The Executive Job Search: A Comprehensive Handbook for Seasoned Professionals : A Comprehensive Handbook for Seasoned Professionals

The indispensable guide for executives in search of a soft landing The groups hardest hit by the most recent wave of downsizings have been upper and middle management. People with 10 or more years on the job, much or all of it spent at one company, are particularly unprepared for the rigors of today's job market. The Executive Job Search shows these professionals how to take charge of their searches and land the jobs of their dreams. Career expert Orrin Wood shows job seekers how to: Determine their job goals so they can conduct a highly focused search Improve their attractiveness to potential employers Optimize their interviewing skills Mine the contacts they've built up over the years for an effective networking campaign Explore alternative career options and plan for the future Readers will also find a gold mine of checklists, and sample forms and documents, including sample resumes, cover letters, interview scripts, and more.

Don't sell yourself short—get the job that suits your goals

If you're a seasoned executive who's been hit hard by the recent wave of downsizing, you need to prepare yourself effectively for the rigors of the job market. The Executive Job Search is an indispensable guide to taking charge of your job search in today's competitive environment. Career expert Orrin Wood offers proven strategies and insights for experienced professionals on all aspects of the search—from getting off to the right start and preparing a top-flight resume to improving selling skills and evaluating offers. You'll discover how to present yourself in the best possible light while you brush up on blind prospecting, approach recruiters, and get the most out of the Internet. Wood also provides you with a gold mine of checklists and techniques designed to help you make better use of your time, hone your decision-making skills, and ultimately land an offer that's in line with your needs and interests at this crucial stage of your career.

• Determine your job goals and conduct a highly focused search
• Improve your attractiveness to potential employers
• Optimize your interviewing skills
• Mine your contacts for an aggressive, effective networking campaign
• Explore alternative career options and plan for the future

Orrin Wood runs a successful, Boston-based outplacement firm. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School and founder of the Harvard Business School Association of Boston job counseling workshop.

Annotation The indispensable guide for executives in search of a soft landing The groups hardest hit by the most recent wave of downsizings have been upper and middle management. People with 10 or more years on the job, much or all of it spent at one company, are particularly unprepared for the rigors of today's job market. The Executive Job Searchshows these professionals how to take charge of their searches and land the jobs of their dreams. Career expert Orrin Wood shows job seekers how to: Determine their job goals so they can conduct a highly focused search Improve their attractiveness to potential employers Optimize their interviewing skills Mine the contacts they've built up over the years for an effective networking campaign Explore alternative career options and plan for the future Readers will also find a gold mine of checklists, and sample forms and documents, including sample resumes, cover letters, interview scripts, and more Team DDU The Executive Job Search 1 Cover 1 CONTENTS 8 Preface 12 Acknowledgments 14 1. GETTING PERSPECTIVE 18 2. GETING OFF TO A GOOD START 30 3. DETERMININGYOUR JOB GOALS 38 4.THE JOB SEARCH FROM THE EMPLOYER'S SIDEOF THE DESK 62 5. IMPROVINGYOUR ATTRACTIVENESS TO EMPLOYERS 72 6.MAKINGYOUR RESUME AN EFFECTIVE TOOL 84 7. NETWORKING 104 8. BLIND PROSPECTING 128 9.THE VISIBLE MARKET 138 10. "JOB HUNTING IS SELLINGYOURSELF" 148 11. PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS 159 12. IMPROVINGYOUR INTERVIEW EFFECTIVENESS 166 13. CONDUCTING AN EFFECTIVE SEARCH 180 14. EVALUATING OFFERS AND MAKING THE FINAL DECISION 200 15. SHOULDYOU MAKEA JOB CHANGE? (IFYOU HAVEA CHOICE) • 195 213 16.ALTERNATIVE CAREERS 228 17.MAKING THE NEW JOB ANDYOUR FUTUREA SUCCESS 246 Send in for Additional Tips 258 Index 260 Team DDU 1 Annotation The groups hardest hit by the most recent wave of downsizings have been upper and middle management. People with 10 or more years on the job, much or all of it spent at one company, are particularly unprepared for the rigors of today's job market. The Executive Job Search shows these professionals how to take charge of their searches and land the job of their dreams This is an indispensable guide for executives in search of a soft landing. The groups hardest hit by the most recent wave of downsizings have been upper and middle management. People with 10 or more years on the job, much or all of it spent at one company