What sets you apart from others

What sets you apart from others

At a senior level, if you are looking for a change (within or outside of your organization) in my view there are certain key components that would set you apart from others. Would discuss each of these here;

Richness and Relevance of your experience.

What matters is not just years of experience but the richness and the relevance to the position you are considered for. Things like managing multiple locations, having a P&L responsibility, managing key product portfolio, managing in a very challenging environment, having steered your organization through some very difficult situations would count a lot. If you have been with the same organization for long, you should have seen some internal movement across functions/divisions. Further, how relevant has been your latest experience to the role you are being considered is a key advantage. This requires a good understanding of your strengths and the position you are applying for.

People responsibility.

Your ability to manage large teams, people across location and cross-cultural experience would be extremely valuable. How have you managed to communicate seamlessly with them and helped them grow, how did you manage the cultural differences and those who sit miles away. Organizations today are looking for leaders who can work across boundaries.

Why are you looking for a change?

Anyone considering you for a senior role needs to be convinced on what prompts you look for a change. You need to have a very genuine and solid reason. This should also be acceptable to them. For example, if frequent travel is a reason for your need to change, pl do not apply for a position that again needs lot of travel.

Be ready to talk about failures.

Often, we find resumes that are full of accomplishments which seldom talk about failures. Everyone agrees that if you have not made a mistake, you may not have done any work. Hence pl be prepared to talk about your failures as well. Take them through as to what went wrong and what did you learn. More importantly, hold yourself accountable for a failure and don’t attribute reasons like market, product etc. Also, be prepared to talk about your weakness and what are you doing to overcome the weakness.

Your qualities matter more than your qualification.

Qualification is important and what is more important are your qualities like honoring commitments, accountability, continuous learning, respect for people, hunger for success, humility, openness, perseverance and being cheerful. You might have dozens of accomplishments listed and still employers may not prefer if they can’t find these qualities in you. Things like “I know it all”, taking for granted, trivializing, blaming, misrepresentation could adversely affect your reputation.

Networking.

At this level you are expected to have good network with people in similar function/role/industry. Should be part of some professional bodies and actively contribute. Things like publishing relevant articles, being invited as a speaker for conferences/trade shows, going to educational institutions as guest faculty would be very handy. Remember networking is not just about late-night parties.

Good references.

If you have been in the trade for a decade, you should be able to provide reference of leaders who are well known and are respected. Often these references would be known to the interviewer as well. Pl include references from your past organizations.

Health.

Especially if you are above, say 45 years, you might have developed some complications like blood pressure or diabetes. You should manage your health through regular exercise, food habits and yoga. You should come across as a person who is fighting fit and well groomed. Take some time to take care of your health.

All the above might still not guarantee you success but significantly enhances your chances. You would always encounter some reasons that are completely beyond your control. It is prudent to take care of things that are in your control. Best wishes. 

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