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bridgespan ~business success 1\.. ~through people ~ r

Common Bear Trapsfor executives looking for a new job

1. Haven't done so for years (or/Out of practice')

Senior executives frequently interview prospective employees and makehiring decisions but are rarely interviewed.'lnterviewing' and 'beinginterviewed' are not the same skill. Like playing golf, if you don't practiceyour performance will suffer. A subpar performance at interview for the'ideal job' means it goes to someone else.

2. Long service with one companyOften senior execs in transition have spent many successful years with oneemployer. Promotion has come based on success within the culture of thatcompany and the knowledge that the company has of the executive -pretty comfortable compared to looking for a job with a different cornpanylThe outside world is very different, the executive does not realise howdifferent. He / she loses valuable time finding out.

3. Don't know where to look

Recruitment methods have evolved rapidly in the past few years. Socialmedia and internet recruitment sites now play a big part in employers'sourcing of candidates. Many international companies only acceptapplications online - and in their own prescribed format.Traditionalnewspaper recruitment pages carry only a tiny proportion of the availablejobs - they used to carry most of the plum opportunities. Looking in onlythe traditional places misses most opportunities.

4. Don't know how to look

How to approach a search company? What's the difference between searchcompanies and recruitment agencies? Is a direct approach to a companyOK? If so, how to do it? What should a cv cover letter cover? Get it wrongand it's another missed opportunity.

5. Unaware of the selection process

Who are the decision makers? How many interviews will there be? What'sa competency based interview? How do psychometric tests contributeto the selection process? What's a structured interview? What questionsshould I ask and when? Forearmed is forewarned.

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6. Lack of confidence - hurt at loss of previous jobWhen a successful career hits a wall, senior executive's confidence can takea severe wallop - no matter how confident he or she is,they question whythey have had to leave while others are retained. Strength in their old rolemay have come from working in a familiar team. The prospect of re-provingcapability is often daunting. Understanding the core ingredients of pastsuccess rebuilds confidence.

7. Rusty interview skillsResearch shows that a high percentage of interviewers form an opinionof the interviewee within the first 5 minutes of meeting. They spend therest of the interview trying to prove their bias. Also, executives who aresupported by specialist HR functions in the selection process often don'tlook at a candidate's cv until they're told the candidate is in reception.So,the initial impact is crucial to interview success.

8. Believe they're 'special'Executives in transition may have enjoyed a high level of status with theirlast employer and some trappings of their senior role - including peoplegiving their requests priority and providing them with a superior service.Once in transition, the 'special' status drops away. Best to recognise thisat the outset and face the reality - in the shower room there's little todifferentiate us from each other:

9. Feeling vulnerableThe regular salary payment has stopped, mortgage must be paid, foodbought and children (expensive critters!) cater for.This creates an anxietythat adds to the pressure to find a new role. It's worth approaching theproject right - from the start:

10. Their cv is unfocussedA successful career results only from many great achievements. Seniorexecutives often find it difficult to profile their success concisely. Cv'sneed to highlight what's important to the recruiter - it's not a soap operaepisode. The quicker the relevant information can be revealed the better.In the words of MarkTwain:'Sorry for writing such a long letter -I didn't

have time to write a short one: Brevity and focus are good.

11. They make bad use of timeSenior executives get used to the discipline of organised company time.The corporate diary takes over. Much of their working life is structured forthem. A myriad of weekly meetings have allotted slots in the schedule.Budget and strategy processes kick in at appointed times of the year, whilespecial review sessions and other ad hoc requirements of the boss takeup chunks of time. But how should time be managed when there's nocompany diary? What to do at 8.00 a.m. on Monday morning? Is it OK toplay golf once a week - other than on Saturday? And what to do whenat home but 'at the desk'? Finding the next role requires focus, activemanagement and change to the normal work schedule - all without thesupport structures of a company. It's a real 'change' experience:

Contact Bridgespan to learn how we can support you to implement your restructure.

Telephone +353 (0)1 2342684, Email: info@bridgespan.iePembroke House, 28-32, Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2