| align="center"> | | | | in itself. We would encourage Executives to seek |
| As career experts with over twenty yearsâ | | | | help and invest time and even money to ensure that |
| experience of working with Executives, we can | | | | the principle weapon in their armoury to reactivate |
| identify several reasons why many fail to move their | | | | their career is as well presented as possible. |
| career onwards and upwards. From our experience | | | | Lastly, most CVs are too long winded. The ideal |
| we have identified the following top five reasons | | | | length should be two sides of A4 and perhaps at |
| which conspire to prevent Executives moving their | | | | most three sides for the more mature Executive. |
| careers forwards. | | | | Inertia |
| Lack of a clearly defined and realistic career goal | | | | From our experience there must be thousands of |
| All too often the careers for many Executives are | | | | Executives out in the marketplace who think they |
| managed and developed by events, opportunities or | | | | ought to be moving their career forwards but |
| other people. It is relatively rare that we find an | | | | currently are doing nothing about it. Why is this? |
| Executive who has taken responsibility and managed | | | | It could be laziness or a risk averse approach to |
| his or her career through a clearly defined path. | | | | taking positive steps to move their career forwards. |
| Most Executives respond to external factors such as | | | | Whatever the reason this inertia is preventing many |
| the call from the headhunter, promotion within their | | | | Executives from moving their career onwards and |
| current organisation, or just spotting that plum job in | | | | upwards. |
| the Appointments section of The Sunday Times. | | | | Perhaps it is fear of rejection or a comfort with the |
| Whilst these are activities that can and do happen to | | | | âdevil they knowâ coupled with an |
| all of us, we believe strongly that an Executive should | | | | unwillingness to be rejected. |
| take charge of their career and manage it | | | | Whatever the reason, inertia in not helping most |
| proactively. Specifically, they should have a long term | | | | Executives. Our advice is to take control of your |
| career goal but throughout their career, should be | | | | career and procrastinate no longer. |
| measuring their progress to reach that long term goal. | | | | Limited knowledge of how to market themselves |
| On occasions this may mean moving on from an | | | | In our experience, most Executives when considering |
| organisation to undertake either increased | | | | a career move will alert a handful of headhunters / |
| responsibilities or a slightly adjusted career direction. | | | | recruitment agencies and start paying more attention |
| It is rare to find an Executive who clearly defines | | | | to Executive job advertisements on and off line. |
| their next career move. We believe that Executives | | | | In a recessionary environment when the vast |
| should set realistic and achievable objectives to move | | | | majority of senior appointments are going under the |
| their career forwards. Just like any other business | | | | radar, focusing only on advertisements and agencies |
| related project, the terms of reference, or in this | | | | is not a recipe for success. |
| case, the career goal, should be researched and then | | | | Most Executives do not know how to network |
| defined in writing. Research could be external in terms | | | | effectively. This is understandable since most of |
| of understanding the Executiveâs market | | | | them have never been taught or coached. Most |
| value, but should certainly include a rigorous analysis | | | | Executives do not understand how to exploit the |
| of the individual in terms of their skills, work | | | | invisible job sector and uncover unadvertised jobs. |
| preferences etc. | | | | Again, not surprising if they have not been taught. |
| The outcome of this research should enable the | | | | If you are serious about moving your career |
| Executive to develop a written career goal that is | | | | forwards you need to know how to exploit the |
| attainable and time scheduled. Setting a clearly | | | | invisible job sector. Our Executive Career Coaching |
| defined, written and realistic career goal is the | | | | Workshops provide this knowledge and |
| foundation stone for successful career management. | | | | understanding. |
| A poorly presented CV | | | | Unconscious incompetence |
| Most Executives do not have well presented CVs. | | | | Most Executives are very good at what they do and |
| Whilst grammatical errors are relatively rare, we find | | | | consequently believe that their natural talents, |
| that most Executive CVs contain too much trivial and | | | | expertise and worth will shine through any |
| unimportant information and not enough vital and | | | | recruitment process and lead them to their next |
| relevant information. | | | | career move. |
| Most executive CVs have been written with the | | | | Whilst this may happen on occasions there is a |
| writer in mind and scant attention has been paid to | | | | serious reality check needed by most Executives. |
| what the reader would expect. For example, most | | | | The reality is that the best qualified person does not |
| Executive CVs do not feature a brief summary | | | | always get the job, but the best candidate usually |
| explanation of each company that employed them. | | | | does. This means that talented Executives have to |
| Understanding the size, products and services | | | | become just as well qualified and effective as |
| marketed and key customer segments are | | | | candidates when looking for a career move. In other |
| extremely important to the recruiter. The writer | | | | words, most Executives do not know what it is they |
| simply assumes that everybody knows who ABC | | | | need to know. This unconscious incompetence can |
| Widgets are. | | | | be restrictive but can be addressed, and reasonably |
| Too often Executive CVs tell us more about the | | | | easily. |
| hobbies and interests of the individual rather than | | | | Attending one of our Executive Career Coaching |
| business achievements accomplished in their career | | | | Workshop will equip the Executive with the |
| to-date. Most CVs are lightweight on measurable | | | | necessary knowledge and understanding of how to |
| achievements. | | | | emerge from a recruitment process as the best |
| Writing and presenting your CV is a business project | | | | candidate and secure that top job. |