So, you have started to feel like it’s time to search for your next role, but you aren’t quite sure how to go about it?
There is no magic formula for making the move, but there are some steps you really should include when you are looking:
- Know what you are good at and enjoy doing – after all you don’t want to spend the next five years of your career tied to a role doing things you would rather not be doing.
- Take time to do some research – what are the market trends? What sectors are growing? What leaders and organisations have a great reputation that you want to be associated with.
- Review your resume – this is your personal marketing document. You have approximately seven seconds to get the reader’s attention, so make sure it is relevant, has quantifiable achievements and leaves nothing up to the readers imagination. After all, if they can imagine it, they will. A second pair of eyes is always needed!
- Your online presence counts – make sure it matches your resume. A lot of people have discrepancies, and that can really turn prospective employers off, no matter what level your role is.
- Networking is vital for keeping you front of mind – without overtly advertising the fact you are considering a move. In this ever-changing job market, a lot of executive level roles are filled through connections, either directly or via referrals.
- Identify the executive search partners your target organisations use – they may have the ability to introduce you to their clients, even when there isn’t an available role.
- Be targeted and discrete – the scatter gun approach might land you opportunities, but will they be the ones you are looking for? Multiple offers can lead to you having to reject an organisation you worked hard to get a meeting with.
- Be sincere and kind – the old adage that you can’t remake a first impression is true. It can be hard to build rapport if your initial meeting didn’t go to plan. Of course, not all meetings are great, but you may want to follow-up with a thank you and offer a value ad, such as a link to a relevant article or some market insights.
With a bit of planning and effective research you will find what you are looking for!
What other steps have you taken in your search for your next role? If you are an executive in Health and Human Services or working towards a leadership position in these sectors, feel free to contact me or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Sandra has in excess of 25 years recruitment and consulting experience within the Health and Human Services sectors across Australia, and internationally in New Zealand and America. She complements her consulting career with industry experience where she worked in a senior Human Resources Leadership role in a major teaching hospital in Boston. Well known for her consultative approach, Sandra has developed a reputation as a leading industry specialist, having placed a range of CEOs and senior executives across the sectors and facilitated initiatives including talent acquisition, talent management and organisational excellence.
