3 Critical Elements of an Executive Job Search

19.09.2011
More than a few worker bees figure top executives simply sail from one six-figure job to the next, whisked along by suave executive recruiters who coach them on and help them negotiate . Right.

Executive-level IT job searches aren't nearly that easy.

For most IT executives, the job search is a lonely slog. It's an endless cycle of searching for openings on sites like TheLadders and ExecuNet, updating and submitting résumés, executive recruiters, and pumping their networks for leads. In such a dispiriting process, it's easy to lose sight of what career coach Ross Macpherson calls the three fundamental elements of an executive job search: the résumé, the LinkedIn profile and the professional bio.

"These are the three must-haves," says Macpherson, president of . "They make up the foundation for your job search."

An IT executive's résumé, LinkedIn profile and professional bio also represent the core building blocks of his or her , adds Macpherson. They communicate an executive's singular value and differentiate an executive from his or her competition.

"You're not competing with the unqualified and unwashed," says Macpherson. "You're competing against the best. Your résumé, bio and LinkedIn profile have to position you to be the best."