10 Secrets to Getting Yourself Headhunted

10 Secrets to Getting Yourself Headhunted “Where did you get my name?” If you receive a call from nowhere from a head-hunter, you’ll always ask this question. But you won’t get any real answer â€" from a professional head-hunter at least. They’ll never reveal their sources, or even discuss the job with you on the first phone call. So what’s with all the mystery? Keeping things secret to make you feel specially selected is part of head-hunters tool box of techniques to lure you out from your office to meet them for an informal first coffee or chat. So how do people get headhunted? Is there anything you can do to hit the radar? The good news is, yes indeed. The better news is here are 10 ideas on how. 1. Be visible A former colleague of mine has been head-hunted twice. He made an effort to be visible and social. He’d go to forums, lunchtime seminars or conferences in his industry and simply talk to people. When he wanted to be serious about his job search, he’d target the seminars that recruitment consultants had sponsored. His favourite tactic was to make sure his name, title and organisation were on all of the attendance lists of events. Many head-hunters scan these for contacts. 2. Give out your card freely This same friend also swapped his cards freely at functions. Like any good networker he followed the networking maxim, if you give something out it may come back in a different way. When he received calls from one head-hunter about a role, if he wasn’t interested, he’d try to provide another person’s name. (Some from the cards he’d collected at events). That way he’d made a future ally of someone professionally useful in the long term. 3. Be well a well rounded professional There is more to it than just being out there. Head-hunters will target you if you are well rounded in your career. The head-hunters I know seek people who have developed themselves and contributed to their industry. As starting points they may search the web for people who’ve published, spoken at conferences , perhaps volunteered their professional skills or even set up a blog. 4. Work This one’s cruel I know and particularly unfair if you are out of a job. But I do know for a fact that you are a far more attractive target for a head-hunter if you are working. It’s partly psychological, from a sense that if you’re not working, there’s a reason for it, even though everyone knows good people out of work from time to time. It’s also partly a suspicion that you may be desperate, you’ll take anything. You are therefore not as desirable as someone who wouldn’t. Think of it as a bit like dating! 5. Put yourself online, but be aware of your presence Whatever you put online is in the public domain. Many employers routinely check LinkedIn and the like. They know it’s wrong. They know there’s a legal minefield attached to potential discrimination issues, but they do it. What this means for you is that you need to manage your professional persona even on social networking sites. If you want to be searchable, keep your profile open. But keep it clean and keep it interesting. Also be aware that many of the comments you put on these sites, go further than the sites themselves. Your comments can end up in Google searches, so do a vanity search and keep a regular eye on your profile and what your friends may post. Many of the head-hunters I’ve spoken to say to Google your name and keep Googling. Put yourself in the mind of an employer who is digging for dirt. 6. Say yes If a head-hunter asks you out for coffee say yes, even if you are not really interested. You’ll gather useful information about salaries and information in your industry and you’ll stay on their radar for other likely roles. 7. Don’t get too carried away with all the excitement Again like dating there’s a dynamic here that starts with you being pursued. You feel desirable. You feel flattered. You forget to ask questions. But this is the stage that you should be asking all the questions you need to help you decide on the job. You’re in a secure position in these early stages. You don’t have to move. So you can afford to be a little relaxed. Your part in this chase is actually to be “difficult to move.” You are instantly better at negotiation when you don’t have anything to lose. 8. Remember who’s paying The client is paying the head-hunter to get you across the line. The more professional head-hunter is making sure you’re the right fit and will answer all your questions. But there is still a lot of money at stake for the head-hunter. So that has to cloud any true objectivity. The fees they charge the client are enormous. And even though they may be paid a retainer for the search (which is supposed to eliminate the “sales” aspect), they will receive a hefty success fee at the end. Some of the better head-hunters I’ve had dealings with, suggest you do your own due diligence on the role and the company, separate of what they say. Take notice of this. That’s a warning, directly from them, about them. 9. Act in good faith I know I’ve said be aware of your value in this process. You need to. But don’t be unprofessional. Good head-hunters will start asking questions early about your salary expectations, package content and super. They will keep confirming this along the way. They are trying to present a realistic position to their client. While they are doing this, you should be doing your own research on the role, so you can establish all its worth to you. Once you have agreement on salary and all the perks, unless something dramatically changes in the role, then that’s it. You’ll do yourself no favours if you suddenly up a salary demand at the last minute when an offer is on the table. Many people up the ante when they know that they’re wanted and the last in the race. However you will make the head-hunter look unprofessional to the client and you’ll look manipulative to the employer. If you’re still fortunate enough to be offered the role despite this, you start a role on the wrong note. 10. Know the difference between a head-hunter and a recruitment consultant Professional head-hunters say they’re different from someone who’ll call you at your desk and launch into a conversation. A professional head-hunter will arrange to meet you at a time of your convenience. They will answer all your questions readily and if they don’t know the answer, they’ll quickly find out. You can tell the professionalism of a head-hunter by the quality of the questions they ask you, the closeness of their relationship with their client and that they will always make themselves available to talk through your concerns. They will be discreet, interested in you, establish mutual interest before divulging the name of the client and not just talk to you about the job over the phone And as I said at the start, a professional head-hunter will never tell you how they first found your name. One other reason is this. It could be too bizarre. I once helped a head-hunter source a senior manager for an accounting firm. He was listed on a website as the captain of the company’s touch football team. There was absolutely no way this manager would have agreed to a coffee with the head-hunter, if he knew how he we found his name. Want more? Check out the 7 Secrets to Making Recruiters Find You.

