Myth: Executive level jobs are best found through recruiters and fee-based, high level job boards.
Truth: Both recruiters and fee based executive level job boards can severely limit your job search and the responses you receive.
Executive recruiters can only help you if you have the exact qualifications to help them…fill their key search assignments that is.
And fee based job boards usually yield about 1% to maybe 7% response rates. You are going to have to send out a lot of resumes to get any response at all, and of course don’t forget about the intense amount of executive competition you will face for the very same job.
Most executives are all about working smarter, not harder. Though connecting with recruiters and answering 6-figure job ads might seem like the easiest way from point A to point B, it’s actually more work on your part to market yourself thoroughly enough using only these two outlets to get you the kind of results you are hoping for. It’s counterintuitive to your objective.
Want an easier solution? Of course it depends on the industry and position but I find that executive level jobs are best found using the following system:
1. Identification of the industry(s) of interest
2. Identification of the position(s) sought
3. Launching a campaign to penetrate those industries
To be successful (and when I say successful I mean conducting a job search that results in a number of high quality interviews for opportunities you are genuinely interested in, and obtaining one or more viable job offers) you must have a clear plan, followed by a significant level of market exposure.
Here are several highly effective techniques and resources to get going in the right direction:
1. Identify your market
What industry are you interested in and why? You must have a crystal clear direction before you can formulate any sort of plan. Is the market growing, or… are you purposely targeting growing markets? Smart move on your part. I recommend you read my ezine
( my monthly articles you can sign up for on my site at www.maryeizabethbradford.com) to gain access to portals of free US market reports that include recession proof industries and all kinds of useful information for the high level job seeker.
2. Identify your position
In order to target and brand your resume you have to be clear on the type of position you are pursuing. Again, have you thought it through? Are their other emerging positions (e.g.: Chief Ethics Officer) or parallel positions that might offer more challenge, more security or more experience where you need it – that help to achieve your long term career goals? Its worth spending some time here, doing a bit of research and thinking this through.
3. Launching a campaign to penetrate your industry/position of choice
You can do this several ways including:
- Hiring a firm to research contacts and companies that fit your career parameters.
- Using a site like zoominfo.com to research your preferences yourself.
- Hire a company like mine to analyze, make recommendations and gather the initial information for you.
- Hire an administrative assistant on a project basis to take care of some of your more mundane job search tasks such as mail merging documents, sending out resumes etc… (you should make phone contacts yourself though).
- Find (and follow up on) growth opportunities (companies moving/growing/expanding) through setting up a simple tracking system on Google news or through regular checking of business and trade journals.
- Hire a company to conduct an elite direct mail program for you.
- Find executive recruiters through a high-end contact that can distribute your resume exclusively to retained search firms.
- Obtain a list of VC firms or PE firms who specialize in your industry of choice.
These are just a few ways that go way beyond fee based, 6 figure job boards. These methods, once they are set up by you – are just as turnkey as responding to a job ad
Bottom line, a combination of the right executive job search techniques can improve your results by 20%, 30% and even 40%. Questions about resources for these techniques? Just call – I am happy to answer your questions.
I would like to discuss how you might assist me in a job search in a new market area asssociated with Lean Manufacturing
Just email me privately at maryelizabeth@maryelizabethbradford.com or call 830-331-9398. I am happy to learn more about your goals.
-MEB
I like your style, Mary Elizabeth — a far more sophisticated, real and integrated approach.
best,
Paul
Atlanta
http://www.linkedin.com/in/busdevcmopro
PS – Thanks Paul!
My field is difficult to put a label on. I am referred to as a market strategist. I help companies enter national markets here and abroad. I have built a network of trusted business associates and we collaborate to earn success fees and ongoing participation in the businesses we help. I do this for a small ad agency and for myself at the moment but if I am to follow your suggestion – I don’t know where to place my search.
My field is difficult to put a label on. I am referred to as a market strategist. I help companies enter national markets here and abroad. I have built a network of trusted business associates and we collaborate to earn success fees and ongoing participation in the businesses we help. I do this for a small ad agency and for myself at the moment but if I am to follow your suggestion – I don’t know where to place my search.
Hard to say in a short response to your comment (these are the types of things I work with my clients on) but in short I would say you should then focus on portals where you can find companies that are getting ready to expand or wish to expand. Trade journals, associations and even linkedin groups are good places to focus in on this information…as well as setting up google alerts for expanding companies or some other keywords that bring back the type of information you are looking for.
This would naturally coincide with growing industries too so I would use jobbaits free market report to track that.
Hi Mary,
A very good blog post with excellent advice. I agree with you that the majority of jobs are completely unadvertised and using jobs boards and agencies alone will probably not work.
Having said that, when working with a specialised Executive Search and Selection Consultant, a lot of this ground work will be done for the candidate. The best recruiters out there go out of their way to find new opportunities for the candidate including approaching new companies and using their network to source appropriate roles at the right salary level. It should never be a question of just filling only the roles “on the books” at the time.
One thing I have learned in all my years of recruitment and assisting others with a job search is that in a lot of circumstances candidates can be very bad at selling themselves (even sales people!) and they are typically very slow to pick up the phone to directly approach a company or ever use their network to find a new position. That is where a good recruiter comes in.
Very good to see that you are looking at a more holistic method when helping your clients. These types of methods are ones that I also use.
Hope things continue to go well for you.
Many thanks.
Soraya
I would tend to agree. I designed the best job I ever had. I researched it, I found the buyer, I designed it, I priced it, I brought it to them. You can do the same.
Mary Elizabeth,
You are the first to tell people searching for 100K+ jobs the realities of this market.
I would like to know if you would be interested in helping us out with our new venture
http://www.4thDTSecurity.com when we get suitable funding ?
Best Regards
Sal (JT)
Thanks Sal. If I can help you somehow – just give me a call.
-meb
Mary,
The hidden job market is not a well-known resource. I guess that is why it is “hidden.” Do you actually have clients that are successful with mailing campaigns?
As a recruiter and a career consultant, I’ve found that identifying your network and working that network using, phone calls and internet tools like LinkedIn, twitter and Facebook are much more effective in today’s social media and electronic environment.
Also its been my experience that if a job seeker identifies what they want and can take the time to prepare and network into their “ideal job”, if it doesn’t already exist, they can create it. This is more true at the 100K level and above then elsewhere.
Please keep getting the word out about the hidden market.
JoAnne
Great question and thoughts JoAnne. Yes my clients are primarily successful becuase they tap into this market.
However I agree with your strategies – which also work well.
Mary,
Came across this post and it’s quite insightful. Some people who have come to us in the past have only used recruiters, but we encourage them to keep all their options open. Look forward to reading more of your posts.
Jason
JobConcierge.com
Hey Mary, I’m a high school student interested in acquiring a 100k+ job. I have a 3.98 GPA and am very competent at many tasks. I was just wondering what your input was on college and career choices. Right now I have no preferences.
Hi Rudy! At this stage I think the best thing for you to do is work with your high school/college counselors to determine which areas to explore and which ones you might be best in. Be careful not to make your decision 100% on money. Its better to do what you really love – in which case the money does in so many cases follow, versus taking a job you dont like for the money. Career assessments like you can find at http://www.kiersey.com are good!
I wish you all the best – thanks for your comment.