Career Focus 2011: Are You Really Ready for Your Career Search and Interviews?

Get your game on!


This year brings unexpected and new challenges to career paths. It also brings new opportunities. Success is not a spectator sport, people! It requires careful planning and execution, especially in today’s economy. There are tons of Career Boards that enumerate relevant information on Resume Writing and Job Search Strategies. But what industry professionals know is that there is a distinct difference between reading this valuable information and actually executing on it, appropriately and confidently.

Career Documents are critical and should be reviewed by professionals, not your colleagues, even if they do have great writing skills. They are not industry professional resume writers. At your level, you can't afford not to make the investment to have your resume professionally written.

Interview prep is even more critical. Conducting mock interviews with a coach proves to be an invaluable exercise. Having your coach focus in on your responses and build your career story, provides a venue to gain the clarity required to build an effective personal value proposition.

Are you really prepared for your career search or upcoming interviews?

• How are you planning your Job Search?
• Is your resume aligned to each position you apply for?
• Have people who are educated in resume writing preparing your career documents? Or have the colleagues who you feel have good writing skills helped you prepare your value proposition?
• Have you practiced your interviewing skills with a Coach? Or are you practicing on a friend who is not at all skilled with Interviewing?

Given my position as a search consultant, I get hundreds of resumes and interview tons of very accomplished leadership and sales candidates. Some have not been on the job market for some time. This is reflected in the way they tell their stories. Some have been at the same position for 5 - 10 year. Many have never had to compete for a position, as they were able to leveraging their own network.
The game has changed, folks! Now, candidates even have to compete within their own network. You need to raise your own bar and practice translating your business expertise and accomplishments. Trust me. I have seen some of the most accomplished individuals poorly deliver the strategic value they have brought to their organizations.

In today’s job market candidates must be prepared like a politician! Career documents, value proposition, and interviewing prowess must be ready to execute at all times. Reading career tips is simply not enough. You must practice with a coach. Often, after I interview candidates for a specific position, I provide honest feedback. Candidate's then realize how they missed the mark! While they didn't advance to the next step in the interview process, they had the foresight to take a few interview coaching sessions with me. They changed their approach, reconstructed their resumes, and better positioned their business accomplishments for the interview.
Don’t practice on a recruiter, my friend! And don’t wing it on the interview!

Call me to schedule coaching sessions that will help you:
• Identify Your Career Goals
• Plan a Strategy for your 2011 Career Search
• Execute Interview Strategies through Role Play
• Achieve Focus, Self-Confidence, & Fulfillment

Donna Valente
President Career Strategist
Leadership Placement International
Phone 610.449.5653 http://www.lpifirm.com/