Resolute Recommends: 3 things you should do as a candidate

As some of you know from the market or our own website you’re reading this on, Executive Search is a B2B service – companies call us to find the talent they need. So while the company is the primary customer, the second primary (pun intended) is the candidate.

We meet hundreds of those a year. With time, we Resolute but also we Executive Search consultants, started building organically an alternative line of business dedicated to candidates. They mostly come for interviews while some come for advice on their career. So it’s only ”a natural step” (an expression often heard through the interview grapevine) to write some suggestions for those who have an upcoming interview, or even better, those who are willing to hold the reins of their careers.

We will go a bit beyond the classic tips and tricks on how to design your CV. The internet is full of that, and not necessarily all useful. To get it out of the way just remember to make it short and make it personal. No one wants to read your achievements in high school if you graduated 20 years ago, as well as no one wants to read two identical CVs done with a CV builder. Also, if we would like to read a novel we’d go to the library, not an 8 pager of a CV.

You get the gist. In a nutshell, it’s yours, you should make the effort to write it yourself and be concise – you should know it’s good prep for interviews. 

Now, with the CV left aside, let’s get to the advice. Please note this is not an exhausted list of recommendations. I chose some I believe to be relevant now. Also, I am quite aware the collaboration between us and candidates, is a two way street. If we want to change something, and we do, both parties should work on it and meet halfway. Disclaimers aside, let’s begin.

Stop trying to impress us. This aura of God’s gift to the corporate world that shines upon Executive Search, or any type of Consultancy, is this established belief that we know it all, do it all, control it all. We do know, do & control, but as much as the next leader in our realm. We don’t do magic, although some do want to build a cult around themselves.

So people coming to meet us and give us a well rehearsed speech, will never gonna work. Neither will be when you think we know everything and you know nothing. And thanks to our experience, and also interest in human nature, we kind of see through all that. Is not the way to build a good rapport. I do think building a partnership is essential in our industry. The best conversations we have are those with candidates that are honest, where we decide together if that’s the project for them. The next best ones, are those when candidates become long term partners – you don’t change a job just once in a lifetime.

Start asking for feedback after the discussion. I know i am touching on a sensitive topic i.e. not being called back after an interview. Inside info alert: we sometimes delay this because there is a shortlist dynamic, context changes, job requirements change and so on. Inside info alert 2: yes, we’re human, sometimes we forget.

There is something else - sometimes we too avoid this. I’ve seen situations where people are very feedback resistant, they don’t take no for an answer, believe they were the best for the job and we – us & the client – are just too dumb to see it. We can give a go/ no go after a project, but feedback needs to be asked for, received and internalized.

No matter what happens in a project, believe you me, there is always something to take from it. Use it for future projects, especially for your day to day job. What we usually see in interviews are behaviors shown daily at work. Disclaimer: sometimes there is just not a good match on the job, with that company or that leader. So in those times, the feedback would just be search for a better fit for yourself. The takeaway should not be something like i should change my whole personality to land a job. But then again, this is to be discussed case by case and it entails a kind of work you need to do by yourself, get to know what you like, dislike, able and willing to do & learn and so on.

Always keep an eye open on the market. Disappointment-land where people cling on a project or where that aura of ours is made, is when people get out of the house every other 10 years, even 20 and wait for someone else to do their work, prepare them, land them the job. That’s when they cling to us, because for real they have no idea what is going on on the market, they are not ready for any kind of professional interview, nor a career change. They’re scared and feel not good enough. No one gets out a winner out of this. I even met people blaming the Executive Search consultant 4-5 years into a role, for „putting them in that job”. So far goes accountability of owns life.

So don’t be that. Take responsibility of your career and how you do your work. It seems like a heavy load to do networking, but it opens up your mind not only for new jobs but for fresh perspective on how to perform. Make it a habit to go to events, to meet your counterparts in competition even, meet with company alumni, whatever gets you out of the bubble.

Have your CV ready at all times, don’t just write it the night before meeting us. We get typos and you get to forget mentioning an important project that might be relevant, or even miss your sleep. You should know by now a well rested candidate makes better than a very prepared brain fogged one.

Prepare yourself not to be desperately looking for a job 20 years into your role in the same company. This is not pleasant on any of the sides – being or meeting someone so desperate.  If you rarely have career discussions outside of your company, you’ll feel the need to make our chat more of a jukebox play – get in a 3 minute tune whatever you missed out on in the last 10 years. That’s not the way to do it. Why put yourself in that position, being an adult and mature professional to depend, even cling on, someone else, to find you a job? Always be as much prepared as you can.

Oh, and I think it is worth mentioning, the other extreme is landing a new job and starting the election campaign for the next. Not what I would recommend but to each his own. I’d try to find the golden way of balance – which is not to say perfect – make it a habit to be connected to the market while doing the job you were hired to do. It is part of you building your experience and your reputation.

That’s it. Something to stop, something to start and some to continue. It shouldn’t be this hard, once you understand why you do it for. Not just a career advancement, but better management of a big portion of your life, where you spend over 40 hours/ week.

While you take into consideration all above pieces of advice, know this with certainty: there is always the right role for the right person. Get prepared but let the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. It’s not a wee-woo thing, just tried and tested good old experience.