The Secret to Nailing an Interview - Career Geek

The Secret to Nailing an Interview - Career Geek The prospect of a job interview can be nerve  racking. If a person has been out of work for a long period of time, desperation can make the process even more stressful. However, with the right preparation, a prospective employee can ace it. Here are some tips: Dress For Success Interviewees should dress  a bit more conservatively than what passes as the companys normal attire when they go on job interviews. If the workplaces dress is casual, with employees arriving in jeans and t-shirts, the interviewee might wear an Oxford cloth shirt, khaki trousers and perhaps penny loafers, however, they should still be scrupulously clean. In a more corporate institution, the interviewee should wear a dark suit and a nicely pressed shirt. Men should wear a tie and everyone should wear comfortable, polished, sensible shoes. Whatever is worn, the interviewee should get a good night’s sleep, and groom appropriately. Punctuality is also important, individuals should allow themselves twenty minutes above the time they’ve calculated it will take to arrive at the interview. Interviewers assume that if a person is late for the interview, they will be late for the job. Research the Company The prospective employee should research the company they wish to work for with a little less intensity than they would research a doctor to treat them or a contractor to build their home. They might be working for this company for years and it helps to know if it’s a good fit. If it’s allowed, they should visit the company in person. They should view the company’s website and talk to the people who work there. Theyll need to know what the company does or makes, what they expect their employees to do on a daily basis and what kind of people work there. The interviewee should also investigate health and other benefits and salaries, though this should not be brought up first thing during the interview. The prospective employee should write down any polite questions they might wish to ask at the end of the interview. This might impress the interviewer, who will know that the employee did a bit of homework. Rehearse If it’s possible, the interviewee should rehearse the interview  with a friend posing as the interviewer. They should find a list of questions that an interviewer might ask and have the friend ask a few of them. The friend should also throw in some questions that the employee wasn’t expecting, as this will certainly happen during the interview. Manners Manners go beyond dressing well and showing up on time. The interviewees posture should be good but not stiff. They should sit in a way that’s both formal but comfortable, with both feet on the floor. They should keep eye contact with the interviewer and speak in a formal but not flowery way and, of course, avoid profanities. They should avoid complaining about anyone or anything. Their handshake, at the beginning and the end of the interview, should be firm. The “cold fish” handshake should be avoided at all costs. It’s better for a handshake to be a bit too firm than to be flaccid and indifferent. Questions The interviewee will be asked about their weaknesses. This presents a great opportunity for some finesse. An interviewee can confess, “Sometimes I lose track of time because I’m so engrossed in a project and want to see it done well and thoroughly.” Though the interviewer will no doubt have heard something like this before, it will still come across as impressive. The interviewee should also ask questions of the interviewer. They should be few but important. Salary should not be mentioned, at least not during the first one. Thank Them For Their Time At the end of the interview, the interviewee should thank the interviewer for their time as they give them a hearty handshake. Then, they should follow with a thank you note that also mentions some salient points about the interview. This article was written by Magnus Keith on behalf of Kendall College, a college in Chicago which offers an immersive, hands-on approach to learning. Image Credit: U R The Brand   5

