As winter pulls us ever closer to the break we sorely need, it’s time to reflect, assess, and think about where you want to be next year.
That fresh start is yours, if you’re only willing to take it and prove you have the qualities an employer may look for. From SPE Resourcing’s perspective as an executive search firm, we have several tips to carry those dreams forward.
Use the spare time this festive season for your future development by doing the following:
Has it been a while since you dusted off your CV? Now’s the time to do it. Look back on your achievements and takeaways, before aligning them with the skills you’ve already listed. Try and find a balance of speaking from the heart and cutting to the chase. Being too ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ (read: emotional and factual) will deter brands that search for both qualities.
For a smart approach, frame your empirical successes in the context of what they gave you – a characteristic that has been nurtured over your career, for example.
It’s a fact of life – the more people you know, the likelier you’ll be to get a prestigious recommendation to a company that’s been waiting for the perfect match.
From the New Year, attend at least one networking event a week. You’ll quickly make a few good contacts, who can then lead to further introductions and spread your name over many professional circles.
Executive headhunters can take many routes to the right candidate. LinkedIn is a prime example, although some recruiters go about it the wrong way, sending the same blanket messages to anyone who vaguely matches a role description.
To attract a better class of attention, be an active LinkedIn user. Post articles. Enter into discussions with industry leaders. Like, comment and share. It could deliver that welcome phone call…
Choose someone who can ask good investigative questions. Professional contacts might be best, but a trusted friend or family member will do. Then run through a simulated interview; make it as tough as possible, with content that covers your work and personal life, as well as your wider ambitions. This will thicken the skin before hitting any real interviews in 2019.
Sometimes, a piece of paper can say more about why you’re special than you could in a 10-minute conversation. Qualifications might not be strictly key to your role, but they’re certainly a benefit – so where can you achieve them? Advanced skills in marketing, IT, HR, business law or intellectual property can place you ahead of the competition.
Meanwhile, read as much as you can – from as many sources as you can find – about your chosen industry. It’s always useful to have a stance on the future of a given sector, or the opinions that surround it.
Together, these steps will set you on a path to greatness. Make 2019 a year in which executive headhunters will be clamouring for your time. Firms like SPE Resourcing keep their ears to the ground for people with such gumption and tenacity. Who knows? We may be in touch…
