GET HEADHUNTED ??

We all know it’s a challenging time out there right now and for the leadership teams/C-Suite looking to evolve their career, this means less exciting new opportunities to explore, fewer roles being created and more competition when they do.

I get asked all the time by leaders how they can improve the chances of being headhunted for that great new opportunity. How you can stand out from the crowd, the challenge you face is that most opportunities aren’t advertised on a ‘job board’ or sent to you in a mail – they need to find you. So it's more important than ever to nail your online persona/social media and I would strongly suggest starting with a polish of your LinkedIn bio:

Be relevant.?Ask yourself, “is your current career experience relevant now?” It sounds simplistic, but you’ve got to have ‘nowness’. Even in a traditional role you need to use fresh words and embrace changes to keep sharp and current. Get rid of aging jargon and job titles from the '90's ??

Nail your personal elevator pitch. This is your chance to direct people to your talent and experience. Use this as your online signpost to show who you are and what you’re all about. These are your own personal hashtags. Every career move needs to summarise your successes and achievements within that role with a particular emphasis on the last five years; the things that you delivered, the value added…blow that trumpet! ??

Don’t give your strapline to your current employer.?This should be where you sum up your experience, job title, sector expertise in one line.?YOU are not a job title. Pitch yourself. Be clear and get noticed ??

Embrace that photo opportunity.?It’s amazing to me how many senior executives still haven’t mastered this and haven’t got the right kind of profile pic. And no of course, you aren’t being assessed in your ability to perform a job by your profile photo, but a professional clear picture is much better than a cropped group shot or a miserable looking or dated photo from a recent wedding. Build your professional image ??

To be clear, it doesn’t have to be a corporate shot but it does have to look authentic, head and shoulders shot, camera facing and a good quality image...see above ??

In addition to a profile refresh, you might also consider growing other online channels, writing the odd Medium article. Don't forget other channels, so tweeting and sharing on instagram can help too:?

Leave your digital footprint. Be seen online – comment and participate in groups, articles and status updates, help the algorithms ;-) Look at someone’s profile you want to chat to before you reach out. Engage and be seen regularly. Connect connect connect! ??

Speak up. Think about industry events, speaking opportunities, podcast interviews.?Get out and meet your peers, network to progress, learn and grow. ??

Get recommended. Use your alumni, your contacts to refer and recommend you, I always ask my network 'Who's the best person you have worked with that did x or y' ??

Available Right Now.?In the fast-paced, high growth tech world we live in, everyone needed that new talent or fresh skill set yesterday. Your availability to head straight into your next project is key to highlight and might springboard you to the front of the queue (BUT) please don’t add it to your strapline, just let your network know subtly.???

Fractional/Interim. Clients might not be ready to hire their next Exec right now but could need a ‘short, sharp, shot’ of expertise, so don’t rule yourself out of consulting and interim options, you never know where they might lead.?

….and finally remember ‘whatever we go through, we grow through’ and now is the time to do that.?

Clearly this is just the first step of many so please do reach out if either myself or the team at JD&Co can do anything to help and I hope the above is useful. Good luck and look forward to seeing you 'new and improved' online! ???www.jdand.co