Use Personal Branding to Increase Your Sales - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Use Personal Branding to Increase Your Sales - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A few months ago I did an interview with Dan Schawbel and I thought I would share it with you all here. Dan speaks about personal branding and how sales reps can position themselves to succeed it what I call the New Sales Economy. While the interview focuses on sales reps, its important to remember that everyone is selling something and building your personal brand can help you to sell yourself more effectively. Enjoy the interview! Dan, why should sales reps care about building their personal brand and how can it help them create more opportunities? Sales reps should certainly care about building their personal brands because of a few reasons. First, they are brand ambassadors for their companies, which means the experience they have with the customer or potential customer is going to leave a lasting impression for how the customer sees the corporate brand. Second, sales reps are accountable for their success or failure and, as their quota, keeps increasing, their personal brand becomes more important to closing deals. Basically, people want to do business with those they know, like and trust. You need to be that person! What should sales reps be doing to create their personal brand online? Sales reps have incredible opportunities ahead of them online. In my opinion, the biggest opportunity is the creation of online videos to tighten the customer/potential customer and sales rep relationship. If you watch a video of a sales rep talking about who he or she is and what he can provide to you, you can make a quick decision if you want to deal with him or her. That is really powerful because it saves both people time and money. Also, there is a lot of room for sales rep blogs out there. Why not create a blog, much like what youve done here with the New Sales Economy blog, to explore new ideas and congregate an audience of potential buyers? The only cost is your time. I agree that sales reps need to be creating valuable content and make it available to their customers and prospects. What effect do you think social media is going to have on the sales profession over the coming years? Sales will be forced to rely on more attraction based marketing practices instead of cold calling. Also, sales people will be more prepared during the sales cycle because they can track conversations online and freely access customer/potential information. Also, everyone is in sales or should think like a salesperson these days because we all have to sell ourselves,but if youre hired to do sales for a company, then its smart to build a list of people who you can sell to over time. What will happen to the sales reps who don’t see the value in building their personal brand and online presence? They will lose clients to those who keep current, so theyll be forced to learn these new methods. How can Me 2.0 help sales reps get ahead in the New Sales Economy? Me 2.0 will explain to sales reps how to create, communicate and maintain their brand and ensure theyve chosen the right career path with the brand discovery chapter. The language in the book is clear and can be read and digested by someone whose never created a website before. Its a huge competitive advantage to read this book and if youre the 500,000 person to pick it up, youre probably too late. Should sales reps start a blog? How can it help them sell more? Sales reps can start a blog if they put the effort into it, are accountable for what they write and are accepting of criticism. It can help attract new customers and the people who subscribe will purchase your products over and over again. What are your favorite social media sites and how do they help you create more opportunities? My favorite social network now is Twitter. It allows me to connect directly with my audience, while pushing them to all my internet properties, further promoting my brand. Facebook is becoming less and less valuable to me for business and more important for people keeping track of everything Im doing, like family and friends. LinkedIn is really helpful for professional networking and I just established a group on there that has created opportunities for a few hundred people already. Great insight and answers Dan! Make sure you pick up Dans book Me 2.0: Build A Powerful Personal Brand to Achieve Career Success. Why should you read it? There are opportunities waiting to be seized by sales reps that create a powerful personal brand and online presence. Dan Schawbels book will help you get started. Author: Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

