A company’s senior-level executive is usually promoted from within their company, but there are cases where such professionals are hired instead. These higher-ranking positions are not usually filled through the usual channels, and people who seek these kinds of jobs do indeed require specialized strategies to get hired. Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for a senior-level position at a company.
Firstly, you need to make yourself as visible and presentable to “head hunters” as possible. Headhunters are paid to find people who are qualified for positions that are more highly placed than the kinds of jobs that you would find on your average job board, and they can be difficult to impress if you don’t prepare your image well enough. As such, one of the simplest ways to get on ahead hunter’s radar is to improve your online presence as best you can. Another way to do this would be to learn how to find a head hunter and contact them directly, possibly either through contacts you have made yourself or through a directory of executive search firms. Maintaining a website is a good place to start, and keeping your social media presence up to date as well can only help you. Keep in mind that a head hunter is likely to have observed one or more potential candidates already, so it may not be a bad idea to find other people in a similar situation as you to compare yourself with if you can to give you a better idea of what part of your online presence you might need to improve. Background checks are common for many positions of importance as well, and if you think you might need to discuss something in your past with a headhunter or potential employer it may be prudent to search public records on GoLookUp to help you prepare for such a conversation. It’s always a good idea to see what comes up in your own history.
A resume that is well written and organized will be invaluable as well, no matter what job you are looking for. Resumes for senior-level positions are especially important because they can help you relay your accomplishments to your future employers in a way that is both easy to comprehend and impressive to read about. Even if you don’t know how to write such a resume, taking advantage of resources like a resume writing guide or a professional resume writer can help greatly. Regardless of how you make your resume, it needs to show what you have to offer and why you are the best person for the job.
Once you manage to get your foot in the door and grab your potential employer’s attention, you still need to interview well enough to hold it. Topics that are covered during such interviews often relate to your qualifications, but they may also involve more general subjects as well. While questions that ask about how well your work with others or what your greatest failure is may sound unhelpful, but they are often a part of a tactic used by interviewers to determine characteristics not immediately obvious. Knowing how to conduct yourself during an interview is a skill that can be acquired and honed, so make sure you practice and review how you will conduct yourself even if you already feel confident that you will do well.
If you are looking for a more advanced position within a company, the best thing you can do is make sure people know that you are qualified for the position. Whether you do so through active discussion with potential employers or an online presence, the bottom line is that higher-level positions require a greater monetary investment than lower-level ones and companies that want to fill those positions want to make sure that the money they spend hiring someone from outside of their company will not go to waste.
