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

May 21, 2012

CEO Job Network and A Plan of Action

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 4:18 am

Having a plan of action means you will get an executive job just that must faster. You need to have a plan, but also set goals for what you want to reach along that way to ensure you are hitting you stride while looking for a new career. Many do not think about this and are not as well prepared when it comes time to be noticed and get interviews.

Over the years, we have seen equally talented people producewidely varying results. One will struggle while the other moveswith speed. Those who move rapidly usually have had the benefi tof a game plan—a step-by-step track to follow.In today’s competitive arena most people will never get enoughinterviews with a hit-or-miss approach.

This leaves too much tofate. Think of it this way. Chances are you’re marketing a “product”with millions of dollars of earnings capacity remaining in yourcareer. That much value deserves your best effort. Besides, jobhunting is a numbers game.

So, why take a chance at doing alot of things haphazardly, without a well-designed plan?Since job hunting is a matter of having the numbers on yourside, your action plan should be targeted to produce 25 to 35responses that result in a phone discussion.

The goal is to haveseveral offers maturing at the same time, and you have to berealistic about rejections in the interview process.Similar to any company who is about to market a newproduct, a good plan can cut job hunting time in half and savemoney. It also helps people produce better results, and whenpeople generate a lot of activity in a concentrated time period,they feel better and do better. Much better.

To begin with… (1) Surface the right information about yourselfand set clear goals

(2) pinpoint what you should be marketing,especially your transferable skills

(3) identify industry alternativesto target

(4) if you have liabilities, you need strategies toneutralize them

(5) you need a step-by-step game plan…an action agenda… to get your story told to all the right people.Here’s a recap of what our plans cover: Job hunting goals: Surface all critical information about yourself and then decide on the goals that will advance your career.

This includes specific job titles and income goals.Liabilities & solutions: You need to identify liability issues thatmight restrict your success… and arrive at ways for minimizingtheir impact in all written materials and conversations.

Assets, transferable skills & how to market them: All of yourassets and skills need to be identified. Then, they need to beincorporated into your resume and letters, and your personalmarketing website.

April 30, 2012

CEO Job Network and the Salary

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 2:24 am

Once you have an offer on the table for an executive level job, comes the time for the salary negotiations. Make sure you are getting what your skills are worth without coming off rude when talking to the bosses. Money is a touche subject, so make sure you know what you are doing when you name your price.

Since most people seldom face a personal negotiating experience,it should come as no surprise that few of us are real experts atnegotiating for ourselves. While they may be excellent companynegotiators, we have seen many strong people leave serious moneyon the table when it came to negotiating their own package.

Now, the fi rst thing you need to decide… is when to starta negotiation process. Some people mistakenly think negotiationis a continuous selling situation that occursthroughout their interviews. However, before youever attempt to negotiate, you have to make surethat the employer is “sold on you.”

Once an offer has been presented, you can’tnegotiate unless there is some hope you can getthe employer to offer new terms. You need to sensethis on an individual basis. That’s where negotiationsbegin.What to negotiateComing to grips with what should be negotiated is, of course,different for everyone.

Not too long ago we handled a marketingexecutive from Kellogg in Michigan. His primary goal wasto have his family move to a new area that met outdoor lifestylerequirements, and he started by suggesting to us that a 20%reduction in income would be acceptable.

However, after a three-month search, he accepted a top positionin Boca Raton. When we fi nished helping with his negotiations,his compensation ended up 15% higher, and he receiveda signing bonus, as well.Another executive was with J & J. He wanted out of the majorcorporate environment. He left his large company career behindwhen he landed with a venture capital group. His assignmentwas to oversee ventures that the fi rm funded by serving as actingCEO. He was to complete the initial setup, fi nd a permanent

CEO, and then move on to another assignment, but remain onthe board. Based in Castle Pines, Colorado, he will handle twoventures simultaneously for six-month periods—eight over twoyears. His base of $200,000 was a decrease, but if just one firm goes public, his equity benefit will be in the many millions.

Needless to say, the fi nal staging of his executive level negotiationsdidn’t just happen. In the discussion that follows, thebasics of our system are outlined in the most simple terms. Ifyou don’t have success, shift from the “present” and focus on the future: a review after six months, a better title, an automaticincrease after time. These are easier things to get.

