How long will it take to find your next job? Does that old rule of “1 month for every $10K in salary” still apply? In a near-recession, is hiring slowing down?
Quite frankly, I don’t know. What I do know is that three of my senior-executive clients have recently landed new positions in 2 months or less. Here’s the timeline and story for each:
- Client A: Became aware a local company was looking for a COO. Called the CEO directly (they knew each other) and was referred to the recruiter handling the search. Had a good conversation with the recruiter; put together a resume that clearly communicated relevant skills and high value. Went through 2-month selection process before being offered and accepting the position.
- Client B: CFO wanted to move back to a specific area of the US from Europe. On a networking visit, had a cup of coffee with a recruiter whose firm was conducting a search for which – coincidentally! – the top 2 candidates had recently bowed out. Recognizing a possible fit, in 3 days the recruiter was able to schedule for my client 2 meetings with the company’s senior executives. Three weeks later, back in Europe, the offer came through.
- Client C: Boss/mentor took a new job and told IT executive to expect a call! Put together first resume in 10 years, and the first that focused on executive/business achievements rather than technical activities. Within a few weeks, got the call, started the dialogue, and received the job offer.
So what does this mean for you? First, don’t buy into any gloom-and-doom stories about how hard it is to find a job. Understand that top talent is always in demand, and be sure you are communicating your value in your career marketing documents.
Next, target your search and use your network to get an “in.” (Remember, this approach is 70X more likely to result in a hire than any other source at America’s top companies!)
Finally, remember that an “average time” is just that. Every 2-month transition must be balanced by a 22-month search to reach an “average” of 12 months. There’s no reason you can’t be at the lower end of the scale.