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Know All About Interviewing In The Executive Job Market? Probably NOT!
If you’re interviewing in the executive job market (or planning to) chances are you think you know what executive interviewing is all about. Chances are you really don’t! It shouldn’t come as a surprise that things have changed since the last time you were interviewing. I mean that expectations in the executive job market have changed. Your expectations, for example. If you’re a Gen X or Gen Y junior executive, you want a job that will give you the skills to move on. Chances are within two or three years. In fact, most Gen Xers and Gen Yers will change career directions six or seven times in the course of their employment history. For you, job-hopping is the norm. For older executives, stable growth is the norm. You’re looking for opportunities to advance initially within your current organization. If not, then a deliberate, careful career move may make sense. But as you get closer to retirement this becomes less likely. Everyone has different expectations they’re looking to be fulfilled in the executive job market. But so do employers. Employers’ expectations have changed, too, since the last time you went interviewing. And if you can’t understand and live up to their expectations, you’re out . . . no matter how high-minded your personal motivations are. For example, today’s savvy employers are less interested in what you used to do for someone else as recorded on your resume. They want to know how you can make a contribution going forward. They’re more interested to hear that you’ve taken the time to learn something about them and their organization. And come to the table with a proposal as to how, specifically, you can make a difference. So, interviewing has changed. Of course, there are screening interviews where your resume will be your passport to get in front of HR types to see if you pass muster. You’ll have to jump through all the predictable hoops to see if you’re better than your competition. If the employment gods are smiling on you, you may eventually get to meet face-to-face with the person who could be your next boss. Crunch time. This is where you have to be impressive. And I recommend you focus what you bring to the table going forward rather than a rehash of your work history. Of course, you can avoid this whole traditional executive job market scene completely. You can use non-traditional strategies that bypass all the hoops and competition. You can talk directly to a decision-maker where you engage in a meaningful dialog that allows you to show your stuff without worrying about any competition. Sound right for you? The secret is to have a plan of action that uses 21st Century executive job market techniques. The right track to run on can have you face-to-face with your next boss in a matter of days without all the interviewing hoopla. You can be entertaining a job offer in as little as two weeks. It’s all in the plan!
 
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