 

April 15, 2012

CEO Job Network and Good Presence

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Admin @ 9:30 pm

At your level you know how important presence is, but if you have been out of a work for a period of time, you may need a refresher. When interviewing for a job, you need to remember that the board has to know you are the right person for the job the moment you enter the room. With that being said, you have to make sure you don’t lose the job by making a misstep during the interviewing process.

Find out what’s most  important to the interviewer. Ask questions that will get interviewers to articulate what’s most important. Of course, you’ll need to fi nd out what happened to the last person in the job. Ask about his experiences and those of his superiors.

Find out to whom the position reports and how long that person was in the job. Ask… “What would be the biggest challenge I would face?” Find out how the interviewer sees the problem, what the expectations are and what progress has been made. Of course, once you fi nd out what’s most important to the firm… you need to tell them that you have what they want.

Too many people let their resume be the basis for the whole discussion.

Tell stories that  make people remember you. In these stories indicate positive things you did to help organizations. The idea is to show how you demonstrated a particular skill or a personal quality. Develop SOAR stories that cover situations where you can demonstrate the value of fresh thinking as a means to improve productivity or solve problems.

Employers need to feel that you are the answer to one of their problems. If you can show them how you met or exceeded the needs in other places, they may conclude that you can do the same for them.The idea is to create stories that demonstrate the benefi ts you bring.

Remember, your “tickets” alone (degrees, titles, etc.) will not necessarily motivate another employer to hire you. You must use action words and phrases that add interest beyond your credentials. In the final analysis, employers hire people for what those phrases imply.

How good is your health? Besides saying your health is fi ne, you should go on to state that you are accustomed to working long hours and are quite capable of keeping up a fast pace. If you have a health problem that the interviewer could fi nd out about, give a truthful answer. However, point out that your condition has had no adverse effect on performance, attendance or ability to give 100 percent.

If you started over, what would you do differently? “On the whole I would have to say that I am extremely proud of my career achievements and quite happy with my career progression to date.”

What do you think of your boss? If you think your boss is great, it is pretty easy to answer this question. On the other hand, if you really didn’t get along with your boss, then this question becomes challenging.

Never discuss the shortcomings of your boss. Doing so will make you sound like a whiner or troublemaker. Instead, comment briefl y on some positive aspects of your boss, be they in his personality or her management style… and leave it at that.

April 1, 2012

CEO Job Network and Every Penny

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 10:02 pm

After you have had a great interview and an offer for an executive position, now is the time to get what you are worth. Negotiations for money and other contract amenities is a skill that you need to have. There is a fine line between getting what you are worth and being insulting to the company. Keep this fact in mind as you go to the table with boss.

Since most people seldom face a personal negotiating experience, it should come as no surprise that few of us are real experts at negotiating for ourselves. While they may be excellent company negotiators, we have seen many strong people leave serious money on the table when it came to negotiating their own package.

Now, the first thing you need to decide… is when to start a negotiation process. Some people mistakenly think negotiation is a continuous selling situation that occurs throughout their interviews. However, before you ever attempt to negotiate, you have to make sure that the employer is “sold on you.”

Once an offer has been presented, you can’t negotiate unless there is some hope you can get the employer to offer new terms. You need to sense this on an individual basis. That’s where negotiations begin.What to negotiateComing to grips with what should be negotiated is, of course, different for everyone.

Not too long ago we handled a marketing executive from Kellogg in Michigan. His primary goal was to have his family move to a new area that met outdoor lifestyle requirements, and he started by suggesting to us that a 20 percent reduction in income would be acceptable.

However, after a three-month search, he accepted a top position in Boca Raton. When we fi nished helping with his negotiations, his compensation ended up 15 percent higher, and he received a signing bonus, as well.Another executive was with J & J. He wanted out of the major corporate environment. He left his large company career behind when he landed with a venture capital group.

His assignment was to oversee ventures that the firm funded by serving as acting CEO. He was to complete the initial setup, fi nd a permanent CEO, and then move on to another assignment, but remain on the board. Based in Castle Pines, Colorado, he will handle two ventures simultaneously for six-month periods—eight over two years.

