Gina Riley | Gina Riley Consulting & creator of Career Velocity, a comprehensive career transition system. Follow me on LinkedIn.
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In my eight years with Talence Group, an executive search and consulting firm, I've witnessed various strategies executives use to stand out in their job searches. I’ve developed a key realization that merely relying on skills and experience listed on a résumé or LinkedIn profile is insufficient to differentiate one executive from another once the interview process begins. These elements are basic prerequisites, the minimum entry ticket into the competitive executive search ecosystem.
The Overestimated Value Of Experience
In the executive job market, having a broad range of skills and experience should be considered table stakes. As I've led executive searches and boardroom discussions, final decision-making seldom focuses on specific industry and functional skills. The real game-changers are a candidate's behaviors and leadership presence, which engender trust and confidence in their capabilities.
This leadership approach is often referred to as executive presence and emotional intelligence (EQ). It encompasses appearance, communication and gravitas and can significantly influence perceptions of you. According to research by the Center for Talent Innovation, it accounts for 26% of what it takes to get promoted into leadership positions. This focus on leadership presence and EQ is crucial, as companies are hyper-aware of the high stakes involved in executive hiring.
Emotional Intelligence: The Key To Executive Presence
The critical factor in final-round executive interviews is EQ. The ability to understand and manage emotions plays a central role in applying technical expertise through behavioral and leadership skills. It's the demonstration of EQ that often cements trust and confidence in decision-makers, transforming a competent candidate into an inspiring leader.
Companies are hyper-aware of the risks associated with bad executive-level hires, emphasizing the importance of selecting leaders who can navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and foster positive, productive environments.
Avoiding Executive Job Search Mistakes
Many executives, misunderstanding the market, quickly move to update and widely distribute their résumés. Rather than solely updating and distributing résumés, a significant portion of an executive's job search should be dedicated to engaging in conversations and leveraging their network.
This approach is more effective in building trust and uncovering hidden opportunities than solely relying on traditional job search methods. Executive candidates have a significant opportunity to develop trust in their capabilities with every touchpoint, from the executive search consultant or lead recruiter all the way to the final decision-makers.
Strategies For Success In The Executive Job Market
Dedicate a substantial portion of your job focus on networking and showcasing more than boilerplate qualifications. Your résumé is just the beginning, serving as an opening to further conversations and opportunities where you can demonstrate your leadership capabilities.
To distinguish yourself from competitors, you must display emotional intelligence during interviews, showcasing to potential employers not just your technical qualifications, but also your role as a proactive leader who actively cultivates a flourishing organizational culture.
Are You Ready To Showcase Your Intangible Differentiators?
Executive-level hiring hinges on intangible factors and qualities that go beyond what you've done. To demonstrate emotional intelligence in interviews you must show how you have applied your experiences such as elevated communication skills, empathy and a sincere investment in team growth while showcasing your grasp of and respect for the interpersonal aspects of leadership.
How Have You Applied Your Expertise?
Congratulations! Your qualifications opened the door, and you are now a finalist for an ideal job. Your baseline technical skills are now almost irrelevant because your competitors will likely have the same skills and experience. What should you prepare to communicate now?
I recommend creating stories you can share in interviews tied directly to the key job responsibilities and outcomes that may be expected of you in the new role. One easy-to-understand leadership model you can use to frame up your approach is by using the adaptive leadership model, which is particularly useful when developing responses about leading during times of change and transition.
Incorporating the adaptive leadership model into your interview preparation can help you craft compelling narratives that highlight your leadership acumen, particularly in navigating change and overcoming challenges. Reflect on your experiences and consider the following questions to develop stories that vividly showcase your leadership capabilities:
• Think of a challenging situation you and your team have faced. How did you gain perspective? Who did you consult, and how did you gather information? How did this inform your course of action?
• What are some of the hard decisions you’ve had to make? Explain how you evaluated the trade-offs.
• How have you helped diffuse people’s natural reaction to stress and navigate a significant change? What is your go-to change management approach?
• How have you kept focus and disciplined attention on what matters? Do you address the elephant in the room? How?
• How have you actively included people and drawn together opinions from those on the fringe of your organization who are not otherwise heard? How did that impact your final decision?
If you are looking to uplevel your approach to answering leadership-level questions, I've developed a summary of the adaptive leadership model and interview preparation guide to help executives plan for them.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, navigating the executive job market demands more than a stellar résumé filled with skills and experience. It requires a strategic showcase of your intangible differentiators, such as emotional intelligence and executive presence. These qualities enable you to build trust and communicate how you lead with empathy and adaptability. Focusing on networking, mastering executive presence nuances and sharing compelling leadership stories can position you not merely as a skilled candidate but as a visionary leader prepared to shape any organization's future.
As you step into your next executive role, remember that your ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and demonstrate adaptive leadership can set you apart. Are you ready to transcend the traditional job search and highlight the unique value you bring to the table?
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