30 May 11 How To Bulletproof Your Career
In the not-too-distant past, ascending the corporate ladder assured management professionals of a bigger office, a stronger compensation package and a more secure future. But today, executives are being told: Dont get too comfortable in that corner office, and dont buy that fancy new car or boat youve always dreamed of because your job is just as vulnerable as everyone elses. Evidence suggests that the higher up the ladder you go, the more precarious your position may become! The attitude toward executives and the roles they play within companies have drastically changed in recent years. Ive seen executives who have been with the same company for 20 or more years. Theyve worked their way up the corporate ladder and felt that they had proven their value then they were unceremoniously dismissed from their positions as if they had just been hired as an entry-level worker. As a Career Consultant, its my job to re-instill the clients confidence, identify his or her strengths, and re-package that individual for the current job market. But, to navigate effectively through the career transition process and ultimately make your career bulletproof, you must first be informed about whats really going on in the work-world. I see several important trends taking place with regard to executive-level job stability and security, including:
TODAYS CHALLENGING EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Job Market Trend 1:
More and more positions, even at senior levels, are now being offered on a contract or temporary basis. The position, in these cases, lasts only as long as is needed to fulfill the employers contract with their client. This requires job seekers to think differently more like an independent consultant who works on assignment rather than as a permanent employee. In many business sectors and industries, it could be said that the permanent, full-time job no longer exists as we knew it. This trend also puts the responsibility on the part of the executive to consistently promote and market himself or herself for the next opportunity and the one after that!
Job Market Trend 2:
Companies are still very cautious and careful about making any hiring decisions of high-paying, senior management positions. Executives seeking such jobs must now sell themselves more than in the past. They need to demonstrate just how they will enhance the companys productivity, efficiency and profitability or they probably wont get the offer. This means that the job seeker really needs to learn how to effectively present and market himself or herself. Just having the right job titles on ones rsum, or having the appropriate technical skills for the job, are no longer enough.
Job Market Trend 3:
Executives are receiving smaller career transition programs than ever before from the large outplacement firms and many displaced professionals are getting no career transition programs at all. This means that greater numbers of executives are seeking-out help from smaller, more personal career consulting firms and career support groups.
STRATEGIES TO BULLETPROOF YOUR CAREER
Although the transition programs mentioned above do offer important career management techniques, let me share with you the most important activities you should always be doing to overcome the challenges outlined above, and bulletproof your career for the future:
1. Keep all your success documents up to date
2. Put time aside every week for active networking
3. Join and take leadership roles in appropriate associations
4. Write articles or do presentations in your area of expertise
5. Continue your career education, including new credentials
6. Research and be aware of the competition
7. Offer to help people in your network on a regular basis
8. Look at new jobs and investigate other opportunities
9. Always ask yourself, How can I contribute more?
10. Practice your networking, interviewing and negotiating skills
If you want your career to be truly bulletproof, youll need to educate yourself on topics you probably thought youd never have to worry about again like self-marketing, networking, interviewing and negotiating. To master these skills, many management professionals are also discovering helpful online resources and free audio seminars.
And heres the GOOD NEWS: If you seek-out the right support and leverage vital resources like those mentioned above, you may actually be thankful for the experience of going through transition ultimately finding a career or landing a job that will be a much better fit than those youve previously had.
Tags: Attitude, Business Sectors, Career Consultant, Career Transition, Compensation Package, Confidence, Corporate Ladder, Employment Trends, Evidence Suggests That, Executive Job, Executive Level, Full Time Job, Independent Consultant, Job Market, Job Seekers, Level Job, Management Professionals, Market Trend, New Car, Regard
04 Feb 10 Executive Search For Busy People
What does executive search mean? On what caliber should a person be considered capable of executive level responsibility? Some worthy skills to be capable of are time management, people skills, creativity, budgeting, conflict management, and organization.
When selecting possible employees and managers, the head of a company will search for varying levels of executive responsibilities in an individual. However, the test of good character can be easily determined by the stress content in a given situation. Although every hiring person will be looking for an able minded and bodied person to do the job, it is how the executive manages himself and his time that will determine if his quality of life will exceed his initial foot in the door.
Time management, for example, is simply deciding how to spend the precious hours of the day. Priority and logic are necessary for expediency, which is an excellent and desirable trait to have as an employee.
People skills are another excellent quality to earn more executive power. That skill will help him deal with customers and employees while running a business.
Creativity is producing an innovative solution by exploration to satisfy an existing condition by original means. This quality is absolutely necessary in business because the field is always changing and evolving to fit the demands of everyday life and the market. An executive must be prepared to change with the business environment and make alterations to his corporation to fit changing needs.
Budgeting is the disciplined allocations of funds necessary to keep the company and its employees afloat on the tides of the economy. Any executive needs to understand the relevance of a budget and be able to stick with it and modify it according to business needs.
Conflict management is being able to settle the dispute of two or more parties in a way that satisfies both parties.
And lastly, organization is the handling of business papers, files, records, and personnel effectively and in such a way that is organized. It may be that certain information should not be allowed into the hands of lower level employees, and with the reservation and orientation of paperwork, the structure of the inner handling of a corporation are kept secure.
For your executive search needs, be sure to allow for a period of testing, because as you learn the measure of a person, you may better see to what degree they are indeed qualified for the position.
