Strategy

The strategy of executive job search has changed since the outbreak of the global economic crisis.

Some time back nobody was concerned about the necessity and nature of proper strategies to find the right executive job. Recently however, the world has seen significant changes in this respect. The number of phone calls with job offers are falling off and in case of need, finding a new senior management position takes 18+ months.

To shorten this period and make the time spent on search more effective, it is always worth having a mature and elaborate strategy and operational plan to find the new executive position.

As a part of this strategy it is important to formulate a complete and realistic picture of ourselves, that is, clearly define our competitive edge areas and use these as search „criteria” in the labour market we wish to explore. It is also essential to find the most suitable job search channels where we can achieve success and where we can beat our competitors.

Although fortune may favor anyone, we should not rely on blind luck only. A structured job search that taps several channels simultaneously seems to be the best recipe for success. Headhunters, interim companies, business lobby organizations or the use of social media may be a valuable addition to opportunities found within one’s network of personal relations.

Whenever we initiate an informal relationship, job opportunities should not be discussed upfront. Such channels need some time to „warm up” and a relationship of trust must be established in order to make our contact remember us later on. Please note that just as in the case of successful private relationships, labour market connections also need a time investment before we can become for them the top-of the-mind candidate we are seeking to be.