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One of the most challenging processes for any candidate is the interview. So many of our executive candidates say “I haven’t been in a formal interview for over 10 years, what do I need to do to ensure I don’t stuff up?”
I facilitated a workshop on Performance-based Hiring last week for a new client. For the last 11 years, I have been a passionate user of this methodology created by Lou Adler. Lou is an engin
eer who moved into executive search and created a methodology designed to attract and engage with the best talent in the market place, not just the best talent that apply to a job advertisement.
One of the statistics I was able to source from www.seek.com.au states that 27% of full and part time employees in Australia are settled in their job; 27% are actively seeking a new job and 46% are monitoring the market.
I find it hard to sell myself.
I know I’m good at what I do, but sales – it’s just not me.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard this from candidates, highly accomplished individuals who have been paid handsomely to do what they do! However when they find themselves looking for a new role whether because of redundancy or choice they find it hard to sell themselves in their resume, LinkedIn profile and in an interview.
Today I want to focus on selling yourself in your resume. I’ve been reviewing a substantial number of senior finance resumes today and in general I have to HUNT for information about what the candidates have done in their past roles. Candidates have a tendency to think a recruiter wants to read their position description.
T
alking with a coaching client last week we were strategising ways they could aim to meet their potential employers of choice. I started asking about their industry networking events and they turned to me and said…
“The thought of networking makes me sick! Walking into a room of people I probably don’t know and coming up with small talk is worse than going to the dentist!”
Having coached hundreds of executives on getting their next career opportunity or board role this comment is not uncommon. However as an executive the art of networking is one that you need to conquer as there will be many situations where you need to make small talk and try and engage with complete strangers.
Networking does come more naturally to some more than others. So how can we make it less painful and more enjoyable?
Guest blogger Linzi Boyd discusses buidling your personal profile to build your business brand.
While the importance of brand is becoming well understood by business leaders, we believe there’s more to it than simply ‘brand’ alone. We’ve identified three key pillars to help clients jump their businesses smoothly: brand, people and purpose.
In this article I’m concentrating on the ‘people’ aspect of brand because in the digital era ‘people’ has become as important, if not more so, than ‘brand’. Why? Because the new school way of doing business is ‘people buy from people’. Customers, in particular, want to see the people and culture behind a brand and to trust in the business’s authenticity.
As we launch into the new financial year Arete Executive is enjoying a very busy period, both in terms of our executive recruitment services, and also our career coaching and advocacy. In my discussions with CEOs and Chairs, the job market in South East Queensland still seems to be slower than in Sydney and Melbourne. That said, there is still a reasonable amount of hiring going on across most sectors other than Mining (which remains fairly stagnant from a recruitment perspective).
A key element of the enormous value of LinkedIn is that it provides you with a platform for a targeted job search.
Ten years ago, it was much, much harder to find people who were working for your dream employer.
Today, you can find those people in a few seconds. LinkedIn gives you a means to contact them and begin to build a professional relationship.
But…you realise you’re not the only person who’s going to be contacting them, don’t you?
You realise they’re probably getting connection requests every day, right?
Especially if they work for a great company that lots of people would like to work for.
So it’s vital that your approach is as professional and engaging as possible.
I’ve often talked about the failings of the recruitment industry, despite the fact that I and many other good people strive for the highest standards of professionalism.
But we don’t talk enough about what candidates can do to be professional in their dealings with us.
When I’m working with job seekers – either as a career coaching client or as an applicant for a job I’m recruiting – I find it frustrating when they can’t identify their employers of choice.
It’s like asking someone what they want to eat, and they say “Anything will do.” That bugs me because I can’t pick up the phone and order ”anything” from my local takeaway. It also bugs me because it shows there’s no thought going into it.
And your career deserves lots of thought!
Why does an executive recruiter like me write a book telling people how to “uncover the hidden job market” for themselves?
For two reasons.
One, I genuinely want to serve people. I’m very aware that recruitment is not well respected as an industry. Often, when I tell people I’m a recruiter, they can’t wait to share some awful experience they’ve had.
So I want to show that many recruiters are in fact caring professionals who treat clients and candidates with respect and integrity.
Two, I’m very aware that most people will not find their next role via a recruiter, even a good one.
That’s because only a small percentage of jobs are actually filled by recruiters.
In my career coaching practice, I frequently work with people who are not currently employed.
This has come about for all sorts of reasons. They may have been made redundant due to a contracting industry, difficult economic conditions or a change in company direction.
They may have taken a voluntary redundancy, sometimes cashing in a payout to fund a new business.
They might have had to relocate for family reasons, away from their previous employer.
They may have been terminated. The common thread is that being unemployed is a really difficult situation.
We are conditioned to value ourselves based on our career success, which sets us up for struggle when our career isn’t going well.
And of course, we’re in a world where we need to earn money to support ourselves and our loved ones.
by Richard Triggs
For those that don’t know me, I’m the Managing Partner of a Brisbane based executive recruitment company, Arete Executive. I’ve also recently launched the Arete Podcast, where I interview leading CEOs, Non Executive Directors and other leaders about their careers, key achievements, lessons learnt along the way and so on. The motivation for the podcast is to allow those who aspire to achieving similar career success, to learn from those who have walked the path before them, in order to hopefully accelerate their own careers.
I thought for this article I would summarise some of the key learnings from my early guests; those that I found most interesting and pertinent.
Why does an executive recruiter like me write a book telling people how to “uncover the hidden job market” for themselves?
For two reasons.
One, I genuinely want to serve people. I’m very aware that recruitment is not well respected as an industry. Often, when I tell people I’m a recruiter, they can’t wait to share some awful experience they’ve had.
So I want to show that many recruiters are in fact caring professionals who treat clients and candidates with respect and integrity.
I am frequently speaking with people who are not currently employed.
Their current situation has come about for all sorts of reasons.
They may have been made redundant due to a contracting industry, difficult economic conditions or a company failure.
They may have taken a voluntary redundancy, sometimes cashing in a payout to fund a new business.
They might have had to relocate for family reasons, away from their previous employer.
They may have been terminated. Hey, it’s happened to me and, truth be told, it’s happened to plenty of people.