These Three Tips Will Help Keep Your Relationship Healthy -

These Three Tips Will Help Keep Your Relationship Healthy - All relationships are subject to an ongoing kind of change, and it is absolutely better to be aware of this than to try and pretend otherwise. If you are keen to make sure that your relationship lasts, you will want to think about how you can make sure of that youre doing the things that will keep your relationship healthy.   As it happens, there are a whole range of things you can consider doing if you want to keep your relationship healthy for as long as possible, and it is absolutely a good idea to be as clear on those as possible. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the things that you should try to focus on if you are keen to keep your relationship healthy for longer.    Communication  The most important quality in any relationship in the world is communication. If you ever get to the point where you feel you cannot communicate with each other, then it is unlikely that you will be able to hope for the brightest possible future. Of course, there are many reasons that communication may break down, and it is vital to make sure that you are aware of as many of those as possible. What is even more important, however, is that you simply work to keep your communication as positive and honest as possible. This is the most important thing of all: that you speak to your partner in a way which is honest and open, and as compassionate as possible. If you can do that, you will find that you have a much healthier future ahead of the both of you.  Outside Help  It’s also important to remember that relationships are not necessarily always insular and island-like. In fact, there will be many occasions on which you need to make sure that you have some kind of outside help, and it’s a good idea to be as aware of these factors as possible. In the worst case scenario, you might even one day require some legal assistance, about which you can learn more here. In the meantime, you might find it useful to sometimes have therapists, either individually or as a couple, or merely to seek out the help and advice of friends and family. If you can both feel free to discuss issues with others, you might find that you can both return to the relationship with a fresh perspective.  Continued Fun  Finally, remember that there is not much point in sharing a life if you do not enjoy yourselves in the process. You should aim to have as much fun as you can along the way, so that you actually enjoy being around each other. This will mean that you are more likely to appreciate each other, and you won’t feel quite as worried about being in each other’s presence. It’s hugely important to make fun a big part of your life, and it’s something you can start doing from today.

Interview Series - Career Experts - Biron Clark from Career Sidekick CareerMetis.com

