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

February 20, 2012

CEO Job Network and All the Action

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 12:31 am

At your level, you know what you are doing when it comes to looking for a new, great opportunity, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more you can do to help your search. Making a plan of action may not be something you have given much thought to, but it does come with success. Now is the time to get your plan together and follow it to your new great job.

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.

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 identifi ed. Then, they need to be incorporated into your resume and letters, and your personal marketing website.

Industry alternatives: More and more people are changing industries. The key is to identify industries with characteristics that match those where you have experience.

Action plan for getting interviews: You want to lay out a step-bystep plan… a weekly agenda… that will guide your search. This is your complete track… a game plan. This includes a plan for interviewing and negotiating (your approach to these important matters)… which should be decided on in advance.

February 13, 2012

CEO Job Network and Ready for Your Career Move

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Portfolio,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 1:41 am

At your level, you have seen a lot and have a lot of strong references, but you still need to keep your next move in mind no matter your industry.

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 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 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 Officer, or even Chief Executive Officer in the right type of organization… in the right industry.

Or you may wish to run a search for a higher paying job as a sales producer, while also exploring situations to move into a sales management role.

Many people develop careers that are specialized, but eventually make the move into general management as just mentioned. This includes executives in fi nance, manufacturing, operations, technology and others.

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 9, 2012

CEO Job Network and Contacts

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Network,Unemployed — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 1:55 am

When you are looking for a CEO or executive level career, remember to make all the contact you can in very fashion there is. People tend to think they have  enough contacts or have the best fashion of making contacts, so they may overlook the best ways to open new doors.

Why does direct mail work?

Every day we all receive direct mail. However bad junk mail looks, the ones you see again and again are working; otherwise, the senders wouldn’t be wasting their money.

One thing that makes it work in many cases is that long copy is used. That’s what it takes to motivate all of us to action from unasked-for correspondence. Here’s an example. Let’s say a lawn mower shop has a new product. And you and your next door 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 mail that tells you all about a new lawn mower. It gives a long explanation of why it’s superior.

Now, your neighbor will look at the mailing piece for two seconds and toss it. He isn’t in the market for a lawn mower. On the other hand, they have reached you at the right time, you are likely to read it. Now when you job hunt, your situation is similar. You need to reach the right person. No one else counts.

Some people don’t believe in direct employer contact. They think that anything you send to an employer is thrown away. Certainly, this has some truth, since the great majority will throw away your materials in seconds. But if you’ve ever needed someone with certain skills… then you 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, you would 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 maker that might be looking for someone like you. Even if your timing is bad, companies scan the resumes of the better candidates into their database. Then, as they develop a need… this is usually the fi rst place they turn. Contacting employers directly allows you to reach potential buyers quickly. If you want… you can reach the entire universe of all your best prospects.

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.

November 30, 2011

CEO Job Network and Done Right

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network — Tags: , , , , , , — Admin @ 5:27 pm

No matter how much success you have had or how many years you have had at the top, there are somethings you always need to keep in mind when looking for a new job. One of these is having a great interview. Too many with a lot of former clout do not take the interview as serious as they should. Do not make this mistake.

Too many people take interviewing for granted.

They never stop to analyze the process from an employer’s viewpoint, and don’t fully appreciate that other good candidates are under consideration.  Nine of every 10 job seekers need 17 or more telephone or face-to-face interviews to close a single offer.

Worse yet, many come away with no offers at all. The sad part of it is it’s not very difficult to learn and use some time-tested approaches that would improve their chances dramatically.  We make sure our clients know how to apply time-tested advice based on tens of thousands of real-world searches over several years.

The basic principles for success in interviewing haven’t changed.  Two of the basics are learning how to tell memorable stories, and how to surface and handle an interviewer’s concerns diplomatically, building rapport in the process.

CEO Job Network provides everything a job seeker at professional levels needs for a productive search, including not just resumes, letters, guidance on interviewing and negotiations, but much more, including how to handle liabilities, getting across your transferable skills, and developing an action-oriented marketing plan.

But the single most dramatic thing most people learn about us is, we don’t just advise, we do the hard work of job hunting for you.  We spent millions to develop Job Market Access Center, or JMAC for short.  It’s a site that lets people download immediately all the employers and recruiters and advertised openings suited for them.

More important, it lets you access openings filled privately. JMAC provides news that signals emerging jobs, contact information for your best employer targets, plus research on companies.  We also create a personal marketing website that enables a person to multiply their network of contacts without having to spend much time doing it.

Make sure when the time comes, you are ready to have an excellent interview. Prepare and do all you can. If you were a former CEO, than you already know how vital class and charm are in an interview. Make sure you have plenty of both, they will take you far. You take every other  part of your search serious, so make sure you know how to close.

 

November 26, 2011

CEO Job Network and the Change

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Network — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 2:08 am

A great opportunity may not always come from a job title that existed before. In this day and age, talents are at an all time high with technology knowledge, so positions are being created for those talented enough. This fact is the same with CEOs. Although a CEO position is not created, the face of that position will change with the talents of the person who will best fit it.

Keep in mind this simple thought. We all hire top people when we are persuaded that the benefits of having them on board will sufficiently outweigh the dollar cost.You can get offers, even if no job openings are said to exist. You simply need to present yourself as a solution to a problem.

The “create a job” approach is for executives who want a job tailored to their best abilities. A few examples might include an executive who can develop new products for a company, a sales executive with contacts in particular markets or a general manager who can start up a division in a specific industry.

Aside from executives, the “create a job” approach can also be considered by anyone who may have difficulty winning offers through other means. This includes those who have a narrow market for their talents, people who wish to change industries, or those who have been unemployed for a while or who want to stay in a specific geographic or industry area.In these situations, to win the job you want, you may have to create it by making an employer aware of your ability to make contributions.

The following pages will give you some guiding principles as you consider this approach. You must focus on small to medium sized firms, go directly to people with the authority to create jobs, have a clear benefit proposition, take strong initiatives in your first meetings, and stir the employer’s imagination.
The first principle to understand is that to have your best chance at creating a job, your highest probability targets are likely to be small to medium sized companies. This includes firms that are growing rapidly, bringing out new products, forming new divisions, acquiring other companies or reorganizing.

These are the firms that need good people, often from other industries. They are free to move quickly. Large corporations are the least likely to respond to this approach. Budgets are usually allocated far in advance, and hiring practices tend to be relatively slow and methodical.

Of course, there are exceptions. All you need to do is assess your talents and contact the firms most likely to need you, regardless of their size. And if you know a market well or have talents in a particular function, just consider the industries where they would apply.

November 20, 2011

Top Dollar and CEO Job Network

Filed under: Advice,CEO Job Network,Interviewing — Tags: , , , , , , , — Admin @ 2:40 am

Once you land that great job as a CEO, you better make sure you get every dollar you are worth. Many who are not strong negotiators will leave money on the table, make sure you are not one of these people.  There is a real art to getting what you are worth without be insulting or sounding greedy, make sure you know how best to get this done.
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 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 finished 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, 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 firm goes public, his equity benefit will be in the many millions.

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