for less, simply because they are not able to communicate their real skills. One client was earning a $65,000 base after almost 20 years. Three years later, she is earning $180,000. Another executive came to us at $125,000. Three years later, he is a CEO at many times that amount. The key in both situations was to market their true assets.Psychologists, spiritual leaders and coaches have often said that the most restrictive limits you face are those you put on yourself.

So, don’t put any limits on your thinking, and look at some factors that you may have overlooked, which will expand your marketability.Identifying transferable skills is critical (e.g., organizing, group presentation skills, problem solving and so on).

Employers place a premium on men and women who can move from challenge to challenge, handling assignments that draw upon skills.Your experience can also be reviewed according to various “functions” that apply to most businesses, such as sales, production, accounting and human resources.

All areas in which you have knowledge should be identified. At the same time, you need to think of your experience in terms of “action words” that describe what you did, and then translate those activities into achievements, e.g., controlled, wrote, reshaped, etc.

There is no better time than now to really look at yourself and what you have to offer. As industries change to suit the times, so will the people who run them. Know that you have the skills to be one of these high-paid executives.

September 8, 2011

CEO Job Network Knows the Power of the Phone

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 11:00 pm

In this day or emails and texts, a phone call is still very powerful when it comes to making things happen for a job hunt. Knowing the power of the phone is a great way to better your chances of finding that next executive level, high-paying position.

This can be a fast way to get the right interviews, and using the phone is easier than you think. Of course, some people are totally confident in their ability to use the phone. However, 90% of all job seekers are reluctant to make a “cold call.”

Believe it or not, it’s a mostly friendly and helpful world out there. Most executives are courteous and polite and go out of their way to project a good image of themselves and their company. The same holds true for others such as secretaries or administrative assistants. Still, there is a certain misconception that all secretaries and assistants will always keep you from speaking with their bosses. They do screen calls, but it is part of their job to make sure that contact is made when appropriate.

Using the phone to set interviews is especially important if you are in a small or mid-sized population area… a market not generally considered to be in the country’s top 100 markets. It’s easy to target your best prospects, and you just need to get into action. And, don’t be deterred if your first call doesn’t get you in the door. If it is a company you would really like to join, just call other executives in the organization.

Proven telephone guidelines that work

* Standing will give you a power assist.

* Do your phone work in batches. You need only one success each time to sustain your morale.

* Make sure you know how you will be answering your phone. List questions you may be asked and write out the answers.

* Prepare a 30 second commercial of your most important selling points. Rehearse it. Tape it and critique it.

* One of the best times to reach executives is before 7:30 a.m. or after 5:30 p.m. Use their directories to go direct.

*Smile while speaking over the phone and your voice will sound more pleasant. Be friendly, enthusiastic and positive.

* Project a natural, confident tone—as you would when talking with a friend. Lower your voice. Speak slowly.

* Be prepared for rejection. This is a numbers game. You can easily make 15 calls an hour.

* Be sure your phone is answered properly. No clever answering machine messages.

* The screener doesn’t know who you are or your purpose. Focus on advice and information. No one has a reason to shy away from you. When speaking with the screener, get her name and use it. Be confident, positive and polite.

 

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