How senior agency & marketing execs can find their next great job

Best Advice for Senior Executive Job Searches

Based on our significant experience helping executives navigate the job search terrain, we have assembled the following best practices for senior executives that are involved with, or are contemplating a change:

1. Take another look at your resume. Most resumes fail to present the job candidate as a special individual that has consistently succeeded and can help their new employer reach even greater levels of success.
   
   
   • Make sure there is an emphasis on the results and impact of your specific leadership or contributions.
     
     
   • Tell a story. Why were you hired into jobs, why were you promoted and how did you leave roles, departments and companies better off?
     
     
   • Don’t worry about length. As an experienced, senior executive, your resume should be as long as needed to convey your rich experience (3 to 5 pages is fine for a senior executive). One-page resumes are for folks fresh out of college.
     
     
   • Also… a good summary can help your resume stand out.
     
     The average recruiter spends six seconds deciding whether to read your résumé or pass on it. How can you hook someone to keep reading in that short a time? Start with a brief, memorable summary of yourself at the top of the page – think 20 to 30 words. Highlight your areas of expertise that are relevant to the job, then focus on specific results you’ve achieved in those areas. Highlighting your accomplishments shows that you’ve solved relevant problems. Note the organizations and industries you’ve worked in, and include your years of experience. Distinguish yourself from other candidates, making it clear that you have what it takes to excel in the position. Avoid generic terms like “results-driven,” “a proven track record,” and “team player” that don’t say anything. (Adapted from Yes, Your Résumé Needs a Summary by Vanessa K. Bohns)
     
     
2. Develop your personal elevator story: You’ll need to be able to explain, in a soundbite, what you are all about and what interests you.
   
   
3. Network is job #1 during the search.
   
   
   • As you’re networking, choose your words carefully: you’re never looking for a job with the networking contact (even if they have the perfect job; if they like you, they’ll figure it out).
     
     
   • Rather, looking for advice (everyone loves to give advice!).
     
     
   • Get at least two other names you can contact: a job search is like old fashioned direct marketing, and the bigger the list, the better the results.
     
     
   • Keep detailed notes from all your networking meetings and calls.
     
     
   • Read Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Black Book of Connections (Bard Press) for some inspiration.
     
     
   • Be gracious and distinctive: send thank you notes (old-school hand-written notes are fantastic)
4. Segment your networking contacts.
   
   
   • There is a hierarchy of how helpful folks are at networking.
     
     Senior client-side executives are generally not the best networkers. They work excessive hours, are hard to corner and frankly rarely know much of what is going on outside of their job, company and industry. If you know some of these folks you still want to try – but have low expectations.
     
     Professional service firm executives are better networkers – folks in agencies, consultancies, law firms and accountants. These folks have opted into a life of service.
     
     The best networkers? This may be a surprise: they are other senior executives that are actively engaged in a search to find “what’s next”.
     
     Align yourself with these folks! They are not competition – regularly trade leads, etc.
5. Keep thorough records & update helpful networking contacts monthly.
   
   
   • If your contacts have been helpful, they won’t mind the continued contact.
     
     
   • Check-in and be ready to update them on what you did with their advice.
6. Use digital capabilities.
   
   
   • LinkedIn is critical. Make sure your profile is up to date and thorough. Make sure you have excellent references onsite – this is likely the first place interested parties will look. And post and engage with other’s posts.
     
     
   • Depending on your seniority, digital job search sites like Indeed and the Ladders can be helpful.
7. Have a “head hunter” strategy. Learn the difference between retained search and contingency search. Most senior roles will be through retained search recruiters.
   
   Some things to remember: They don’t work for you. You don’t want them shopping your resume around with you knowing. They rarely will spend much time with you unless they think you may be a viable candidate for a current (or near term) role. And, all of this is normal as you are not their client! You’re the product.
   
   
8. Read Brand Yourself by my friend Rick Haskins (Ballantine) – it’s out of print but usually available on Amazon.
   
   
9. Sharpen your personal productivity tools.
   
   
   • Read Ready for Anything by David Allen (Penguin).
10. Treat the search like a job…
    
    
    • Have a plan for the week and month.
      
      
    • Work the plan: be sure to schedule time for important tasks.
11. … But smell the roses too: this may be a rare time in your life when you actually have some free time to do things with your family or for yourself that are normally impossible.
    
    
12. Take care of yourself!
    
    
    • Your health and wellness is critical and a job search often throws folks off their game; be proactive about exercise, diet and mental well being.
      
      
    • Do something – however small – just for yourself each day; a bit of a reward for your search efforts.
13. Prepare yourself for the greatest paradox of the senior executive job search: who helps & who doesn’t.
    
    
    • Some people you are certain will help won’t.
      
      
    • Some people you barely know will go out of their way to help.
      
      
    • Enjoy the surprises and don’t hold grudges.
14. Communicate often and thoroughly with your significant other.
    
    
    • The search can be harder on them than you as they aren’t there to see or hear about your progress first hand.
15. Contact us as often as you’d like.
    
    
16. Thank you: Send a wrap-up note to everyone that helped you and maintain your new relationships.
    
    
17. When you’ve accepted your next job… immediately read:
    
    
    • The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
      
      
    • Master Your Next Move, with a New Introduction: The Essential Companion to “The First 90 Days” by Michael Watkins
      
      
    • The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build or Merge Your Team, and Get Immediate Results by George Bradt
      
      
    • You’re in Charge – Now What? by Thomas Neff & James Citrin