The following is an excerpt from BlueSteps' webinar Navigating the Executive Search Process. If you are a BlueSteps member, access your full recording here. If you are interested in becoming a BlueSteps to access our webinar archive, along with other career management solutions, learn more here.

The following is an excerpt from BlueSteps' webinar Navigating the Executive Search Process. If you are a BlueSteps member, access your full recording here. If you are interested in becoming a BlueSteps to access our webinar archive, along with other career management solutions, learn more here.

Kathy Simmons, Director, BlueSteps Executive Career Services:  John, can you talk a little bit about how executive search fits into a candidate's overall executive career strategy?

Conducted quarterly, the Duke CFO Global Business Outlook report surveyed more than 500 global CFOs about their predictions surrounding economic growth and global business conditions.

Responses presented a rise of pessimism about the US economy with 55% of CFOs indicating they are less optimistic compared to 40% last quarter. 12% of respondents said they were more optimistic.

Executives can more effectively position themselves for new opportunities, and dramatically decrease time spent in-transition by ensuring that their three vital career documents are fully optimized and up-to-date. Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles and cover letters form the cornerstone of any job search or career progression, so time should be invested in them to ensure your results are maximized.
 

Mentoring! If one were to do the equivalent of a keyword search for the number of pop-ups of this word in conversations, and if advertisers were to get into the fray, one could literally put one’s money where one’s mouth is!!

As a resume specialist, I certainly understand that it would be great to wake up thrilled at the prospect of going to work every day. However, for the majority this is simply not a reality – and that’s OK.

On the flip side, it’s NOT OK to wake up every day and dread going to work.

For many, if the pros of the role outweigh the cons, then the role is likely a decent fit – for now. But, these cons might be signs that it’s time for a new career.

Can you recession-proof your career? The ubiquitous advice always boils down to doing whatever it takes to keep your job. You are admonished to work harder, curry the boss’s favor, or take a class to build skills. With a focus on survival rather than success, recession-proofing doesn’t apply at the executive level.

A lot of people are afraid of public speaking. If you ask a psychologist, they would attribute it to a fear of oneself, not of the audience! When queried recently on the topic, I introspected, glanced through my documents and came up with the list below:

If you’ve ever tried to loosen a flathead screw with a Phillips screwdriver, you know how frustrating and difficult it can be to get the result you’re after. The Phillips is simply not made for the job you want it to do. The same goes for trying to empty a swimming pool by scooping out a bucketful of water at a time. Using the wrong tool for the job can fall anywhere between impossible and unnecessarily hard.
 
What does this have to do with executive resumes or CVs? To start with, if you’re thinking that a one-size-fits-all approach to your resume will serve you well in all cases, you’re on the wrong track. In some situations, a specially developed resume—or even no resume at all—might be the right tool for the job.