Rita Ashley, Career Coach. Field tested advice for executives.

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By admin, May 28, 2008 12:27 pm

VP COMPENSATION is a hot topic.  For many people, Vice President is as high as they will go in their career.  When you are considering a new job, most people want to get all they can upfront.  They negotiate hard and leave nothing on the table. 

This is not the best strategy.  Compromise in some areas shows you are flexible and a team player.  If you play hardball and make hiring you difficult, the employer may just walk away.  How you negotiate is an indication of how you will behave when you are part of the team. 

Don’t be strident in your demainds; you are discussing budgets with people with whom you will work.  Pave the way for excellent work relations by listening to their point of view.  Be prepared.  Know what VP Compensation looks like in your geographic area and company type.   What your friends make in other companies is NOT a guide to what this particular company pays.

Be aware of tone of voice, facial expressions and any other subtle indications of reactions to your requests.  If you feel you have left too much on the table, tell the employer what you will do to earn the money and ask for a three month SALARY review.  Be specific with milestones and don’t forget to mention the resources you will need to achieve those goals.

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By admin, May 24, 2008 10:00 pm

The interview was a success; you didn’t get the job.  You read right.  The purpose of the interview is to vet your credentials and persona against the needs of the company.  It is also your opportunity to vet the company.  More often than not, the match is not good so no offer is extended or if it is, it is rejected.

No offer can be good news and turned into opportunity.  The people with whom you interviewed are now part of your network.  There is no reason you can’t ask them for leads.

Write that thank-you and ask for referrals.  Tell the people who interviewed you why you liked their company and ask if they can refer you to people who know where similar opportunities might be available.  Turn your “no job offer” situation into a productive networking opportunity.

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By admin, May 21, 2008 9:19 pm

Executive interveiws are very different from interviews for individual contributors.  Aside from different interview questions, the answers to common questions are different.  To move from candidate to prospective employee requires you listen to what is really being asked.

Carl, a CFO candidate complained the CEO asked him the same question three different ways.  What Carl missed is the CEO was not satisfied with the answer the first time and worse, that the answer to that question was the gate to being taken seriously.

In another situation, Suzanne noticed every person who interviewed her asked the same question.  She said it all felt so rehearsed and she gave the same answer each time.  What she missed is the answer to the question was very important to the company as a whole and that the answer needed to be different depending on who was asking.

The VP Marketing wants to hear how you will create products he can leverage into existing markets, the CFO wants to know how those products will affect shareholder value and the Sales VP wants to know how customers will respond.  But they all asked the same question:  What strategy do you feel fits a good product life extension program?

When a question is asked repeatedly, understand it is very important.  When several people ask the same question, know to answer in terms of their agenda.  Any pat answers will be dismissed.  Practice is the best remedy for solving this interview puzzle.   

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By admin, May 20, 2008 11:56 am

GET TO KNOW WHO YOU KNOW

Executive jobs are hard to find in the best of times; and executive job search in a recession is daunting.  Most executives have been so heads-down working long hours that when it is time to look for a job, they are bewildered at whom to call, who may be hiring and how to compete.

Many, to their profound disappointment, find their first response is to head directly to the $100,000 job boards.  Others just flounder.  As an alternative, executive jobs can be found by asking the right people the  right question.  Too obvious?  I have worked with executives in pursuit of a job for two decades, trust me when I say, it is not always that apparent to someone panicked by pending unemployment.

Let’s get to the point.  Most executive jobs are not posted in the newspaper or other media.  They are filled, primarily, by word of mouth especially during a recession because employers want to avoid the risk of hiring someone no one in their circle knows.  Your job is to find out who is spreading the word. 

Take for instance your current or most recent employer.  All the people who use to work for you are connections to possible leads.  All the people to whom you reported are absolutely resources to call on for leads and introductions to others who can tell you about jobs. 

And the most often missed, whether you are a Director or CEO, is the Board of Directors and the Investors.  They are the richest resource for new opportunities if you get on their radar.  These people know you, perhaps not the day to day work you did, but they do know the results.  And unless you were fired for cause, they have a vested interest in giving you an assist.  It is good PR and more importantly, especially the investors, these executives are always looking for excellent talent with whom to seed other companies on whose Boards they sit.

They are connected to a world of companies, not just your employer.  Leverage that connection and research all the other companies with which each Board Member and Investor is affiliated.  You will be surprised to see how long that list is.  So take heart, you know more people than you think.

OK, it sounds easier than it is.  Especially at a time when your most important asset, your self confidence is flagging.  That’s when you need the support of a job search coach.

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By admin, May 18, 2008 5:41 pm

TELL THEM I WILL BE CALLING

Business Telephone Etiquette requires you offer your name.  And isn’t it wonderul when you are put right through?    Want to make certain that happens every time?  Get an introduction.

