Job Hunting? Avoid that Job Title (Unless It’s a Really Good One)

The prospective client I met yesterday had a great set of skills, and an accomplished career.

CEO

The problem? Their type of job – and many of the ones like it – were going away as the industry contracted.

If you hang your hat on your job title, there’s not much left to hold on to when that type of job goes away, either due to technological change (think data entry specialists) or an industry consolidates and you’re trying to move to another sector where your skills are transferable..… Read the rest

Are the End of Year Holidays Good for Job Hunting?

Nothing Like the Holidays

It’s the end of the year, and common wisdom says that people have packed up shop and that it’s a lousy week for job hunting.

Maybe.

But as John Greathouse notes on his blog, “Conventional wisdom isn’t.”

The next two weeks will be a time when people’s schedules – if they’re not in company shutdown mode – will be unpacked, thoughts will be directed to things apart from work, and folks will be relaxed.… Read the rest

[Your Career] Hiring Time?

There is  seasonality –  cyclic variations based on the time of year or season – to any number of things. Just as it helps to know that back-to-school hits in July/August (so you avoid ending up with the dregs of what’s left for your kids), it advantages you to know the times of year when firms are hiring, and times when they’re likely not.… Read the rest

[CFO Job Hunters Version] What Do Employers Really Want?

One mystery for more senior job hunters is the  question of “What do employers really want?” in terms of backgrounds, skill sets and experience.

Thanks to one executive search person you can get one good answer – particularly if you’re looking fill a Chief Financial Officer role.

Karen Quint of Spencer Stuart addressed the San Francisco chapter of Financial Executives International,  the preeminent association for CFOs and other senior finance executives last month.Read the rest

Can You Trust the Recruiter?

The voice at the other end of the voicemail sounded sincere and the message they left earlier about the possible job sounds great. But is too good to be true just that: too good to be true?

And can you trust the recruiter who left the message?

The short answer is “maybe”. And here’s more.

I spend my work life coaching people and teams to up their performance game, and one of ways to enhance performance is to improve the ability anticipate what’s coming down the pike.Read the rest