This is the first of several blogs on landing a six figure job in a bad employment market. The national financial crisis, real estate bubble and war expenses all affect business locally and internationally. This forum will discuss ways to hedge your bet if you are considering a job change or engaged in a job search for a $100,000+ job.

The bad employment market takes no pity on executives in search of $100,000+ jobs. It’s a tough time to land a job and tough techniques are required.

First focus on your career, and not a job. Take the long view of your search; does company A have more staying power than company B who is offering you a bigger title or salary? Is that relocation really cost effective compared to a lessor job locally?

HOW TO LAND A $100,000+ JOB: Advice to anyone who has a choice about changing jobs is to reevaluate that choice; the devil you know is easier to deal with than the devil you don’t know. Are the reasons you want to look around based on things that can be fixed, altered or ignored? Can you buy yourself some time in order to prevent a hasty decision?

Stay in your current position long enough to shore up your references. Your objective is to exceed expectations on the one area you hope to leverage to a new position. Do not underestimate the power of an excellent reference.

Already left your employer? Get external visibility and be your own public relations guru. Get quoted, be a speaker and become a known expert on that topic or process. If you are an Agile and SaaS savvy executive, join the appropriate groups, participate in threads, blogs and write, articles for the ezine community. Are you an SEO expert? Volunteer to get high profile charities noticed on the web. Get involved in fund raisers, charity events and donate your expertise where it will get noticed.

Once you are known in your arena, networking for a new job is much easier. And networking is how to land the $100,000+ jobs.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

NETWORKING FOR $100,000+ JOBS isn’t easy, but it is simple.

Networking, a simple word that pierces even the bravest executive’s confidence. Networking is not easy, takes guts, persistence and is the best way to discover leads for a new job and create your personal champions. If you are in job search mode, networking for $100,000+ jobs is even harder because the keepers of the gates are elusive, hidden and sometimes, harsh.

Start simple: Call someone. Maybe it is your last boss or best buddy at your last job. After the chit chat and niceties, here’s what you can say: “Larry, I am looking for a new job. Here’s how you can help. I would like introductions to three people you suspect can direct me to where the jobs are.”

Too obvious? Let’s drill down and ask for something more specific. Do some research. Sure you know Larry, but do you know who Larry knows? That’s what Linkedin and Facebook are for. Use the Internet. Find out who he knows that you want to meet. Then ask: “Larry, I am looking for a new job as a Director of Marketing. I believe Craig Ferguson with whom you worked at Acme Trading may be able to point me in the right direction. Would you introduce me?”

Want Larry to figure out others who can help? Point him in the right direction: “I would like an introduction to Craig Ferguson because he serves on the Board for the kind of company I’d like to work for. The wireless industry really appeals to me. Are there others like Craig you could introduce me to?”

I WANT MY CONTACTS TO SAY THE RIGHT THING.

You asked for an introduction. Do you want to rely on Larry’s clumsy, “Craig, I want to introduce you to David. He’s looking for a job and thought you could help,”? Since an introduction is the gold key to the successful job search, give Larry what he needs to make an introduction that makes Craig start thinking of how he can help before he even meets you.

Tell Larry you will write the introduction for him to make things easier for him-to simplify. Now get your Elevator Pitch in gear. “Craig, I’d like to introduce you to David who worked with me at Arcane. He is a Marketing Pro with such strong skills in SEO and Internet marketing that we went from a new site to 70% click through in less than six months. He’s looking for a wireless company in need of his talents, perhaps you can talk to him. Here’s his contact information.”

I DON’T KNOW WHO I WANT TO TALK TO.

Start at the beginning. What kind of job do you want? Who do you know that has the kind of job you want? Start a list. Now research the individual’s former employers. Anyone there you want to meet?

Still not sure you know anyone? Research your preferred industry and decide which companies are your best targets. Find the name of the person who has the same type of job you want to land. There’s a good chance recruiters have been calling her and she has a few ideas of where there are openings. Give her a call.