His base of $200,000 was a decrease, but if just one fi rm goes public, his equity benefi t will be in the many millions. Needless to say, the fi nal staging of his executive level negotiations didn’t just happen. In the discussion that follows, the basics of our system are outlined in the most simple terms. If you don’t have success, shift from the “present” and focus on the future: a review after six months, a better title, an automatic increase after time. These are easier things to get.

March 18, 2012

CEO Job Network and Aging

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 11:10 pm

At your executive level, it is not  a secret you are not as young as other executives. This being the case, many old people looking for a high-level position believe that age could actually be something that holds them back. This is not the case. The trick is to the best ways to use age to your advantage.

It is true that in job seeking, “being too old” is often a negative. It is also true, however, that many people stay in dead-end jobs because they believe they are too old to change jobs. It doesn’t have to be that way.

At whatever age you begin to feel you have a liability, winning a new job is seldom a simple task. You could have just hit 40 in the advertising business… or lost your executive job at 63.

However, despite any diffi culties in adjustment that may be required, a good job change can bring you a totally new feeling about life. It is always amazing to see what the excitement of new work, a new location, and new associates does for people… in mental stimulation and good feelings. It can make you look and act ten years younger.

Here’s your reality. Age becomes a major problem only at that point when you mentally accept it as an obstacle. But, there are many things you can do to offset the imagined and real problems associated with age, starting with an examination of your own beliefs and attitudes.

Having the right mindsetIf you are feeling uncomfortable about your work situation, but not doing anything about it, fi rst ask yourself… are you using age as a convenient excuse? Many people who either do not have the confi dence… don’t know how to search for a job… or aren’t willing to go through the work, will use age as an excuse.

If this is you, you need to address it honestly, so you can begin to take action.There are several things you need to write down and remind yourself of daily. Consider the following: At this moment you possess all the skills, know-how and personal strengths that enabled you to make signifi cant contributions to employers over the years. They can still be applied today to help literally tens of thousands of employers.

So the question is not whether you should seek a new job, or seek a job if you are unemployed. It is what you should say and how you should say it, so that you get your “selling proposition” across to as many suitable employers as possible. The goal is simple. Have at least one person in one company make the decision to hire you for a position you would enjoy

February 6, 2012

CEO Job Network and Taking Action

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 5:52 am

When looking for a great opportunity at your level, you need to have a plan of action. This might sound like something you already know or have given thought to, but you should really give some more time to figure out how this could best asset you. When looking for a job, you need to know that your work history and references will take you far, but a plan of action will take you to more places that you may not have thought of originally.

Over the years, we have seen equally talented people produce widely varying results. One will struggle while the other moves with speed. Those who move rapidly usually have had the benefi t of a game plan—a step-by-step track to follow.

In today’s competitive arena most people will never get enough interviews with a hit-or-miss approach. This leaves too much to fate. Think of it this way. Chances are you’re marketing a “product” with millions of dollars of earnings capacity remaining in your career.

That much value deserves your best effort. Besides, job hunting is a numbers game. So, why take a chance at doing a lot of things haphazardly, without a well-designed plan?Since job hunting is a matter of having the numbers on your side, your action plan should be targeted to produce 25 to 35 responses that result in a phone discussion.

The goal is to have several offers maturing at the same time, and you have to be realistic about rejections in the interview process. Similar to any company who is about to market a new product,  a good plan can cut job hunting time in half and save money.

It also helps people produce better results, and when people generate a lot of activity in a concentrated time period, they feel better and do better. Much better.

The components of a personal marketing planTo begin with…

(1) Surface the right information about yourself and set clear goals

(2) pinpoint what you should be marketing, especially your transferable skills

(3) identify industry alternatives to target

(4) if you have liabilities, you need strategies to neutralize them

(5) you need a step-by-step game plan… an action agenda… to get your story told to all the right people. Here’s a recap of what our plans cover:

Job hunting goals: Surface all critical information about yourself and then decide on the goals that will advance your career. This includes specific job titles and income goals.

