8 Dilemmas Facing Executives in the Job Search

Dilemma 5 - Securing Interviews

7 Dilemmas Without question, this is the hardest part of the job search process, isn't it? Each application on the Internet receives between 250-1,500 - or more - applications. Many executives send out resumes, make calls and sit and wait for responses that, many times, never come. Or, when they do come, they never exactly match what is wanted or needed. Many executives actually interview at levels below their earning potential. This, generally, is an unnecessary waste of time and resources.

Executives tell us all the time that they need help in getting past the "gatekeepers." You know who the gatekeeper is. It is the person who worked for you. You told them to screen everyone out because you were busy and to send job applicants back to the human resources department. Most executives are far too busy to bother with initial screenings. Well, guess what? You are now being screened and now face this same dilemma. So, ask yourself what you will do to get in front of, and speak directly with, the hiring authority? Recruiters get through all the time. What are they doing and what secrets do they know?

Here are some thoughts about securing interviews using resources with which you are familiar.

. Recruiters? Recruiters work for the company, NOT you. If they have a job order to fill, and you are qualified, they will be your best friend until you are either eliminated or employed. When that order is filled, they move on to other companies and orders, and you are left in the dust. The only solution to this dilemma is to have your own personal recruiter working just for you. Now, go out and find one that will do just that until you are employed.
. Newspapers? A joke to most knowing executives. They get up on Sunday morning, grab the newspaper and a good cup of coffee and clip ads to their heart's content. At your level in the corporate world, do you really think you will find something there that will meet both your income and career needs?
. Networking? This is the single most important aspect of the job search strategy. Do you know that most people fail miserably in managing their network? They usually call up their network and friends and say something to the effect that, "I am on the market and if you hear of anything, would you let me know?" There are a hundred variations of this theme and they are all 180° wrong.
. Unadvertised Openings? The majority of jobs are not listed with recruiters, nor are they advertised, sometimes even within a corporation's HR department. Let this sink in for a minute. There are tens of thousands of jobs available, and you don't know how to access them. Now what do you do? Unless you penetrate this market segment, you will use financial resources that you cannot afford to use and protract the length of time for your job search. Here are the reasons why this market channel is so important:
There is little competition.
You can interact directly with decision-makers.
Many times you can draft your own job description.
More leverage in negotiations sessions with less competition.