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If you can, spend a week or two preparing
for and planning your search...
- Create a resume or update your old
one (see Tips On How To Structure
An Effective Resume). This should always be your first
step, and even if you're not fully committed to leaving
your current position, as a proactive step it can be a good
exercise in feeling proactive.
- Develop an "exit statement" that clearly
and concisely defines your reasons for leaving (wanting
to leave) your last (current) employer.
- Spend some time assessing things like
location (will you relocate?), company size, companies that
you might like to work for, roles you are qualified for,
your compensation requirements and how you might be willing
to structure a package (e.g. risk versus reward, pay for
performance, etc.). What else is important to you? Write
it down.
- Realistically assess your skills and
competencies. What are your six strongest skills? What differentiates
you from others in the role you will be seeking? How does
your communications and management style fit with the role
you will be seeking?
- Sit down and make a list of everyone
you know. Especially good are contacts with broad reach,
e.g. media contacts, agencies and consultants.
- Call them - let them know what you're
doing and ask them for advice. Ask them who they know at
companies or in industries that you've targeted. Don't expect
a great deal of their time, but don't hang up without getting
the names of at least 2-3 people in their network that are
not already in your own. Then call and repeat. Again and
again. Get e-mail addresses from
each contact, and send them a quick "thank you" with your
complete contact information. Don't send your resume unless
they ask for it. Ask them who they know at companies or
in industries that you've targeted.
- Contact executive recruiters who work
in the "space" that you want to be in. Contrary to popular
belief, there is no disadvantage to contacting several recruiters,
although be sure to ask them about how your information
will be handled (it should only be submitted to companies
with your approval).
- Don't know any recruiters? Call the
HR department of one of your target companies and ask who
they work with. Who knows, you may earn an unplanned interview
(be prepared for it!).
- Don't forget to review the job boards
for your target companies, usually linked to their websites.
Not all positions are always posted on a company's job board,
but companies often post positions that they have not put
out to search.
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