In my experience, I have found that having these specific character traits is the difference between getting a job in a few weeks vs. a few months.
If you have room to improve in any of these first 5 areas, work to develop those areas to be more successful in your executive job search.
1. Clarity-Driven
It’s important that you are extremely clear about who you are and what you want to do. Knowing what job you’d like and what level you’re qualified for will lead you to a specific job title. Being clear about your goals is the first step to achieving them.
If you’re unclear about what you’re looking for or you’re unsure of a job title, try taking some online career tests or talking to a career coach.
2. Competent
In this case, your competence refers to being competent at all the pieces of the job search process. You need to have the skills it takes to do a job search successfully in order to find a six figure position. Since there isn’t necessarily an abundance of six figure positions out there, you need to master the steps in the job searching process.
How competent are you with effectively expanding your network? Are you competent with selling yourself into a face-to-face interview? In my opinion, your level of competence is the most important quality required to have an effective job search.
Increase your competency in several ways, such as reading books or industry-related blogs.
3. Confident
Those that get the jobs the fastest are very confident in their skills and abilities and what they can do for a company. Confidence is important in your abilities and in yourself. Your level of confidence shows in an interview or any other form of communication with an employer and you want it to be oozing out of you. (However, you certainly don’t want to cross the line between a level of self assurance and being obnoxious.)
These first 3 characteristics go hand in hand simply because confidence comes as a result of clarity and competence.
Being clarity-driven and competent will help you understand your value.
4. Creative
Job seekers that come up with creative ways to search for jobs and get themselves known to employers will set themselves apart. For example, looking for companies you want to work for and contacting them proactively about a position you’ve created for yourself. Being creative includes not limiting yourself to posted jobs.
Do research about how other people have been creative in their job search and incorporate some of those strategies.
5. Collaborative
Searching for a six figure position is not an easy task. Sometimes a job search takes a village. Keep in mind that you’re not only in competition with those already making six figures, but also everyone who wants to make six figures going forward. Being collaborative means asking for help.
Adjust your approach based on what you see other successful job seekers have done.
For any questions or for more information about improving your executive job search, contact me directly at (816)600-2478.
Warm Regards,
Tammy Kabell