Often the key to getting an introduction is to write one and send it to the person who will make the introduction.  That saves the person the concern over what to say and increase the probablility the introduction will happen.  Be sure to include your brand or elevator pitch.

Example: 

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By admin, May 16, 2008 11:21 pm

You know to send a Business Thank-you Note to the person you just met for lunch.  But did you think to copy the person who referred you to your lunch companion?

A copy to the person who introduced you reminds them you appreciate their efforts and subtly encourages further support.  It is just the right thing to do.

And you know to send a business thank-you note to the people who interviewed you.  Did you also send a note to the human resources professional who set up the appointment?  And how about that recruiter?

Rule of thumb: there is no such thing as too many business thank you notes.  Once you have obtained your goal, a new job, another Thank you in the form of an announcement and thanks for your support is in order.  This one is mailed with a business card .

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By admin, May 16, 2008 4:53 pm

Just because you are right doesn’t mean you get the job.

It’s a temptation, a trap. During an interview you are asked your opinion on challenges facing the employer. It is easy to assume they want you to offer a solution. They don’t.

If you offer a solution, it appears you assume what worked in another company would work for the prospective employer. Every employer believes his or her company is unique, their problems and therefore solutions, more so. Alarms go off when an employer sees stock solutions to what they believe are highly specific problems. In reality, employers are more interested in observing how you solve problems than hearing a solution from your past work life.

How can you get your ideas across? Below are ideas on how to sell prospective employers on your experience without telling them what to do.

1. Ask what has been tried to date and the results.
2. Ask why it did or did not work and what resources are currently available.
3. Alternatively, list what you would need to know before you could have a comprehensive solution.
4. Ask what outcome they would like to see and discuss in detail.
5. Tell them who you would talk to, what data you would use and what problem history you would need to offer a solution.
6. Tell them about another experience where you solved a similar problem and acknowledge the situations are no doubt different.
7. Tell them what resources you used, the solution and the results of the solution. Make certain the employer understands you know you don’t have enough detail to say this will be an appropriate solution for them.

Interview Advice: Don’t make the mistake of thinking you will get the job based on what you know and how smart you are. In reality, people are hired to solve a variety of problems, not just the current one. The real goals for an employer in an interview include assessing how you solve problems and work within a corporate environment. The safest way to convey both? Ask, don’t tell.

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By thejobcoach, May 15, 2008 7:32 am

The Jump from Director to Vice President

The biggest leap you will make in your career is from Director to Vice President. One reason it is so difficult to get a VP level job is a Vice President is commonly an officer of the company: An executive of a company who shares legal liability for his/her company’s actions.

The Board and “C” level employees are certain to vet a prospective Vice President very carefully because it is extremely costly to remove a VP once in place. Firing a Vice President creates bad publicity and can affect the stock price, not to mention the disruption of running the business.

More commonly, currently in place Directors are promoted to Vice President because they have proven they can stand up to the challenge and the scrutiny of the Board. They have proven themselves in a manner no outside candidate can.

To get to a VP level job from outside the company a candidate must be so outstanding they can be compared favorably with the Director in place. This takes excellent credentials, notable references and usually, a referral to the company by a respected Board member.

Unless the company is very small or a start up, hiring from outside the company can place the company in jeopardy as the heir apparent Director may feel passed over. When applying for any job as a Vice President it is strategically imperative to assess the Corporate politics of being hired in over the Director.

Since the role of a Vice President is to create and communicate strategy and corporate mission, cooperation from the tacticians is necessary. So, tread lightly upon accepting a job where there is a subordinate Director in place.

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By thejobcoach, May 15, 2008 6:17 am

Executives and Technology Professionals conducting a Job Search are often seduced by the lure of easy access to Senior positions listed on Job Boards. It is entirely understandable…send in a resume for a monstrously wonderful job and sit back and wait for a telephone interview. When it doesn’t come, when in fact no acknowledgement at all is received, the candidate is often left demoralized. “How does this happen? I have great credentials and there is a good match. Why haven’t I heard back?”

Sadly, Executive positions listed on Job Boards are seldom active, real or the main resource for sourcing candidates. Most companies rely heavily on referrals. Job boards    are a last resort. And even then, one must ask why referrals didn’t provide the right candidate. Does the company’s community know something you don’t? Some companies leave old listings on Job Boards as advertisement for their growth.

Fact is, less than 1.5% of any Executive positions are filled through Job Boards. My advice? Don’t waste your time. Focus on finding referrals and introductions and make personal contact. Most Executive and certainly Technology Executives are hired by way of personal referrals.

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