Are you wondering how to find your next Senior Position? You’ve had a great career to date and this might be the first time circumstance has found you looking for work. It is not surprising if your not sure where to start?

As a senior executive, there are ten key steps to successfully securing the right position for you. Six are “internal” and four are “external”. The temptation is to focus immediately on the four external factors, but all ten need to be addressed fully in order to be confident of progressing your career in the right direction.

INTERNAL

 Mindset

Employers are fussier than ever. Above all else, they want motivated employees who want to work for them.

If a candidate is talking as though they were still working for their old employer then they are unlikely to be offered a job. If they show any bitterness towards their previous employer, then they are effectively unemployable until we change this mindset.

(Growth Mindset)

 Purpose

Most Executives expect the employment market to value their flexibility and their ability to be able to fulfil a number of roles. This is not the case. Employers (and the head-hunters in between) are looking for candidates who are crystal clear exactly what they want to do, for whom and can clearly explain why this is the case.

Time needs to be invested in exploring exactly what the candidate really wants to do before there is any value searching for a role. There is no point sprinting until we know in which direction we wish to run.

(Positive Psychology & Doublethink – Goal setting.)

Ownership

Even with the closest of tailored one-to-one support, each Executive must understand that the only person who will find their next role is them. Between cause and effect there is a large element of choice as to how we react and behave and each individual must take ownership for their own outcomes.

(Cognitive Behavioural Coaching)

Strengths Awareness

 It is important for the Executive to understand exactly what they are good at and what their strengths are. This is a deceptively simple question and is often surprising how infrequently executives are able to express clearly, in terms which new employers will understand and value.

(Strengths Finder)

Self-Awareness

 Self-awareness is far more than understanding and articulating strengths. Employers are increasingly concerned with whether a new employee will be really motivated to work for specifically for them. Understanding one’s Emotional Drivers, is essential as is understanding the way in which we communicate to others.

(Drivers – Daniel Pink, Human Givens & Martin Seligman, Intelligent Emotions,

Transactional Analysis, and Mindfulness)

Personal Effectiveness

Executives are often used to a comprehensive support structure within their previous roles and they must decide what they can best do independently and what support structure they can create for themselves. Looking for a new role is a job in its own right and the same rigour, diligence and structure must be brought to it as they do in-post.

(Will Power, and Mental Organisation)

EXTERNAL

 CV Coaching

CV writing can’t be delegated. Offers to write CVs for a certain amount, offer a poor and generic service. A good CV has to be written by the individual themselves. I support this process by writing it with the individual, directing the style and content to best appeal to the CV’s target market, whilst maintaining the individuality and integrity of the applicant.

Job Search planning – Route to Market

Finding the right new job for the individual is a job in its own right. It requires clear thinking, a structured approach and consistently high quality input. I work with an individual on a one to one basis to ensure that every step of the process is done as effectively as possible and to make sure that the person is back in to the right kind of role for them as quickly as possible.

Networking Companion

Although part of the Job search process, Networking is an important step in its own right for Senior Managers and Executives. Face to face and on-line networking must be done correctly if it is to be worthwhile. I coach the individual to utilise their own network to best advantage.

Interview Preparation

I work with individuals in order to hone interview skills. Being aware of personal impact and maximising ability to communicate in the right way to as wide a range of individual’s as possible will greatly enhance interview success. To sell oneself, one needs to quickly gain trust, respect from, and be liked to by the interviewer(s).

 

Executive Coaching can help you secure the right role for you. These days, most top performers in business work with a coach.

If you would like to invest in yourself and the value of your business then call me on 07730 700258 to arrange a free introductory Coaching session.