One of the core beliefs in the United States is that if you work hard and do a good job, you will get ahead. Putting aside the obvious error of this belief for those hindered by racism, sexism, religious bigotry, homophobia and age-ism, most people grow to learn that this core value does not always ring true.
Putting your nose to the grindstone and working hard is appreciated and valued to a degree, but I’ve found that the person who gets ahead, isn’t always the smartest or doesn’t work the hardest … although those are two terrific qualities to have. People get ahead by being alert to opportunity. Sometimes those are internal to an organization. More often than not, they are external.
“But I don’t have time or interest in always looking for a job. I’m busy doing my current job and then I go home and want to spend time with my family and just have some fun.”
Would you be interested if I told you that job offers could arrive at your door with only a little periodic effort on your part? What if I told you that getting these jobs would probably be easier and pay you more because the people contacting you will have heard of you and see you as an expert?
No, I don’t expect you to be sending out a weekly press releases to media professionals but it has become a lot easier to brand and market yourself so that opportunities come to you.
You can do executive job search marketing and executive job search branding using any or all of these simple techniques.
- Executive job search marketing requires that you stay in contact with former colleagues. Talk about life, the universe and everything. You aren’t asking them for anything (although it is OK to ask for an opinion about something). You are maintaining contact. An old friend of mine would mail a note to all of her friends to bring them up-to-date on the things that were going on in her life, her professional successes, accomplishments and, occasionally, the frustrations.
- Make an investment in helping people . . . but don’t keep score
- Share interesting things you read
- Blog about your experience and successes. Get your experience on to the web where others can find it.
- Become a speaker on a subject. Conferences are held all over the world that focus on different things – technology, accounting principles, web design, a million things. Join an organization that you are interested in, get involved and become a speaker. While you are at it, have someone record the video for Facebook Live and then put the same video on YouTube (if you can right click a mouse and know how to upload a file, you can take the same video and put it on YouTube. Think you’re too busy? Invest the time now so that you don’t wind up having too much time on your hands.
- Write a book or record an audio on a subject. Sell it on your website or through traditional channels. As Nick Corcodillos said to me at the time my first one came out, “A book is your new business card.”
- Become a guest on “the podcast circuit.” Podcasters can be approached about appearing on shows. Start with small shows and work your way up to major shows or (GASP) your own show.
- Reach out to interesting people on LinkedIn and other social media. Engage with them. Ask questions. Offer help. Don’t be a troll and expect instead response and behavior that you would not give a stranger. Until a relationship exists, you are little more than a stranger and possibly STRANGE to them. Patience.
- Stop being institutionalized. Buried in the movie, “The Shawshank Redemption” is the notion that if you
are compliant and obedient to the system, eventually it will kill you. The character, Brooks, hangs himself. The “hustler character,” Red (Morgan Freeman), is on the same path when he is out of prison. Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) plays the system, pretends to be a part of it and is quietly working to help himself escape. This is about planning your escape to whatever paradise you want and have people be reaching out to find you in order to help you.
We all know that becoming an overnight success takes years. Don’t think that this will yield an immediate harvest.
I can, however, assure you that you can become an overnight success, too.
These techniques also work with people who are not in the C suite and aspire to get there.
© The Big Game Hunter, Inc. Asheville, NC 2017
If you liked this article, read “Job Hunting and The 10,000 Rule.”
coaching, as well as executive job search coaching and business life coaching. He is the host of “Job Search Radio” and “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” both available through iTunes and Stitcher.Are you interested in executive job search coaching, leadership coaching or life coaching from me? Email me at JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us and put the word, “Coaching” in the subject line.
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