Why an Executive Job Search Takes More Than a Google (or LinkedIn) Search

With technology seemingly taking over the world, it’s no surprise that many people go to the Internet for their executive job search. Regardless of how many years you’ve been in the workforce, you are one of the millions of people turning to Google, LinkedIn, or Indeed.com to search for your next job. While these tools aren’t bad per se, remember that they are just tools. There is still some (old-school) heavy lifting you need to do on your own to land your next executive position.  

Did you know that 85%+ of open positions are never advertised, especially positions at the upper-management and C-suite levels? Yes, that means only 15% of jobs are actually posted to job boards!

Do you see why you need more than a Google search to find your next executive-level position? Here are some tips to help land your next C-suite position.  

No, You Can’t Just Apply Online, But You Can Use The Internet to Target the Companies You Want to Work With

First of all, remember the statistic above – the numbers don’t lie. More than three-fourths of jobs are not even found online – and that number increases when looking above the director level. So, while you may find some luck applying for jobs online, having that be your main source of your executive job search is bound to leave you disappointed. 

So, what can you do instead? Research online and network. There is no harm in using the Internet to research the company you’re looking to work for. Called ‘Company Targeting,’ this job search secret is a great way to find the other 85% of available jobs. While it is more time consuming than hitting ‘apply now’ on LinkedIn, it is well worth the time investment. 

Senior executives find that company targeting works upwards of 80% of the time, which is a much higher stat than being one of a thousand applying for the same role online. How is company targeting so successful? Good old networking. 

Yes, Networking Is Still a Thing and Yes, It Still Works 

Now that all introverts have all cringed, it’s important to remember what networking actually is and why it’s so successful. Targeting companies you want to work with begins with finding people you’re connected with who are connected with that company. And LinkedIn isn’t the only networking tool – in-person networking works also. 

It’s not about who you know, but about who the people you know know. Do you know the CEO of a company? Guess what? That CEO most likely knows other CEOs who may be looking for the skills you possess. You see, networking is not only about meeting as many people as possible, but strategically building relationships with influencers in such a way that they will vouch for you when needed. It’s building a track record with your network so they trust you and will recommend you to their peers.

Do you see how that could be more successful than applying to a position online? Yes, it’s more time consuming and involved, but 80%+ is a much better odd than 15%.

Use the Internet to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry

LinkedIn is a great way to network and target companies you want to work with, but it’s also a great way to showcase yourself as a thought leader within your industry. As a senior executive, you’ve risen to the top and through that trajectory, you’ve become a leader with your own unique viewpoint of your company, industry, and the business world as a whole. Why not share that with the world? 

With Linkedin’s publishing tool, you don’t even need your own blog. You can establish your credibility, show off your track record, and build an audience all within LinkedIn’s built-in tools. By drawing from your own experience, you have a huge opportunity to use the power of LinkedIn to your advantage and show your larger network what you have to offer. 

As much as I’d like to say your next executive-level position is just a single click away, unfortunately, that’s not likely. But with strategy, networking, and a little bit of time investment, you’ll soon be able to discover a whole world of open opportunities around you.  

If you’re looking at your LinkedIn profile and realize it’s not quite at the executive level you’d like it to be, I’d love to chat to see how my executive LinkedIn profile writing services can help you. To see what I have to offer, book a free 30-minutes consultation at rvp.youcanbook.me.