When searching through candidates, executive recruiters typically ask three main questions about each candidate:
Can you do the job? This is all about your strengths, skills and experience
Will you love the job? This is all about your motivation and work ethic.
Can we tolerate working with you? This is all about how you will fit with the employees and employers already at the company.
You need to keep these in mind as you are working with the recruiter. Everything you think, do, and say when with the recruiter should be an attempt to answer those questions. You should mention your strengths and skills often, but not to the point that it becomes annoying or obnoxious. You should express how love and enjoyment of the field of work you are applying for and you should be fun, charismatic, and easy to be around. Expressing your skills and your love of the field is an easy enough thing to do, but it will not get you the job. No matter how qualified you are the recruiter will not want to bring you to the employers as an option if you are someone they find difficult to work with. This is why the third question is the one you need to focus on when preparing to meet a recruiter. Make sure to smile and try not be too uptight. I know that you are going to be nervous, but don’t let the recruiter know that. Let them think you are professional, but also laid back and easy to be around. Confident, even if you have to fake it. Show them that you can get the job done, but you can also be the kind of person they want to have lunch with because they enjoy your company. If you can do that, then you will impress the recruiter and will have a step above the other candidates, which will hopefully lead to you getting the job.
It can seem overwhelming to distribute your resume and get your name out there, but it doesn’t have to be.If you can slow down, think things through, and be confident in your search and distribution, then it will be much easier. Here are some things you should remember and be aware of when choosing where and how to distribute your resume.
Send your resume to more than one place: You will have a better chance at actually getting a job if you have your eggs in more than one basket.
Don’t give your resume to places you wouldn’t commute to: This seems like common sense, but it is something you should keep in mind the whole time you are distributing your resume. If you are not willing to commute daily to a company, then don’t bother wasting your time or theirs by giving them your resume.
Follow up: After spending hours giving your resume to dozens of companies, you want to be able to know what is happening and if your hard work is paying off. But be careful not to become annoying. Follow up after a week or two and be very polite and to the point.
Don’t become discouraged: Know right now that it will take a lot of time for you to get called in for an interview or get the job. You cannot let the long amount of time discourage you from distributing and re-distributing. You need to keep going and you will eventually get the job that you are looking for.
If you want to highlight your best career achievements concisely, a professional biography is the perfect tool. Your bio’s goal is to give potential employers an overview of your career achievements while presenting a window into your personality. This means that you should keep your bio up to date so that it reflects the most recent you.
To create a great professional biography, just follow these easy steps:
Write in the third person. Instead of using the “I” word, use your full name on the first usage, then you can use only your first name after that. If you want your biography to be more formal, use your last name instead (e.g. “Mr. Martin”). Or, you can just use wording like, “Bill began his career taking on roles of …”
Highlight your most impressive professional achievements, and provide examples. This should include any awards you have won, key promotions, and other major achievements. If appropriate, mention client names, which will make your biography more credible. Be specific in presenting numerical data.
Define a personal brand. Differentiate yourself from other candidates by showcasing your unique professional and personal attributes. List publications for which you have written, articles authored, presentations you have given, speaking engagements, classes you have taught, seminars, and other achievements you are proud of. Be sure to include educational achievements. community service activities and organizational memberships may also be included.
Don’t forget to include contact information. Make it easy for your contacts to reach you. Make your contact information visible and easy to find. If it helps, include a small professional photo.