Hard to pick up the phone to call a stranger? Of course it is. Do you want a job? Then bite the bullet and do it. The worst that can happen is that stranger will not take your call or be dismissive. It is a stranger, what do you care? Hang up the phone and remind yourself of all the people who love and enjoy you. Then get back on the phone and call someone else.

Best case, the stranger will be understanding and eager to help. Prepare for the worst but applaud the best. The trick to making this call work is you deliver a brief and very concise message. Since it is a hard call to make, create a script and print it in very large font so even under stress, you can read and come across confident. You might say, “My name is Rick Stevens, and like you, I am a Marketing Professional. I am in the midst of a job search and I am contacting you in hopes you can refer me to recruiters and others who have contacted you lately about job opportunities in which you were not interested.”

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Jump from Director to Vice President

The biggest leap you will make in your career is from Director to Vice President. The jump from Director to Vice President is so difficult because a Vice President is commonly an officer of the company with implied legal liability.

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.

1. The clearest path to jump to a VP level job is to be promoted. 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. Even if you are not especially interested in a longer career with your current employer, a promotion is your clearest path to VP. Take steps to make that happen possibly using a Coach. Once you have achieved VP status, you will be seen as a VP candidate generally.

2. 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.

Your job is to connect with Board members and “C” level executives in a way that demonstrates your expertise and experience. Become a speaker and a contributor on your area of expertise and you get not just name recognition, but the panache of positive publicity.

3. Focus on companies with half the revenue and half the personnel of your current company. Position yourself as the person who can get the company where it wants to go. Understand that a Vice President is all about strategy whereas a Director is about tactics. Calibrate your vocabulary accordingly. Make absolutely certain you know and understand the target company’s corporate mission before you approach them. Tailor your remarks to include their mission.

Your next challenge is to find opportunities as a Vice President. One quick method is to meet and impress existing VPs and encourage them to forward inquiries in which they are not interested your way. For more advice on making the jump from Director to Vice President read Job Search Debugged.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Know When to Say No:

There is nothing like receiving a job offer or interview opportunity after a dry spell to cloud your vision. It is hard to say “NO” to a job offer. You used the right interview questions and you work with a headhunter. Yet you jump at the chance to take the wrong job seriously.

Part of the problem is you are in denial. “The funding issue isn’t a problem. They are talking to the right people.” “Sure, four people in five years had this job, but I am a better fit.” “I am a risk taker and this could pay off big in five years.”

And part of the problem is you don’t know what the wrong job looks like. How do you spot the red flags when you are completely focused on the outcome? Create a Go/No-Go list before you even begin your job search.

The list includes the basics like minimum compensation you will accept and location. But it should also cover all variables relevant to a job. Imagine the job in six months. The thrill of the increased compensation is worn off, now what is important to you? Everything you feel is critical to your success and comfort belongs on the list.

1. Compensation
2. Location
3. Reporting Structure
4. Sphere of Influence
5. Number of people to manage
6. Corporate culture
7. Amount of Travel
8. Tasks
9. Market Niche
10. Work Schedule
11. Funding
12. Budgets
13. Credibility of the Board and Management
14. Financial health
15. Public vs private
16. Company size
17. Office vs cube
18. Holiday allowance
19. Insurance and other perks
20. Car allowance
21. Education benefits
22. Same sex insurance
23. Review cycle
24. Opportunity for longevity
25. Conference and trade show participation
26. Dating policy
27. Firing policy (some companies routinely fire the bottom ten percent of employees)

You have created your list, now you have to use it. If you are willing to accept an opportunity that doesn’t conform to your list, the item must be removed from the list or you must pass on the job.

But how do you spot the red flags. Most companies hope to dull your senses with glowing reports of their growth, ease of getting things done or prospects for your employment. You are considering where you will spend the next four or five years of your professional life and with whom. It is incumbent on you to do your research; talk to former employees, Google the company, use glassdoor and other sites that discuss companies and their culture. Find other links at the Riley Guide. Talk to the Board Members and seek out vendors. Don’t forget to vet the investors.