Interview Series - Career Experts - Biron Clark from Career Sidekick In this interview series, we caught up with Biron Clarkfrom Career Sidekickwho shares her expertise and insights about job search, career change,etc.in today’s marketplace.Tell us a little bit about your company evalCareerSidekickis a job search advice website read by 900,000 people per month.How did youget started? I found my first job as a Recruiter on craigslist, believe it or not. From there, I founded my job search blog, CareerSidekick, shortly after.evalHow did you get started in this path? Is this something you decided early on in your career? This is not something I decided on early in my career. I studied Finance at the University of Massachusetts but couldn’t find a job in Finance. I felt like school hadn’t really prepared me to job hunt.It’s ironic that a couple years later, I was working as a Recruiter and helping other people navigate their job hunt successfully.What is the most exciting part of working in thisindustry? The best part for me is the emails and comm ents I get from job seekers who I’ve helped. It makes my day What is the best Career Advice you’ve ever received?Don’t fear failure.I’ve had some great bosses who have encouraged me to try new things, make mistakes, take on challenges, and not be afraid to fail.That’s some of the best advice, in my opinion. I’d recommend trying to find a boss or manager who encourages this.Failure is how you learn and how you discover what you’re capable of. It’s not something to fear.Sir Richard Branson has a great quote on the topic:“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes â€" then learn how to do it later!”How do to stay abreast of the industry as an expert? I speak with colleagues frequently on the phone or via video chats, I read books and articles, I collaborate with other industry experts to co-author articles quite frequently.I also frequently talk to my readers to ask what they’re struggling with, what’s working best, and what’s not working, so I can make sure the advice I offer is up-to-date and 100% current.What are some of the things that you see job seekers struggle with the most?I see job seekers struggle to understand what employers really look for when deciding who to interview and hire.I also see job seekers putting too much importance on formal education and not realizing that the #1 thing employers want in most cases in direct, real-world experience.eval How should job seekers approach job search today?Networking and applying directly to companies that interest you is what’s working best right now A great boss can serve as a mentor and launch your career forward; a bad boss will frustrate you and maybe even hold you back from growing!What is one advice you would give someone who is switching careers?Look for ways to make your past experience seem as relevant as possible to employers you want to work for next.Find the “overlaps” and highlight them on your resume and in the inter view. That’s how to change careers without having to “start over” or take a big step backward.What is the biggest trend I’ve spoken to hiring managers who review 20 resumes and can’t find one that’s tailored to the job and really shows the relevant skills that the hiring manager is looking for.So as a job seeker, if you focus on sending a couple of really high-quality applications per day to jobs you’re really a great fit for, you should get better results than sending out a high volume of low-quality applications to all sorts of jobs.Biron, what are your currently working on?I’m working on releasing an in-depth job search course with 7+ hours of video.I’m also working on turning my website, CareerSidekick, into far more than just a career advice blog. It should look a lot different one year from now.What are the best resources you recommend to job seekers? LinkedIn Learningis great. It’s an online platform offering 10,000+ courses for a single monthly subscripti on. I’m also a big fan of books because they’re such an affordable way to learn from experts.Many books on Amazon are $5-10 and walk you step-by-step through learning a new skill (like writing your resume, networking to get more interviews, etc.).I recently put together alist of the top job search booksI recommend.What is the best way for our audience to reach you? I’m always open to connecting onLinkedIn.Connect with Biron Clark on Social Media:LinkedInTwitterFacebook PageBiron Clark and Career Sidekick have also been featured in our recent compilation of the most resourceful career experts and career blogs â€" Top Career Advice Websites.

