7 Secrets Prospective Employers Want You To Know But Won't Tell You

Looking for an executive level position in this market can be a stressful experience. Good news is, you don't have to waste time or settle for default jobs when you "strategically anticipate what employers are looking for", according to Alex Koss - executive career strategist. With a proper game plan, you can be ahead of most job seekers. Here are 7 critical things employers want you to know: 1.DON'T BE ORDINARY. The quickest way to eliminate yourself from the competition is to be like everyone else. Candidates who get hired are those who can demonstrate distinctive abilities and how they can solve employers' problems. Being experienced is good; being 'uniquely knowledgeable' is better. Employers always prefer to hire someone who is hard to find. 2. NEVER, EVER USE A "BORING" RESUME. Want your resume to be ignored? Do what everybody else is doing - copy other people's formats. To get your resume noticed, you need to have a strategic marketing presentation, not a dry job description. Forget most of what you've read about resumes. If yours puts employers to sleep, it doesn't matter that you have "20 years of experience". It's how you present yourself that counts. Aim to be different, not canned. 3. ACT LIKE A HANDS-ON ENTREPRENEUR. Hiring a new employee is always a risk. However hiring an individual with a sincere attitude of "your business is my business" is much more palatable for companies. Give employers practical incentives that will help them minimize their risk and maximize return on investment. This will not only tell them that you are serious, but will enable you to get more job offers to choose from. 4. TURN DISADVANTAGES INTO ADVANTAGES. Over 50 and looking for a job? Gaps in your career history? Didn't get along with your last boss? Any disadvantage can be promoted as a learning experience and/or an asset. Really. If you think about it, personal growth is about solving problems not being comfortable. In any situation ask yourself - what's useful in this situation? The answer (the HONEST answer, not a quick "nothing") may surprise you. 5. HAVE FUN WITH YOUR CAREER BLUNDERS. Employers don't need to hear long stories about the "dog company" you worked for (or you are currently working for!). If some of your previous jobs are an embarrassment, describe them with a sense of humor. Alex comments: "a recent client who worked just 8 months for a major company that laid him off, described this obvious career disaster as 'the only job where wearing a brown polyester suit was a requirement'". 6. SHOW THAT YOU ARE HUNGRY FOR LEARNING. As you've probably discovered, formal education is now not enough. When you can show that you are eager to attend industry events (especially on your own time and even at your own expense), your value goes up exponentially. Your desire to learn in a non-traditional sense is a bonus to any worthwhile employer. 7. ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT. Don't assume employers know why you are interviewing with them. Asking for the job is a surefire way to indicate that you are willing to take the next step. Asking can be as simple as saying "I am very interested in this opportunity" and as impressive as sending a follow-up thank you note, re-emphasizing what you can do for a prospective employer. Copyright (c) http://www.ABCExecutiveResumes.com