Liabilities & solutions: You need to identify liability issues that might restrict your success… and arrive at ways for minimizing their impact in all written materials and conversations.

Assets, transferable skills & how to market them: All of your assets and skills need to be identified. Then, they need to be incorporated into your resume and letters, and your personal marketing website.

January 28, 2012

CEO Job Network and Being Remembered

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Admin @ 6:34 pm

When you are interviewing for a new position at the top, you need to know that experience alone will not seal the deal these days. You nee to be someone who can be related to, but at the same time, seen as a leader who people will follow and respect. In order to make sure this is done, you need to interview like a pro. Here are some ideas to keep in mind once you are to that point.

Tell stories that  make people remember you -

In these stories indicate positive things you did to help organizations. The idea is to show how you demonstrated a particular skill or a personal quality.

Develop SOAR stories that cover situations where you can demonstrate the value of fresh thinking as a means to improve productivity or solve problems. Employers need to feel that you are the answer to one of their problems. If you can show them how you met or exceeded the needs in other places, they may conclude that you can do the same for them.

So, why play this by ear? Here is a simple method for handling objections, the “ARTS method.” The letters stand for the following:

A = Acknowledge the objection.

R = Redirect the person’s concern.

T = Test to be sure you’ve removed the concern.

S = Use a story to make your point.

Whenever someone raises an objection, the tension level rises. In step A reduce the tension level.

A = Acknowledge the objection“I can understand your concern, and I would like to address it for you.” Or “You’ve raised an interesting point. It deserves some frank discussion.”

R = Redirect their concernLet’s say the interviewer raised the fact that your experience was in a different industry. “What qualities are you looking for in an ideal candidate that prompted this concern?” Now, you can’t change your past, but you can show that you are someone who contributes quickly.

T = Use a testing questionThe idea is to see if you removed their concern. Here is an example of asking a testing question: “If I could show that I could contribute quickly, even when learning new information, would that help?”

S = Use a supporting story to confirm The final thing is to use a supporting story. Remember, what really counts is the fact that you did not get fl ustered. If you’ve done it right, interviewers won’t be that concerned about your exact answer.

January 22, 2012

CEO Job Network and The Questions

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 7:20 pm

When looking for a great new CEO or executive opportunity you need to be sharp when you interview. Now, this you may know and be really good at, as you have been high up in the ranks before. However, there are always a few new questions which maybe you have not thought of that will throw you when asked. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind for that situation:

How good is your health?

Besides saying your health is fi ne, you should go on to state that you are accustomed to working long hours and are quite capable of keeping up a fast pace. If you have a health problem that the interviewer could fi nd out about, give a truthful answer. However, point out that your condition has had no adverse effect on performance, attendance or ability to give 100%.

If you started over, what would you do differently?

“On the whole I would have to say that I am extremely proud of my career achievements and quite happy with my career progression to date.”

What do you think of your boss?

If you think your boss is great, it is pretty easy to answer this question. On the other hand, if you really didn’t get along with your boss, then this question becomes challenging. Never discuss the shortcomings of your boss. Doing so will make you sound like a whiner or troublemaker. Instead, comment briefl y on some positive aspects of your boss, be they in his personality or her management style… and leave it at that.

Why haven’t you found a job so far?

Being apologetic or simply saying that it’s a tough market in your fi eld will not help you. Depending upon the length of your unemployment, it may be enough to respond that you are not seeking a job, but are selectively looking for the right career opportunity and have not yet found it.

What was the last book you read, movie you saw, or sporting event you attended?

Unless the movie or book is controversial, tell the truth. But, it’s important that you have read, seen, or attended whatever you claimed, since more detailed questioning may follow.

What’s your major accomplishment in your last job?

Pick those that seem to line up well with the major elements of the position. For example, if you have accomplishments in both cost and general accounting, and you’re interviewing for a general accounting position, you obviously want to bias your answer toward the position for which you are a candidate. The goal is to always show the interviewer that your accomplishments line up with the company needs

 

January 1, 2012

CEO Job Network and Basic Tips

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 7:20 pm

Yes, after you have been an executive and CEO, your name will carry more weight in your industry. This will of course work in your favor when looking for a new job. However, do not make this mistake of thinking networking alone will open all the doors for you. There is more that can be done to give you all the best opportunities when looking for a new corporation or business to be a part of for the future.

