The Job Search of an Exec: With A Little Help from My Friends?

Dear friends,

For those new to this series, these newsletters focus on my experience looking for a job as an executive.???

In the first episode (click here), I wrote about creating a map of opportunities, the importance of taking action, and using specific tools.

I also mentioned exchanging with over 500 contacts, whether through e-mail, phone, or WhatsApp, and meeting face-to-face with 68 people.

Today, I will build on this and share my views on speaking with personal and business friends, using LinkedIn, and reaching out to headhunters in the job search process. ??

PART 2: WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS?

With social media allowing anyone to become friends with everyone, the definition of friendship has become somewhat looser.

As I reached out to my network when seeking a job, I realised there are different types of friendship, which of course aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.

• Personal friends are the people I spend time with outside of work, for dinner, a drink on the weekends, or to film a TikTok video.
• Business friends are those I’ve met throughout my career and with whom I’ve created a bond that sometimes transcends beyond the workplace.
• Through LinkedIn and connecting with people in the virtual sphere, I was introduced to and met with a variety of people in the real world.

It feels relevant to categorise these relations because my behaviours changed depending on whom I was speaking with (e.g. WhatsApp-ing personal friends on the weekends vs LinkedIn friends during the week).

1) PERSONAL FRIENDS

I was used to seeing them on weekends but, with my schedule being much more flexible than usual, I stepped out of my comfort neighbourhood and discovered London cafés and hotel lobbies.

Several invited me out to lunch for a talk and, even if it was only to lend an ear, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of moral support - whether or not they could help was irrelevant.

From a practical perspective, since my personal friends have careers completely different from mine in other industries, their viewpoints helped me expand my own and see things in a different light.

2) FRIENDS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD?

We don’t have many, and mine weren’t always those expected. Several things happened:

?? Some called out of the blue as soon as they learned the news to offer me work as a consultant. I received five offers in the first month and ten over three months – and these people were truly consistent in their communication.

?? I sometimes questioned the intentions behind several (very few to be fair) calls. Pity? To rub it in?

?? Some ignored my calls: ghosted! This almost resonates with what I’ve heard from younger people comparing job seeking to dating in the modern world (which I don’t understand).

?? Interestingly enough, all were very sympathetic and, with good intentions, took my call and offered their help but, fact of the matter, did not follow up. ?

Over the job search process, here’s how I came to define business friends:

• They regularly reach out and check up on you with a “Hey buddy” ?
• They introduce you to people by using their names and putting their necks on the line
• They advise you on your current process (as usual, consider but don’t abide by every piece of advice) ?

3) LINKEDIN FRIENDS

Because I can’t talk about networking without mentioning LinkedIn!

I am lucky to be a Top Voice on this platform, which has been invaluable in developing a significant network of business relations over the years.

Time to put it to the test!

While I never applied to jobs on LinkedIn per se (well, I did so once 4 years ago and am still hoping for an answer…), I followed several steps to make the most of it:

1. Researched a list of contacts and Top Voices according to industry & region
2. Classified them in order of position & relevance
3. Contacted ten each day, five days a week
4. Updated my Excel tracker document

For reference, tracker document = a spreadsheet serving as a visual tool mapping out all possible leads and divided into key categories

Like with other social media platforms, it can move very quickly on LinkedIn, and a request to connect can rapidly turn into a call or a WhatsApp: don’t be shy to reach out.

A NOTE ON HEADHUNTERS

noun /?hedh?nt?(r)/

a person whose job is to find people with the necessary skills to work for particular companies

During the job search process, I reached out to 15 headhunters and exchanged with 11. I mostly wrote them by email with the intention of scheduling a face-to-face meeting. One-third never replied, one-third responded in writing or with a short call, and one-third spent quality time to see how we could collaborate.?

???However, the more I spoke with them, the more I realised this was a difficult road.

I learned that nothing would happen unless headhunters have a specific mission, at a specific moment in time, for someone with your exact background.

None except for one followed up because indeed the recruitment company had received a job offer that pretty much fit my skillset.

Even here, it was all about personal introductions. The headhunter who followed up had been introduced by a “real” business friend.

Richard Cohen introduced me to a recruiter from a division of Odgers Berndtson . This guy then introduced me to someone else within their structure, who ended up calling me 1-month later.

After hearing of the available position and being immediately drawn to it - and in light of the fact I was also shortlisted for two other positions without middle-men - a whole new challenge presented itself: the interview process (more on this in a future newsletter).????????????????????????

While I’ve categorised my friendships and conversations over the search process, no matter the type of friend, I learned there were some key common behaviours that will help find a new job.

Key takeaways:

1. Whomever you are interacting with, your next job is there. It can come from anywhere. Don’t underestimate any meeting.
2. Therefore, show up prepared. Research everything and anything ??about the person you are meeting with, prepare a tailored list of important questions.?
3. Listen ?? Most people think differently than you do and you will learn something new every time.
4. Never leave without the contact details of two people you will be introduced to (network expansion).
5. Say thank you and keep them informed along the process, all of them. ??

In the next newsletter, I’ll cover in-depth the interview process and the preparation that went into it, with some personal stories.

That’s all folks!

Until next time, have a great week,

ORM