If you’re stuck in a rut in your executive job search, and not getting much action or traction, maybe it’s time to reconsider your strategy.
Are you spending hours a day on the job boards, blasting your resume out and waiting for response?
If this has been going on for months, it should be sinking in that this isn’t such a good approach.
You probably know that networking with a purpose is critical in job search and for healthy career management.
Keep at it, reaching out to those you know and widening your net to include new faces.
I hope you also know that defining and communicating your personal brand plays an important role in helping you land that executive job.
Consider adding these 5 strategies to your job search and brand communications routine:
1. Set up Google Alerts
Google will help you with your company and industry research.
They’ll send you an email with links to the highest-ranked latest news and information published on the Web relevant to the names and keywords you have chosen as Alerts.
Some Alerts to set up:
- Your name
- Names of your target companies and/or those you want to be informed about
- Names of key decision makers in your target companies
- Job title(s) you’re seeking, i.e., “COO Manufacturing Operations”
- Key word phrases relevant to your niche
- Names of your target companies’ relevant products or services
- Names of subject matter experts in your niche
- Names of any people whose radar you want to get on.
2. Get involved with LinkedIn Groups
Working from your list of hiring decision makers or people of influence at your target companies, look at their LinkedIn profiles and see which Groups they belong to.
If they’re relevant to your niche, join them. At first, just watch. When you get a feel for the Group, jump in by starting your own discussions and commenting on existing discussions.
3. Join Twitter, noodle around and build your executive brand.
Twitter allows you to “listen in” on conversations without having to formally connect with people, as you do on LinkedIn.
If you have 15 to 20 minutes a day, or even every other day, you have enough time to derive value from Twitter. Follow those same hiring decision makers you’re watching on LinkedIn, and look for Twitter accounts of your target companies.
Search relevant hashtags (#) for your niche to find people to follow, company/industry information and job opportunities. For instance, if you’re a CFO, search #CFO, #finance, #money, #business.
4. Write a book review on Amazon.
Choose a book relevant to your own subject matter expertise, and one that might likely be read by the hiring decision makers at your target companies.
The web page with your review will give you a high quality search result when people Google “Your Name”, and it demonstrates your thought leadership and writing ability. Set up a brand-reinforcing Amazon profile, too, so people can read about you and know how to contact you.
5. Write comments on relevant blogs.
Along with building more quality search results for “your name”, blog commenting is a great way to build visibility and credibility for your subject matter expertise, and connect with people who can help you achieve your career goals.
To find the right blogs, Google names of industry experts, relevant keyword phrases, names of your target companies, names of key decision makers at your target companies, etc.
Your Google Alerts should send you links to some of the right blogs to comment on.
Look for industry-leading sites and those being written or read by your target audience.
Related posts:
Today’s Executive Job Search Toolkit
