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

May 14, 2012

CEO Job Network and ALL the Skills

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Network,Portfolio,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Admin @ 12:14 am

When you are looking for an executive opportunity or CEO position, make sure you are selling all your skills. Many think they are, but do not realize that there is more they can do. Take a long look at yourself and all you have to offer. The skills you have may go further than what you have done in the past or what you got your degree in. Many have transferable skills from other work and life experiences that will serve them will as they look for a new chapter in the career.

You’ll need to do more than just present your background. Don’ttrap yourself by thinking, “This is simply who I am, where I’vebeen and what I’ve done.” People fail because they never surfaceand communicate all that is marketable about themselves… and they never build their appeal beyond factual credentials.

Your starting point is to organize your lifetime of experiencesand achievements. Whether you are a young attorney ora company president, there is probably much more to your storythan meets the eye.Experience has proven that many people never identify 50% of their own assets, simply because they’re so close to their ownsituation.

We’ve learned that most people need to identify 10to 20 skills that, if properly communicated, can make a majordifference in their career opportunities. Each year, about 20% of the clients who come to us havesettled for less, simply because they are not able to communicatetheir real skills. For example, one client was earning a $65,000base after almost 20 years.

Three years later, she is earning$180,000. Another executive came to us at $125,000. Three yearslater, he is a CEO at many times that amount. The key in bothsituations was to market their true assets.It has been said time and again by psychologists, spiritualleaders and coaches 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.

Do you have knowledge of a job, a product, a process or a market…from work, hobbies, alumni relationships, research or suppliers? If so, it may be marketable.

Personality, of course, is just a word for that combinationof traits that either attracts us to someone or leaves us unimpressed. More employment decisions are based on personalityand chemistry than any other factor. For example: “He’s certainlyprofessional and quick-thinking. I like him, and better yet, Itrust him. He’ll fi t in with our team. I need to get him into the firm.” The perception of your personality has to do with yourinterest and enthusiasm. How many people get hired becausethey showed real interest? A lot.

 

 

May 7, 2012

CEO Job Network and Being in Touch

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 4:11 am

When looking for a high-level opportunity, make sure you are making all the right contacts in all the right ways. There are so many ways to talk to people these days, some forms may slip through the cracks. Do not let this happen or you will be losing out on what might be the perfect opportunity for you and your career.

Why does direct mail work? Every day we all receive directmail. However bad junk mail looks, the ones you see again andagain are working; otherwise, the senders wouldn’t be wastingtheir money.

One thing that makes it work in many cases is that longcopy is used. That’s what it takes to motivate all of us to actionfrom unasked-for correspondence. Here’s an example. Let’s saya lawn mower shop has a new product. And you and your nextdoor neighbor are both out cutting your lawns on a hot day.

However, your lawn mower breaks down.Then, the mail carrier arrives at both residences with mailthat tells you all about a new lawn mower. It gives a long explanationof why it’s superior. Now, your neighbor will look at themailing piece for two seconds and toss it.

He isn’t in the marketfor a lawn mower. On the other hand, they have reached you atthe right time, you are likely to read it. Now when you job hunt,your situation is similar. You need to reach the right person. Noone else counts.Some people don’t believe in direct employer contact. Theythink that anything you send to an employer is thrown away.Certainly, this has some truth, since the great majority willthrow away your materials in seconds.

But if you’ve ever needed someone with certain skills… thenyou know you want the easiest way to fi nd a good candidate.And if a good resume or letter reached you at the right time, youwould take action on it. Sending the right materials… to the right person… will get the attention of some decision makers.

But,timing is very critical. You need to reach a decision makerthat might be looking for someone like you. Even if your timingis bad, companies scan the resumes of the better candidates intotheir database. Then, as they develop a need… this is usually thefi rst place they turn. Contacting employers directly allows youto reach potential buyers quickly. If you want… you can reachthe entire universe of all your best prospects.

Some also worry that direct contact might makeyou look too desperate and hurt your image. But,this isn’t true. If they don’t need you, they will throwaway your correspondence in seconds… or somemay enter it into their database. In other words, it can do some good… but it won’t do any harm.

