1. Whether you are aiming for CEO jobs or lower-level executive positions, it is important to have an up-to-date resume which details specific achievements as well as qualifications, skills, and experience. When applying for an executive-level position it can be helpful to have a qualified career psychologist look at your resume and help you improve it or redo it. A career guidance specialist will also be able to help you set clear job search goals so that you do not waste your time on activities that will not result in what you really want. You will need to establish a minimum salary you are willing to work for. You should also be able to clearly articulate your objectives in working in a particular position.
2. Have someone check your references before you include them in a job application. Job applicants of all types have been seriously hurt by malicious references and applicants for CIO jobs are not immune. Just because an employer or colleague promises to give you a great reference does not necessarily mean they intend to do so. Supervisors have admitted to encouraging workers to put them down as references because they want to be in a position to prevent them from getting another job. This is not necessarily because of work performance; it can be the result of personal issues. You need to be confident of what your referees will say about you, and the only way to be truly sure is to ask a friend to call them as a potential employer.
3. Have clear career goals before you go job hunting. Be proactive rather than reactive. We all need money, but earning more money should not be your only concern when looking for an executive position. The stability of the company and the potential for the position to result in promotion or in the acquisition of skills and experience you can take to a higher position elsewhere should be an important consideration, along with the workplace culture. If you know where you are heading and what you want to achieve in your life, you will be better able to identify the sorts of jobs and the types of companies which will support your goals.
4. Network while you are still employed and share your goals with others. A lot, if not most, executive jobs are not even advertised. They are offered to people as a result of word-of-mouth recommendations. It pays to get to know the people you work with and do business with and to build positive relationships with them. You never know whose goodwill could lead to an excellent job offer.
5. Help others reach their goals and others will help you reach yours. Be willing to mentor others in the organization. Do not be afraid to praise and give credit where it is due. People move on and up from their current positions but they do not forget people they can trust and who have been generous to them. A good reputation within your industry and among colleagues will increase the number of high-paying employment opportunities available to you.
6. Build relationships with recruitment companies in your present job; they may help you get the next one. If you hold a management position in your current organization then you probably have contact with at least one recruitment agency and possibly a few. It is helpful to be farsighted when dealing with recruitment specialists. You may require their services to hire staff now, but consider that in the future you may need them to find work for you. It can be helpful to build friendly relationships with them, perhaps over lunches to discuss your current projects. Not all the lunch needs to be focused on business; by discussing your mutual employment and companies, you open the way to let them know you would be interested in superior job offers.
7. Take advantage of automatic email updates from job websites. You can specify the sort of position you are interested in hearing about and have opportunities come straight to your inbox. Even when you are not actively looking for another job, this information can keep you current on what is available and the salaries that are being offered. You will also get advance warning if you need to obtain new skills to be competitive.
8. Create friendly relationships with executives of client and supplier companies; these can result in job offers. Most of us have heard the expression “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” When it comes to looking for executive employment this is particularly true. It is no wonder so many top executives spend so much time in restaurants and on the golf course. They are cementing friendships that will result in business deals or offers of employment. It only makes sense to follow their example. Why change what works?
9. Keep an eye on job advertisements in newspapers and professional journals. Also regularly browse online job sites. Executive jobs are regularly advertised in the traditional print media. Even CFO jobs are surprisingly still advertised in this way, although CEOs are commonly headhunted or romanced by interested organizations.
10. Research the companies you are applying for so that you can answer questions that show your interest. Increasingly, organizations are looking for employees who show a genuine interest in working for them (as opposed to another company). It is important to be able to discuss what you know of the company’s products, markets, and achievements and to be able to explain what you like about the company.
If you implement these strategies, you will give yourself a competitive edge in obtaining a top-level position. You will also create a work and social environment that will enhance your quality of life now. In fact, you may enjoy your work so much that you will not want to take up a new job after all!