Senior Executive Jobs

Senior Executive Jobs 

Most executives at some point in their career want their Executive CV to include senior executive jobs.

The problem in gaining such positions is that not only are they not advertised, but also that the method of gaining senior executive jobs is not like any other recruitment process you will have been through in your career up to that point.

Why a Senior Executive Job?

Most executives want senior executive jobs, but like many recruiters, I have also noted that many executives once they have gained that desired senior executive position and held it for a period, then wish to give something back to either society in general - normally via an appointment in the charity sector; or by helping junior executives and start-up companies.

However, the most telling initial question I have found, is why do you desire a senior executive job? Many at this point will have a well worked elevator pitch, which talks of natural progression and wishing to stretch oneself to see how far one can go. Honestly, the job application process for senior executives jobs are not about stress testing to the point of personal destruction!

The real motivation behind the question is seeking clarity on what you would personally gain. Natural progression is a secondary personal gain over the three primary personal drivers: money, power or position/title. If you put yourself forward for a senior executive job, expect the questions from the recruiter and employer to get a lot closer and personal than you have ever experienced

Executive Search Firms

Executive Recruitment and particularly for senior executive jobs is normally undertaken via an Executive Search Firm.

Executive headhunters take a clear and defined brief they have worked for with their client. This does not lead on defining the historic person specification, but the business results that the placed candidate will need to deliver. Secondly they want someone who will fit in with team, in the defined cultural way of that company, by adding a combination of: approach, attitude, knowledge, contacts and application.

Executive Recruitment

In Executive Recruitment, you are selling your ability to achieve a required business result. Your success is strategically defined by two criteria:

• Your ability to either be found by or be introduced to the board

• Your mental ability to accept the difference in recruitment approach, and hence research, define and sell (yourself) as the solution to the defined business problem

Hence, success in gaining senior executive jobs means that you need to be known and found by both your network - both personal and online; and with the right message or brand for that brief. The most successful way of achieving consistency in this message - a key issue in Executive Recruitment - is to have a defined Elevator Pitch.

Executive Search

There are three ways that you will find an executive job:

• Approached by a Head hunter

• Approached through or via your own networking

• Direct application

The first two methods are about having the right reputation and results. The third is about knowing the business solution you can bring to that researched organisation, in which you have developed a network insider.

There is a fourth is indirect application, covering:

• Responses to job boards

• Through the employers website

No senior executive jobs in the commercial sector will be found or gained via this fourth method. The only senior executive jobs found via job boards will be those in the government or charity sector, where under European Union fair employment rules, it is compulsory to openly advertise such positions for reasons of fair and open competition.

If you see what appears to be an executive job advertised on a jobs board, your only conclusion is that it is not a senior executive job, and to move on.

Executive Headhunters

Once approached by an executive headhunter or member of a board, be prepared to undertake two exercises quickly.

The first is that as most senior executive jobs are undertaken in secrecy, you will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. Much as though you could have a lawyer read it for you, accept that not many changes will be allowed, and hence aim to seek clarity of undertaking so that should you not be successful, they also are as careful with your information as they expect you to be with theirs.

Secondly, be prepared to undertake a lot of research quickly on the organisation. The selection format and interviews for executive jobs will vary from company to company and head hunter to executive search firm. But, the only consistency will be that you be you, engage with the board members who meet you, and to prove your ability to deliver. Both the former and particularly the later are improved and confirmed by your ability to research the organisation without reliance on their briefings, and see beyond the facts to show the potential the organisation could reach with you on board.