One thing is for certain… you will never generatemore offers by having fewer people know aboutyou. When more of the right people know aboutyou, more interest will be generated.

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 22, 2012

CEO Job Network and the Benchmarks

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 9:24 pm

While looking for new CEO/executive opportunity, make sure you have some smaller, personal goals in place for yourself. Getting a job is the ultimate goal, but setting smaller ones along the way will help you get to the main one just that much faster. Benchmarks are important, so make sure you have some in order to push yourself.

It may surprise you, but many people actually pursue the wrong job titles. However, if they understood their real transferable skills, they could be repositioned for different goals, and sometimes for much more advancement than they thought possible.

Regardless of your most recent position, you need to think of yourself as “one of a kind” with diverse potentials.We all have seen career fields change dramatically over a decade. Fields that once offered great opportunity have become fi nancially confi ning with limited growth possibilities.

Does print advertising offer the same career possibilities as it did a decade ago? Does selling in the steel industry? Does being a doctor and a general practitioner? Career fields change at a much faster pace than most people realize.Experience has proven that if you take a narrow view of yourself, you could be making a mistake.

For example, if you see yourself as a specialist (e.g., a banker), you may believe you are locked into a given career. On the other hand, you may feel you have few options because you are too much of a generalist. More and more professionals are finding that they can have several direct careers over the course of a lifetime. Sometimes you can’t see them and you stumble into them.

Someone could be a radio sports broadcaster, then become an actor, then a politician… and subsequently governor of a major state and president of the United States (Ronald Reagan). And, of course, we all know many other examples, many famous and millions not so famous, but successful at many levels.

It may be that you should consider positioning yourself for more than one possible goal at this time, and running what we refer to as a “dual campaign.” For example, a logical step may be seeking a new job as a VP of Marketing. But you might also have accumulated knowledge and experience that would allow you to seek a position as a General Manager, or perhaps Chief Operating Officer, or even Chief Executive Officer in the right type of organization… in the right industry.

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 8, 2012

CEO Job Network and Your Goals

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 10:59 pm

Having goals it a vital part of looking for a great opportunity. We all know what the ultimate goal is, but you need to have smaller, more specific ones along the way for momentum.  This is important as it will also allow you to measure your success as you try to find a good position with a strong business.

It may surprise you, but many people actually pursue the wrong job titles. However, if they understood their real transferable skills, they could be repositioned for different goals, and sometimes for much more advancement than they thought possible.

Regardless of your most recent position, you need to think of yourself as “one of a kind” with diverse potentials.We all have seen career fi elds change dramatically over a decade. Fields that once offered great opportunity have become fi nancially confi ning with limited growth possibilities.

Does print advertising offer the same career possibilities as it did a decade ago? Does selling in the steel industry? Does being a doctor and a general practitioner? Career fi elds change at a much faster pace than most people realize.

Experience has proven that if you take a narrow view of yourself, you could be making a mistake. For example, if you see yourself as a specialist (e.g., a banker), you may believe you are locked into a given career. On the other hand, you may feel you have few options because you are too much of a generalist.

More and more professionals are fi nding that they can have several direct careers over the course of a lifetime. Sometimes you can’t see them and you stumble into them. Someone could be a radio sports broadcaster, then become an actor, then a politician… and subsequently governor of a major state and president of the United States (Ronald Reagan).

And, of course, we all know many other examples, many famous and millions not so famous, but successful at many levels.It may be that you should consider positioning yourself for more than one possible goal at this time, and running what we refer to as a “dual campaign.”

For example, a logical step may be seeking a new job as a VP of Marketing. But you might also have accumulated knowledge and experience that would allow you to seek a position as a General Manager, or perhaps Chief Operating Offi cer, or even Chief Executive Offi cer in the right type of organization… in the right industry.

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 25, 2012

CEO Job Network and The Words on the Page

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Portfolio,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 8:14 pm

No matter how much experience you have from being an executive, the words on the page of your resume have got to look good. This means your resume has to have a certain look, which is expected these days. If you think a resume looks the same as it did 10 to 20 years ago, you have a surprise coming when looking for a new high-level position.