Tags: Allocations, Alterations, Business Creativity, Business Environment, Business Papers, Caliber, Conflict Management, Desirable Trait, Everyday Life, Executive Level, Executive Power, Executive Responsibilities, Executive Search, Expediency, Good Character, Innovative Solution, Precious Hours, Running A Business, Tides, Time Management
27 Dec 09 How To Bulletproof Your Career
In the not-too-distant past, ascending the corporate ladder assured management professionals of a bigger office, a stronger compensation package and a more secure future. But today, executives are being told: Dont get too comfortable in that corner office, and dont buy that fancy new car or boat youve always dreamed of because your job is just as vulnerable as everyone elses. Evidence suggests that the higher up the ladder you go, the more precarious your position may become! The attitude toward executives and the roles they play within companies have drastically changed in recent years. Ive seen executives who have been with the same company for 20 or more years. Theyve worked their way up the corporate ladder and felt that they had proven their value then they were unceremoniously dismissed from their positions as if they had just been hired as an entry-level worker. As a Career Consultant, its my job to re-instill the clients confidence, identify his or her strengths, and re-package that individual for the current job market. But, to navigate effectively through the career transition process and ultimately make your career bulletproof, you must first be informed about whats really going on in the work-world. I see several important trends taking place with regard to executive-level job stability and security, including:
TODAYS CHALLENGING EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Job Market Trend 1:
More and more positions, even at senior levels, are now being offered on a contract or temporary basis. The position, in these cases, lasts only as long as is needed to fulfill the employers contract with their client. This requires job seekers to think differently more like an independent consultant who works on assignment rather than as a permanent employee. In many business sectors and industries, it could be said that the permanent, full-time job no longer exists as we knew it. This trend also puts the responsibility on the part of the executive to consistently promote and market himself or herself for the next opportunity and the one after that!
Job Market Trend 2:
Companies are still very cautious and careful about making any hiring decisions of high-paying, senior management positions. Executives seeking such jobs must now sell themselves more than in the past. They need to demonstrate just how they will enhance the companys productivity, efficiency and profitability or they probably wont get the offer. This means that the job seeker really needs to learn how to effectively present and market himself or herself. Just having the right job titles on ones rsum, or having the appropriate technical skills for the job, are no longer enough.
Job Market Trend 3:
Executives are receiving smaller career transition programs than ever before from the large outplacement firms and many displaced professionals are getting no career transition programs at all. This means that greater numbers of executives are seeking-out help from smaller, more personal career consulting firms and career support groups.
STRATEGIES TO BULLETPROOF YOUR CAREER
Although the transition programs mentioned above do offer important career management techniques, let me share with you the most important activities you should always be doing to overcome the challenges outlined above, and bulletproof your career for the future:
1. Keep all your success documents up to date
2. Put time aside every week for active networking
3. Join and take leadership roles in appropriate associations
4. Write articles or do presentations in your area of expertise
5. Continue your career education, including new credentials
6. Research and be aware of the competition
7. Offer to help people in your network on a regular basis
8. Look at new jobs and investigate other opportunities
9. Always ask yourself, How can I contribute more?
10. Practice your networking, interviewing and negotiating skills
If you want your career to be truly bulletproof, youll need to educate yourself on topics you probably thought youd never have to worry about again like self-marketing, networking, interviewing and negotiating. To master these skills, many management professionals are also discovering helpful online resources and free audio seminars.
And heres the GOOD NEWS: If you seek-out the right support and leverage vital resources like those mentioned above, you may actually be thankful for the experience of going through transition ultimately finding a career or landing a job that will be a much better fit than those youve previously had.
Tags: Attitude, Business Sectors, Career Consultant, Career Transition, Compensation Package, Confidence, Corporate Ladder, Employment Trends, Evidence Suggests That, Executive Job, Executive Level, Full Time Job, Independent Consultant, Job Market, Job Seekers, Level Job, Management Professionals, Market Trend, New Car, Regard
18 Apr 09 Executive Search For Busy People
What does executive search mean? On what caliber should a person be considered capable of executive level responsibility? Some worthy skills to be capable of are time management, people skills, creativity, budgeting, conflict management, and organization.
When selecting possible employees and managers, the head of a company will search for varying levels of executive responsibilities in an individual. However, the test of good character can be easily determined by the stress content in a given situation. Although every hiring person will be looking for an able minded and bodied person to do the job, it is how the executive manages himself and his time that will determine if his quality of life will exceed his initial foot in the door.
Time management, for example, is simply deciding how to spend the precious hours of the day. Priority and logic are necessary for expediency, which is an excellent and desirable trait to have as an employee.
People skills are another excellent quality to earn more executive power. That skill will help him deal with customers and employees while running a business.
Creativity is producing an innovative solution by exploration to satisfy an existing condition by original means. This quality is absolutely necessary in business because the field is always changing and evolving to fit the demands of everyday life and the market. An executive must be prepared to change with the business environment and make alterations to his corporation to fit changing needs.
Budgeting is the disciplined allocations of funds necessary to keep the company and its employees afloat on the tides of the economy. Any executive needs to understand the relevance of a budget and be able to stick with it and modify it according to business needs.
Conflict management is being able to settle the dispute of two or more parties in a way that satisfies both parties.
And lastly, organization is the handling of business papers, files, records, and personnel effectively and in such a way that is organized. It may be that certain information should not be allowed into the hands of lower level employees, and with the reservation and orientation of paperwork, the structure of the inner handling of a corporation are kept secure.
For your executive search needs, be sure to allow for a period of testing, because as you learn the measure of a person, you may better see to what degree they are indeed qualified for the position.
Tags: Allocations, Alterations, Business Creativity, Business Environment, Business Papers, Caliber, Conflict Management, Desirable Trait, Everyday Life, Executive Level, Executive Power, Executive Responsibilities, Executive Search, Expediency, Good Character, Innovative Solution, Precious Hours, Running A Business, Tides, Time Management