Evaluate the company as if you were planning to invest $50,000. If what you learn tells you it is a good investment, go forward. If not, run away.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

SOMEONE just sent me and many others porno pix of themselves on Twitter (she is now blocked from following me). They now exist for eternity. Imagine how she will feel years from now when a prospective employer sees them.

It is so easy to broadcast our most scurrilous behaviors and the thrill must be very exciting to some people. Why else would the social networking sites be filled with Amy Winehouse-style tales of orgies, drugs and alcoholic stupors? People, listen, stop posting internet messages you wouldn’t want prospective employers or customers to read. Employers use social networking sites to research candidates. It is an absolute fact. Don’t Twitter your career away.

I know you have opinions and you believe they are valid and important. But also believe this, not everyone agrees with you and anyone can read your comments. All those social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter provide voyeuristic access to anyone who wants to vet you before they invite you to interview, do business with you or accept your offer to consult.

Opinions are like belly buttons; everybody has one. Don’t let yours limit your career and business options. Voicing them publicly changes no ones mind, affects no positive outcome and garners you no accolades. Keep your opinions private. Share them with close friends, but don’t use the internet as your podium.

One in five employers uses social networking sites to research prospective employees. In smaller companies, the percentages are higher, especially for technology companies. It is so simple to Google the name of a prospective employee or someone on the radar that it is almost a given. Facebook and Twitter (and other) users can locate your name and comments at a click of a mouse. And even if you think you deleted an incriminating entry, there is no proof someone hasn’t copied it, shared it or achieved it.

The more senior your position, the more likely you will be researched on-line. There are no laws to protect you from people losing interest in interviewing you because they don’t agree with your political choices. There is no way for you to detect when, even with an introduction, you are not invited to meet with someone because they did a quick search and discovered you engage in drunken orgies, or you are an avid moose hunter, or support drilling in Alaska when the reader doesn’t.

Each year our lives become less private. Every time you join a social network or post your biography, you increase the chance anyone can find out even the most unpleasant of your secrets; so don’t share them. And hard as it is to do, stop sharing your opinions; there is no positive outcome.

Happy that your Facebook and Myspace accounts are cleared up? Now take a look at the sites where your photos are posted. Don’t forget, once people start to research you, anything is fair game. As a rule, only post pictures or messages you would send to your mother.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

So many reasons recruiters don’t respond, so little time. There are as many styles of recruiting as there are recruiters. The best require courting and do not use job boards, form letters or, for the most part, do not respond to random resume submission. They represent candidates who are referred, vetted and known. These candidates get timely feedback, both the good and the bad.

If you want your recruiter to behave, be selective in how you approach her and by whom you are referred. If you persist in using the random and anonymous methods of job boards, blanket and unsolicited resume submissions, you deal with only the least professional recruiters. Your choice. Learn how to get connected to the best recruiters, read “Job Search Debugged.”

Still not sure why your recruiter didn’t get back to you even after you sent him a killer resume? So many reasons, but here are the most common.

1. Not working on a search that requires your excellent credentials
2. Way too busy for any diversions
3. Knows something about you that turns her off
4. Doesn’t think your resume is strong enough
5. Has more than enough qualified candidates she already knows with similar credentials
6. Just not his style
7. Doesn’t respond to unsolicited resumes

Let’s say you are actually working with a recruiter and he doesn’t get back to you. You know not to badger him, but you are really annoyed at his lack of consideration. After all, it’s just an email or phone call. Consider this before you get more upset:

1. Her client did not get back to her within the time frame she mentioned–she doesn’t want to show she has little to no control over her client or fate
2. She has other more pressing, time critical things on her desk
3. He knows you didn’t get the job and he is working hard to find another candidate
4. He is just a jerk and lets things fall into cracks

As you can see, there is nothing continued contact on your part can change. Rather than become demoralized by the recruiter’s behavior, move on. Hopefully you already connected with more than one recruiter and have more irons in the fire. If not, this is motivation to do so. Just be careful not to complain to any recruiter about the lack of responsiveness.