Top Five Mistakes to Avoid in Career Reinvention - Kathy Caprino

Top Five Mistakes to Avoid in Career Reinvention After spending eight years reinventing myself from a corporate VP to an entrepreneur, womens career and life coach, author, speaker and women’s work-life expert, I’ve made a good number of huge mistakes and missteps that have tripped me up, and at times, caused me to hang my head in my hands in despair.   I don’t believe in regret, and I do think that each and every one of these lessons has made me stronger, more expansive, more connected to who I really am, and ultimately more confident in my abilities to direct my life with satisfaction and joy.   Here are what I’ve learned are the top five mistakes to avoid when in career transition and embarking on professional reinvention.   I’ve lived through these mistakes myself, and am stronger for it…but you don’t have to!   Mistake #1: Don’t have a “build it and they will come” mentality without utilizing powerful financial, professional, and business-building tactics and strategies   Don’t make the mistake of confusing wishful thinking with powerful strategies for moving forward.   Certainly, faith and optimism are essential, but so are sound business and professional goals, plans and tactics, developed with deep know-how and expertise (your own or a great consulting partner), fueled by conscious intention and fierce commitment.   Mistake #2: Don’t underestimate how long it will take you to build a successful new career   Leave your ego at the door when you’re evaluating how long full reinvention will take.   Get advice from true experts in the field on the amount of time it will take to launch your new career, and make it very successful.   It’s been said that becoming an expert in a field takes 10 years (I believe that’s true), and creating a self-sustaining small consulting practice often takes at least five years.     Mistake #3: Don’t neglect having a Plan B, and moving to it when it’s time   In my book Breakdown, Breakthrough, I talk about what it takes to reinvent yourself.   Often it requires that you simply refuse to let in (mentally, emotionally, or spiritually) the possibility that you will fail (see Chapter 11 about the amazing comedian Monique Marvez’s journey to hell and back).   If you want something badly enough, most likely you’ll find a way to get it.   However, if you have a family to support, and other critical financial and other obligations that you feel you must fulfill in life, then you need a Plan B that will get you through the tough financial times.   Use Plan B to help you stay afloat while all along moving forward to your career dreams.   Mistake #4 Don’t wait too long to correct your course when you misstep or discover steps on your new path that are wrong for you   Set milestones (I will achieve this by this date, etc.), and review your progress frequently.     If you’re way off course, you need to course-correct.   Also, if where you’re going ends up feeling wrong, don’t keep going in the same direction.   Don’t make yourself “wrong” for how you feel.    Realize a change is necessary, and power up to make that change.   Mistake #5 Don’t forget: A fantastic life takes fantastic risks   There’s an enormous difference between a “job” and a “calling.”   Neither is better or worse â€" it simply depends on what you want for your life, based on your values and priorities.   If it’s a calling you wish to follow, know now that it will require everything you’ve got to give, and then some.   Please don’t expect a fantastic life without understanding that you must risk a great deal to live your life on the cutting edge of experience.   Other lessons I’ve learned through my eight-year reinvention:   There will be times (many, in fact) that you have no idea what to do, and despite all your efforts, you fail at the task at hand If you don’t remain “teachable” at all times, you’ll suffer If you think you’re immune (to anything â€" the economy, challenges in the workplace, problems in building your business to a satisfactory level) you’re wrong When you lose your compassion for others who are challenged in their reinvention or in their efforts to launch themselves successfully, you’ll suddenly experience something that brings you back to humility You’ll need faith, patience, and perseverance in greater supply than you ever thought possible It’s not all up to you Reaching out for help is essential when you’re not where you want to be Being part of a like-minded community that offers support, guidance, and encouragement is a blessing and a good business strategy Career reinventing is a life-long process (not a one-time deal), and once you embark on it, it changes you forever.   It’s a process that leads you to feel so appreciative of all that you are â€" flaws, gifts, strengths, blindspots and all â€" and so excited for each new day that brings you closer to yourself. Reinvention is not for the faint of heart, but oh my…if you’re up for it, what gifts it brings.   Wishing you  a very happy reinvention!  

MyPerfectResume Review

MyPerfectResume ReviewMyPerfectResume.com is the website that I have been searching for the best resume builder. It has some nice features and it looks good, but it's not an offline application that can be used at any time you want.Most of the other resume builder sites that I've looked at are good but not quite as good as MyPerfectResume.com. It is very good online but offline it fails miserably. In fact, MyPerfectResume is the first offline application I've found that is as good as the online ones.If you are looking for a way to build your perfect resume that is, like me, a bit picky, this is it. When you make your resume, it automatically creates each section for you, it includes all of the necessary information. You also get your resume in HTML, which you can use to build your resume anywhere you want, on your home computer, at your office, or anywhere else. This makes it very handy when you have a family emergency and need to get something written.If you do not care to design yo ur own resume and just want it to look pretty, then you can go with one of the templates that are included with the program. Some of them are so beautiful that I think you will fall in love with them all right away.The final touch is it comes with online support. It also includes a two-week money back guarantee, which I believe is a very wise investment. Any resume builder can give you this, but they don't offer the two week guarantee.MyPerfectResume.com has another feature that is a great job search tool. When you have completed your resume, you can search for jobs using keywords that you input into the search box. Thejob boards will show you the sites where people were searching for jobs that are related to what you have submitted.The software itself is very easy to use and provides a lot of good tools for the kind of person that has a resume to put together. What they don't have is the ability to make it look good. I know what I am going to do with mine now, because I have a site where I can create my own resume.The bottom line is this. You should check out MyPerfectResume.com if you want to save yourself some time and have the opportunity to create a great resume.