EXECUTIVE SEARCH

HIGH STANDARDS

It isn’t easy when you are looking for your next job with such high standards within executive search. The corporate world is full of picky executives. Polished, powerful and poised your pitch must be perfect.

A STRONG PERSONAL BRAND

You will need to have a strong personal brand to find your sweet spot on the A-List. The executive candidate market is crowded and full of competitors. Your personal brand and differentiator must be known. Be bold.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

Don’t rely on your talent alone, have the right attitude. Be positive and upbeat. Even some of the most talented C level executives have a hard time finding work. Be Charismatic.

SELF DEVELOPMENT

Today employers want innovators and life long learners. Be curious and willing to learn. Believe in self-development. Be sharp.

CHEMISTRY AND COLLABORATION

Getting the role is part chemistry and collaboration. Some authors argue that smiling is quite valuable in making a good first impression. See Dale Carnegie, How to win friends and influence people (New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1981, p63). According to Dale Carnegie, Charles Schwab told him his captivating smile has been worth a million dollars.  Smile more. 

FOLLOWSHIP

Jeff Bezzo’s doesn’t need  followship, but you do. Being admired and having a desired social status is very sought after. Be active on several social media platforms. Get followers.

FINANCIAL RISK

Business is business. At the end of the day, it’s all about the bottom line. Have strong business acumen and know your numbers.  Also know your unique value.

A-LISTERS ARE IN DEMAND

When it comes to hiring executives the A Players are in demand as they have been known to be more productive than the B Players.  The obsession for the perfect A-Lister is real. Step up your game plan.

THE A-LISTER PROFILE

The A-listers are stars who are in a league of their own. They are leaders with talent in spades, serious business acumen and a strong digital presence and followship. They are typically on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Some are blogging, doing Ted talks, podcasts, and building personal videos and websites.  Invest in your personal brand. Network often.

BE SELF AWARE

The A-Lister’s have high EQ. It has been suggested that leaders with high EQ have ties to performance. Daniel Goleman reveals in his paper “What makes a leader?” that a high degree of emotional intelligence with these five components of emotional intelligence at work, self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill is what makes a leader (Goleman, 1998, p. 88).  Know your EQ score.

BE YOURSELF

During an interview showcase your personality. From the many eras and authors of  leadership discourse from Plato, Shakespeare, Darwin  to Freud many of us have been obsessed with leadership and what makes a leader effective. In Malcom Higgs paper, “How can we make sense of leadership in the 21st century?” he demonstrates leadership discourses with a historic perspective (Higgs 275). There are many driving factors facing the corporate world today for leaders, whether it is new entries to the marketplace, changes in investor focus, major transformation, talent wars or corporate culture some suggest that the personality of the leader plays a big part in the leaders effectiveness.  Have a sense of humour and be pleasant to be around. Be authentic.

“Make a big statement, slip into style”

INVEST IN A HIGH QUALITY WARDROBE

A-Listers love high quality fashion brands like Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Chanel and  LV. Get a personal stylist and know what to buy. Look successful. Be stylish and stand out.

INSPIRATIONAL A-LISTERS – SPACE ENTREPRENEURS

Take some initiative to get noticed, don’t rely on your past experience alone. If you need some inspiration, follow the big A-Lister space entrepreneurs like Elon Musk with Space X, Richard Branson with Virgin Galactic to Jeff Bezzo with Blue Origin.  Now that’s high standards.

BE IN DEMAND. 

 

Carnegie, Dale How to win friends and influence people. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc. , 1981, p.63

Goleman, Daniel. “What makes a leader?”, 1998 Harvard Business Review, 1998, p. 88

Higgs, Malcom.  “How can we make sense of leadership in the 21st century.”  Leadership & Organizational Development Journal

24/5 (2003): 273-284


 

Kim White

Kim White is the Founder of EliteMinds Executive Search Inc. EliteMinds is an agency created to disrupt. Since 1994, clients turn to EM for executive search, career transition and personal branding services. Exclusive, targeted and truly one of a kind, EM continues to be the choice for leaders who are in a league of their own.

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