Making Strategic Career Moves: A Focused Approach to Job Searching in 2025

As January marks a fresh start, it’s the perfect time to embrace a focused, strategic approach to your job search that aligns with your goals and ambitions. A targeted job search not only increases your chances of landing the right role but also ensures that your next career move aligns with your personal and professional goals. Here is our Premier framework to help you define and execute a focused job search in the New Year:?

Define Your Biggest Achievements and Natural Strengths?

Start by reflecting on your career highlights. What are your biggest accomplishments? Identify the work you’re naturally good at and enjoy doing. These strengths will help you leverage your expertise into roles where you can excel and add value. Highlight these achievements on your resume and use them as talking points in interviews to showcase your unique contributions.?

Identify Growth Areas?

Assess your skill set with a future-focused perspective and identify opportunities for growth. What new challenges are you eager to take on?? Seek roles that not only enhance your expertise but also propel you to the next milestone in your career. Employers value candidates who demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.?

Leverage Lessons from Experience?

Reflect on the key lessons you’ve gained throughout your professional journey. What pivotal challenges have you overcome, and how have they influenced your leadership approach? Equally important, identify the elements you wish to avoid in your next role, whether it’s misaligned values, inadequate support systems or limited opportunities for advancement. Recognizing these factors will empower you to make more strategic and informed decisions as you move forward.??

Define Your Criteria?

Think about the key factors that contribute to your professional satisfaction. Consider the following:?

• Culture: What type of company culture allows you to thrive??

• Leadership: What qualities do you value in leaders and colleagues??

• Growth Stage: Consider the company’s maturity, whether it’s a fast-growing startup, a turnaround scenario or an established legacy brand. Each stage offers different resources, structures and operational pace.??

• Environment: Do you thrive in a company with established policies, team structures, management practices and technology? Or do you prefer to be involved in creating and refining these aspects??

Outline Compensation and Benefits Must-Haves?

Be clear about your expectations for salary, benefits, work schedule and other essentials. Knowing your non-negotiables will help you evaluate opportunities and avoid wasting time on roles that don’t meet your needs.?

Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter?

Positioning yourself as a top-tier candidate requires precision and strategy:?

Showcase Strategic Skills: Highlight the core competencies and achievements that directly align with the executive roles you’re pursuing.?

Speak the Language: Integrate key phrases and terminology from the job description to position yourself as an ideal fit, aligning your experience with the role's requirements.??

Quantify Leadership Impact: Focus on measurable outcomes and leadership successes to illustrate the tangible value you bring to an organization.?

Optimize with Jobscan:? Jobscan is a powerful tool that helps professionals optimize their resumes for applicant tracking systems (ATS). By analyzing job descriptions and suggesting key terms, Jobscan improves your resume’s chances of passing automated screenings and catching the attention of hiring managers.?

?For more Premier tips, download our Beauty Industry Resume Makeover Guide.?

Leverage Your Network?

Networking remains one of the most effective job search strategies:?

Engage with Professionals: Reach out to beauty industry recruiters on LinkedIn and build lasting relationships to stay informed about emerging roles, industry trends and new opportunities.??

Join Communities: Participate in online forums or groups in the beauty industry to expand your network and stay informed about hidden job opportunities.?

Research Companies and Roles?

Conduct an in-depth analysis to identify companies and roles that align with your professional aspirations:?

Target Companies: Curate a shortlist of organizations that match your career objectives. Engage with their leadership content on LinkedIn, subscribe to updates and maintain visibility on their career opportunities.?

Understand the Culture: Evaluate the company’s values, mission and leadership philosophy to ensure a cultural alignment with your own professional ethos and goals.?

Stay Informed: Utilize specialized industry resources, executive job boards and strategic newsletters to remain informed about emerging opportunities and market trends.?

Tune into Our New Podcast: Beauty Talent Talk?

To dive deeper into making strategic career moves, don’t miss Episode 2 of our new podcast, Beauty Talent Talk.?

In this episode, Executive Recruiter Debbie Johnson and Executive Career Coach Angela Bennett share their insights on how to navigate today’s job market with intention and strategy. From defining your non-negotiables to positioning yourself for long-term success, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways for beauty industry professionals.?

?Watch the episode HERE ?

By taking a deliberate and strategic approach to your job search in 2025, you can ensure that your next role not only aligns with your skills and goals but also propels you toward long-term success. Define your criteria, focus your efforts, and leverage your network to maximize your opportunities. This January, make every step count as you work toward your next professional milestone.?