Sometimes, when the desk is just too full and there are too many phone calls and emails to respond to, the candidates who will be the most forgiving are the ones who get pushed to the back burner. Which doesn’t mean you should become a squeaky wheel. You will still get the representation you want, just not the instant feedback. Remember, recruiters get paid for placing people and you want to be placed; you have mutual vested interest.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Landing $100,000+ jobs can often take about six months. The amount of time is less important than what occurs in that time. To be extremely effective your networking activities objective is to rise above the competition with outstanding messaging, industry presence and recognized expertise. Get started by a review of the basics. Be critical and perhaps ask a colleague to evaluate your efforts.

Are all the basics handled in the classiest way possible?

1. An executive summary that addresses exact needs of the prospective employer based on your research or knowledge of the job description
2. Emails that ask for only one thing with a specific call to action or request
3. You use news feeds as a resource to find leads and connections
4. Your world class elevator pitch generates questions and requests for your business card
5. You wear a well fitted suit to all networking events and interviews?

When you are unemployed and are in job search mode you can commit to it. A proper job search requires a minimum of five hours a day in networking, researching, meeting and planning.

To optimize your time and efforts, create a job search budget that includes a proven Job Search Coach. A good coach can make the difference between a salary and prolonged unemployment, so consider the value of earning even one more month’s salary. Choose a job coach who can assist with excellent networking coaching and messaging including a specific resume for each opportunity.

Job Search today is a shell game; companies are not advertising and most deplore use of job boards. Jobs are discovered by networking because employers are fragile; they need to know the people they hire are part of their community in order to hedge their bets.

Amp up your networking techniques.

1. Go to industry conferences.
2. Pay the tariff to attend trade shows.
3. Blog on topics on which you are an expert.
4. Answer questions about strategic topics on other people’s blogs.
5. If you are a $100,000+ executive, buddy up with others who are also in job search mode.
6. Share leads, encourage one another and stay focused.
7. Talk to people who have a job like the one you want; ask them to refer people to you when they are contacted about jobs.
8. Become a known face at networking events, don’t just go occasionally.

The name of the game is exposure, accessibility and expertise. The more people see you, see your name or hear from you with targeted links and articles, the higher the probability you will be thought of when that next $100,000+ job opens up. Don’t be a hit and run executive. Make your presence known and expected.

For more detailed networking guidance, “Networking Debugged” is available.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

NETWORKING TIPS YOU MAY NOT HAVE USED

You have already accepted Networking as a way of life and you engage in some form of outreach weekly. For those of you after $100,000+ jobs, the rules are different. You need more than a name and email address of contacts. There is a fine line between excellent, classy networking and spamming. Here’s how to make networking work for you.

1. Sign up for news feeds that feature the names of key people (and companies) on your networking priority list. Stay informed on topics of interest to your contacts and occasionally, send an article or link based on what you learn. Demonstrate you are interested in and knowledgeable about their arena by sharing only those things germane to their niche.

2. Don’t spam. When you send something to a contact, be sure it is on point. I receive emails from “networking” contacts that have nothing to do with my business, my niche or my interests. These people lose any credibility with me; in fact, I have blocked a few people based on their poor choices regarding what I want to know about.

If you want to send something and are not certain it will resonate, say so. “I saw this and while I am not sure it is on point for you, wanted to hear your thoughts,” goes a long way towards mitigating the, “I am randomly sending things to you to remind you I am out here,” perception.

Be sure to send links rather than attachments. Most people ignore attachments from people they do not know well and a link allows them the choice of when to take a look. Make your subject and email message compelling, and you will have done enough.

3. Enlarge the topic. When you attend a networking function learn your contacts’ other interests. Come prepared with “conversations starters” that have nothing to do with the topic at hand, but which will be of general interest. I read an article in Forbes on “Gray is the new Green” on alternative energy. Everyone has an opinion on the topic so mention of this particular point of view enlivened the conversation and forged a deeper bond with all participants.

One contact in my network is a high end motorcycle enthusiast. I found a test ride/article on a $120,000 bike which I forwarded. My contact appreciated the outreach and responded with a much warmer email than any business news article has garnered.