This chapter could by itself signifi cantly alter the results of your job search. Here’s why I say this. Over the last 10 years we’ve learned what really works and what doesn’t. In this discussion I will share this with you.

To appreciate the importance of superior resumes, let’s fi rst talk a little bit about the competition, and why it has devastated so many talented people. And keep in mind that when you look for a new job, you are reduced to how you look on paper.

Today, the number of resumes in circulation exceeds the imagination. GE receives 800,000 resumes a year… but they only hire about 4,000 people. That’s 1 out of every 200. Other wellknown fi rms say they get over 1,000 resumes for every opening.

And, when it comes to submitting your resume to an attractive ad… you should know that employers are now getting hundreds of candidates. Leading recruiters, like Korn Ferry and Heidrick and Struggles, now claim to receive more than 1,500 resumes a work day… 30,000 each month.

Unfortunately, despite the enormous competition, many people create a resume, show it to some friends or family members and then assume it’s fi ne. Ann Landers is famous for many quotes, but one applies here. “Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.” Just how good is your resume?

While many professionals still use traditional resumes, with this amount of competition, the fact is they don’t work very well anymore. The reason is that most of these resumes have one or more of the six major resume weaknesses… that can restrict job hunting success.

So, let’s start by having you assess your current resume… to see if it has these weaknesses:

1—Does your resume look like others?  Your resume must start by projecting an outstanding image… one that sets you apart. It must be eye-catching… not ordinary, plain vanilla and flat.

2—Does your resume reveal liabilities?  Even top executives can fi nd themselves continually derailed… because of the negative information they made available… without realizing it.

3—Third, does your resume sell transferable skills? Or, does it just sell your history and experience? Selling skills is an absolute necessity if you want to expand your market… change industries… join a growth firm… appeal to venture capitalists… or impress CEOs and other key decision makers.

March 12, 2012

CEO Job Network and What You’re Worth

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , — Admin @ 1:35 am

Once you are to the point that you are ready to talk about money, you need to know what you are doing so you get what you are worth. In addition, you need to know the fine line between getting what you are worth and not being insulting.

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.

What to negotiate:

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 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% 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, find 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 5, 2012

CEO Job Network and Who You Know

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 1:16 am

It is all about who you know. The more people you are in contact with, the better when it comes to looking for a new opportunity. Networking is more important than it has ever been as there are so many ways in which to do it. Make sure you know of all the facets people use to keep in touch and to meet new people in high places.

Networking is a pyramiding strategy… one where you capitalize on one name to gain an interview with another. The most popular style of networking involves seeking informational interviews.Your purpose here would be to get an appointment with executives and ask them to share with you some information about their industry challenges.

Naturally, if you happened to be well connected, and you maintained a list of contacts into the hundreds, that could help give you a fast start.Unfortunately, the problem with this is that it usually takes a long time. And, some people fi nd it demeaning to approach friends and acquaintances to ask for help in fi nding a new career position.

Nevertheless, it does work if you have the time and inclination to approach your job search this way. Hopefully, some of your discussions will result in referrals to another executive who might have something for you… and be able to use your talents.

While this traditional networking can work, besides taking time, networking people with a new job in mind has become overworked. Just about every executive has been networked over and over again. What’s more, who has 45 minutes to an hour to devote to someone else? Or even 30 minutes?

Networking the new way:

The growth of the Internet and social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Zoominfo, Zing and others, combined with personal marketing websites and the use of email… are ushering in a new era of networking. And, it is a much easier and more effective way to network.

All you need are some superior resumes and an attractive personal marketing website that display your formal credentials, accomplishments and transferable skills in an impressive way. Then, instead of asking for “an informational interview,” you can just send off a well designed email with a link to your website.

People on the receiving end will get it and be impressed and you will have their time. And, you can use this method to contact hundreds of people in a very short time… people who have a high probability of being able to help you.What kind of people?

I’m not suggesting that you do this with your genuine personal contacts and real friends, who will look forward to visiting with you on a personal basis. However, they would also be very interested in seeing your personal marketing website.

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