There are a lot of discouraged job seekers out there, with good reason.  Job recovery is lagging behind economic recovery.

 

But there are still over 4 million good jobs going unfilled.  So how do you get considered for them if you’ve gotten no responses from answering ads and your personal network is limited?  Take heart.

 

Most people never distribute more than 100 resumes, contact just a few recruiters, and don’t network effectively.  They aren’t even aware of creative things they could do, so they should be encouraged because there is still a lot they can do.   Here are some things to keep in mind:

 

Use Active Approaches, not Just Passive

Answering ads and going to recruiters who advertise are passive approaches, where the employer takes all the initiative to make the opening known, and you throw your hat in the ring along with hundreds of others.  The odds are high.  Why limit yourself to them?

 

Instead, take the initiative.  Contact employers who have not advertised, but are the most likely to need your talents.  Before a job ever gets advertised, it is often filled by referrals, networking, recruiting from competitor firms, or a letter hits the desk of the decision maker at just the right time.  It could be yours.

 

You need to contact a lot of employers because only two or three out of 100 will have a need at the moment you contact them.  SET makes it easy to identify hundreds of prime target companies and decision makers, so people can “beat the odds,” “but even without our technology, if you are willing to put in the hours of research, you can uncover a lot of good prospects.”

 

Get Creative in Your Networking

Instead of just asking a few friends to let you know if they hear of anything, get creative.  Develop some ideas about how you can make contributions to employers, in light of trends in their industry.  Then identify key people in companies in the industry, and write them, letting them know you’d appreciate feedback from a knowledgeable industry source as to whether your ideas make sense.

 

When you follow up on the phone, even if they don’t think much of what you proposed, you’ve added to your network!  You can thank them and ask if there is anyone else they’d advise you to talk with, or any actions they’d recommend.


 

 

December 19, 2011

CEO Job Network and the Money Talk

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 1:47 am

You need to know what you are doing when it comes to getting all that you are worth in your new position. People who are not good at this will leave a lot of money on the table, or be insulting, when it comes to what they think they should be making salary wise. Knowing when to have this talk and how best to do it, will be the best way to make sure you get all you are worth on your paychecks.

Since most people seldom face a personal negotiating experience, it should come as no surprise that few of us are real experts at negotiating for ourselves. While they may be excellent company negotiators, we have seen many strong people leave serious money on the table when it came to negotiating their own package.

Now, the fi rst thing you need to decide… is when to start a negotiation process. Some people mistakenly think negotiation is a continuous selling situation that occurs throughout their interviews. However, before you ever attempt to negotiate, you have to make sure that the employer is “sold on you.”

Once an offer has been presented, you can’t negotiate unless there is some hope you can get the employer to offer new terms. You need to sense this on an individual basis. That’s where negotiations begin.

Coming to grips with what should be negotiated is, of course, different for everyone. Not too long ago we handled a marketing executive from Kellogg in Michigan. His primary goal was to have his family move to a new area that met outdoor lifestyle requirements, and he started by suggesting to us that a 20% reduction in income would be acceptable.

However, after a three-month search, he accepted a top position in Boca Raton. When we fi nished helping with his negotiations, his compensation ended up 15 percent higher, and he received a signing bonus, as well.

Another executive was with J & J. He wanted out of the major corporate environment. He left his large company career behind when he landed with a venture capital group. His assignment was to oversee ventures that the fi rm funded by serving as acting CEO. He was to complete the initial setup, fi nd a permanent CEO, and then move on to another assignment, but remain on the board. Based in Castle Pines, Colorado, he will handle two ventures simultaneously for six-month periods—eight over two years. His base of $200,000 was a decrease, but if just one fi rm goes public, his equity benefi t will be in the many millions.

Needless to say, the fi nal staging of his executive level negotiations didn’t just happen. In the discussion that follows, the basics of our system are outlined in the most simple terms. If you don’t have success, shift from the “present” and focus on the future: a review after six months, a better title, an automatic increase after time. These are easier things to get.

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