We previously discussed how to write the executive resume to prompt recruiters to call you, over a competing candidate. We also reviewed the posture to adopt during the first phone interview with the recruiter. Today, let’s talk about how to conduct yourself in order to make the recruiter’s job easier. That, in turn, makes your job search easier.

Previously in this blog series, we talked about several points that need to be correct on your executive resume, so you’re putting forth what executive recruiters need to see. This is the first step in getting your phone to ring, and getting you job search moving sooner rather than later. Now, let’s talk about what you’re going to do when you pick up and it’s the executive recruiter calling you about interviewing.

Too often, executive level candidates fail to pay sufficient attention to every aspect of the job search. If the resume is excellent, there’s a lack of knowledge about how to get the resume to the right recruiters, in order for them to call you for an interview. If you have an interview, the “close ratio” is low, meaning: not enough of those interviews are turning into 2^nd and 3^rd interviews, then offers. What could totally change these situations around is understanding the truth about what executive recruiters want from you.

What I want you to think is this: geometric, as opposed to this: arithmetic. Arithmetic is only about addition. Geometric is about multiplication. Let’s talk about how to take one simple job search tactic, and multiply those efforts.

When job searching for leadership roles at the $100K+ level, executive recruiters are most definitely one of the avenues you need to take. Industry statistics say recruiters source and fill about two-thirds of these high-ranking positions, such as CEO, CFO, CIO, and CTO, and these are the roles you’ll never see on the online job boards. Therefore, recruiter relationships are vital to the executive job search, and to your overall career management.

Let’s continue our discussion about how to parlay multiple interviews into multiple job offers. We’ve covered the importance of knowing who you’re talking to, researching that person, and bringing up points of commonality. Also in this blog series, I recommended leveraging the confidence you have about your own expertise in your own industry, to relax, massage your mindset, and build rapport. Today let’s go over your interview plan.

Previously we talked about bringing your job search to its glorious conclusion, by parlaying multiple interviews into your choice of offers. Let’s continue discussing strategies to increase the likelihood that you’ll be the candidate who hears, “We’d like to offer you the position.”

Most of the language I hear from executive jobseekers surrounds getting to the interview. It’s widely believed the executive CV is the tool that opens the door to the interview. Relationships with recruiters can also pave the way to the interview. These points are true, but my focus is to not just get you interviewed, but to get you hired. I want that hire to occur for you in 99 days or less.

The primary reason clients come to me is they’re not getting interviews, and they don’t know why. The answer could be multi-faceted: they don't know what interview stage they're in, the difference between what the recruiter wants and what the employer wants, the difference between objective and subjective questions, or any number of other reasons. Today, let’s focus on what it takes to ensure that you make it to the 2^nd and 3^rd interviews.

Do you know the major job boards account for 1-2% of responses to all the resumes posted? That’s one of the primary reasons most professional resume writing services will advise $100K+ executives to not concentrate on the job boards, or possibly not use them at all. However, we’re going to flip the script, and talk about how to get past HR.