Although a vast business segment exists with executive recruiters and job boards, the reality is that the vast majority of positions are not advertised. CEOs and executives always first turn to their personal networks to try to fill open positions through trusted sources. Only as a last resort will companies turn to executive recruiters and job boards to fill executive roles.
Given this scenario, what have you done recently to expand your network - regardless of whether you're in transition and looking for a job, or you've been in a stable role for 6 years. You never know when you'll need to turn to your network for assistance. Keep in mind that if you don't have a great network right now, it takes at least 6 months to develop a strong job referral network from the day you start.
With the coming recession, and bad corporate news brewing on the horizon, shouldn't NOW be the time to start networking. Brad I will explore executive networking in much more detail in further posts. After having conducted well over 1000 executive searches in the last 25 years and interacted with thousands of executives in transition through our executive networking group, the AASE, we've identified that a lack of networking is the primary reason why most executive job searches take so long.
Learn more on our website about our research into the top mistakes executives make in career management and job search.
Barry Deutsch
Copyright 2008 IMPACT Hiring Solutions
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Core Topics: Job Search Mistakes · Networking for Non-networkers
Does this seem like a basic question?
Brad and I do executive search for key executives and CEOs. You would probably be surprised by the lack of preparation most executive candidates do prior to an interview. Imagine moving that down through the organization for managers and staff - it's probably non-existent!
How much prep work did you do before your last interview? Did you google the company and all the key managers that were listed on the website? Did you research their key competitors? Did you discover the primary trade associations in the field and read up on issues affecting their business? Were there industry publications you reviewed? Did you develop a long list of questions based upon this research to pose to the hiring manager?
My guess (perhaps it's a little more quantitative than a guess since I've asked every candidate I've sent to a client) is that most executives and managers spend maybe 25-30 minutes prepping for an interview - if that much. To be effective in an interview, you must conduct deep research about the company. This takes at least 2-3 hours. If you're not willing to do this depth of research - why go on the interview - you'll most likely violate one of the top rules of interviewing - know something about the company/executives that you can ask in the interview.
Barry Deutsch
Copyright 2008 IMPACT Hiring Solutions
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Core Topics: Ace the Job Interview · Job Search Mistakes
Welcome to our the Impact Hiring Solutions's Career Management and Job Search for Top Talent Blog - or in other words - our personal soapbox for discussing the issues, frustrations, and solutions around effective career management and job search. We hope you enjoy the deep discussion and challeging debate we'll surface around ensuring your career management and job search is successful.
After 25 years, 1000 executive search assignments, well over 100,000 candidates interviewed, we are still stunned by the career management mistakes and job search mistakes that derail careers. Be sure to read on our website about the study we've conducted into the most common career management and job search mistakes.
We sincerely hope you take away some great ideas that have a significant impact on your career satisfaction.
Feel free to comment on our posts - some of which might be controversial or at the very least contrarian.
When we faciliate our various workshops, we always tell the groups that you'll learn as much from each other compared to one of us mounting the proverbial soapbox.
Barry and Brad
Copyright 2008 IMPACT Hiring Solutions
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Core Topics: Job Search Mistakes · What Career Management Plan?