For people engaged in a search for a $100,000+ job, amped up networking techniques are a requirement to stand out from the crowd. There is a lot of competition for the same jobs and there is nothing like the personal touch to make your name rise to the top of consideration for your next big job.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

You landed a great job and are so busy you can’t count to ten without an interruption. Your new business cards just arrived and you are well pleased with the look of them; they make your new situation seem more real. Important career advice: Remember who helped you.

Did you thank each and every person who had a hand in your job search? You worked hard to create a new network that provided leads and connections, don’t lose it now.

How you handle your thank yous and acknowledgments determines who will continue to be your champion, help in the future, and include you in their own network. Don’t squander a very precious resource by forgetting to acknowledge every single person you touched in your search, even the administrative assistants.

Buy high quality blank note cards and write a hand written note of thanks. Include your new business card and a personal comment of appreciation and delight in your new job. Forget to take this step and your next job search will suffer. No one wants to help an ingrate.

Were there a few people directly responsible for helping you uncover your new job? Did they create a compelling introduction? Open a door you had not considered? Don’t be afraid to acknowledge with a grand gesture. Customary are complimentary lunches all the way up to $500 gift certificates. Some form of acknowledgment is absolutely required for those who were directly responsible for your new job.

As a job search coach I get paid to help people land a new job, yet many of my clients are so thrilled with the assistance, they send me a bonus. One person, more clever than most, knew I was considering an Apple computer and sent a $500 gift card for the Apple store. My buddy Phil is a CEO who often helps people land a job. He is a golf nut and frequently receives gift certificates to golf shops. The more personal the gift, the more impactful.

Don’t under estimate the power of a thank you. People remember them–you. Make them part of your out reach. Keep a stack of blank cards at the ready. People like to be thanked and tend to be even more generous if they know you appreciated their efforts.

Too many people to thank? Just write ten a night. But get them all sent within a month of your start date to get the most bang for your buck. This is not an option. This is an absolute requirement for building your career. Say thank you.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Not everyone has a spotless work history. In fact, most successful executives have probably been fired or eased out of a job or two. Bad references happen. It isn’t the end of the world, though it can feel that way.

If you know someone is going to say something negative, it is advisable to warn those who will contact them. See the blog on steps to take.

Beyond your knowledge of who would give a bad reference are references from people other than those on your list. It is an urban myth that companies don’t offer references beyond dates of employment and title. While that is the rule, savvy employers use their network for informal reference checking.

You have no idea to whom they will speak or what they will discover; typically, those who eliminate you based on those references will not disclose who said what. While you have a right to know what is said formally, it is almost impossible to hold the employer responsible to share those informal references.

Your challenge is to divine what was said. It is less important to discover who said it because you don’t want to confront the individual and worsen your plight. You do want to learn what was said so you can offset any future damage to your job search.

There are two paths towards fixing this. One requires a huge amount of introspection. Be critical about what someone from your past might have said that is serious enough to rule you out of consideration. The other path is to approach the reference checker and appeal to their sense of fairness.

Don’t ask to be reconsidered and don’t become defensive. Simply state: “I am at a loss to figure out what might have been said to take me out of the running in this job. I appreciate you cannot disclose who you talked with, but in order for me to continue my job search and land a job, it would help to know what was said so I can offset the concern for future employers. Will you help?”

Beyond that, you can ignore bad references and hope it doesn’t happen again. If it does, consult with a Job Search Coach. If you are not prepared to take that route and the problem persists, you may want to try consulting for a while to reestablish your credibility.

Another means by which companies vet candidates is the Internet sites you frequent. It is not unlikely that a prospective employer will read your blog, twitter and myspace entries. Be scrupulously judicious in your use of any online forum. What you say is visible to the world, literally. It may not be fair, but it is true. For more discussion on networking sites and references, check out The Riley Group.¼/p>

If you have a problem with bad references, consider targeted job search coaching. Learn more at www.jobsearchdebugged.com.

For Job Search Tools, Click here:

Bookmark It

Hide Sites