Stand Out in the Talent Game: Elevating Your Presence with Executive Recruiters was originally published on Ivy Exec.
If you’re interested in getting hired into the C-suite, you’ll want to connect with an executive recruiter.
With over 5,000 executive recruiting firms in the United States, these professionals are often the link between job candidates and companies looking to fill senior positions.
If you impress an executive recruiter, you may have tapped into the connection you need to find one of the 70 percent of jobs that aren’t posted on job sites. Not to mention the 80 percent of positions that candidates land because of their personal connections.
So, how can you get noticed by an executive recruiter?
Here’s our best advice.
☑ Update Your LinkedIn Profile To Reflect Your Personal Brand
One of the most commonly used platforms by executive recruiters? LinkedIn. But how can you stand out from the crowd?
Here are a few ideas:
- Update your profile photo to one that is modern and follows the conventions in your field (i.e., a head-and-shoulders portrait vs. a close-up).
- Add a headline that pops. Use your 120 characters for more than just an overview of your job description. Instead, consider adding your mission statement or a quirky revelation that differentiates you – and makes you seem like a real person! Take, for instance, this headline: “Just your friendly neighborhood Recruiter | Nerd at Heart | Introvert living in an industry of Extroverts.”
- Add keywords common in your industry that make your profile more searchable. First, you want to make sure you’re using the same language as others in your field to describe your job titles, work history, and skills. Then, use these words organically so they’re easily searchable by executive recruiters hunting for talent on the networking site.
☑ Reach Out To A Recruiter Under Certain Circumstances
Though it’s a great idea to make a strong impression on LinkedIn, you can also be proactive and reach out to recruiters yourself – as long as you are careful and selective in your connections.
The first step is research, research, research. For instance, is the recruiter internal or external? Do they recruit in your field?
“Cold calling is rarely effective, so try emailing the recruiter instead, but keep in mind that you should be surgical rather than pervasive in your outreach. Rather than ‘blasting’ emails to every recruiter you can locate, target those in your functional field or industry sector,” said Caldwell Partners.
The best two instances to reach out to an executive recruiter? When they’ve posted a job you could fill, and if you’re certain, they recruit for your particular position and function.
To find out if a recruiter is looking for someone like you, do a little digging into the job posting. If you’re not sure who is recruiting, you can hunt around, suggests Marlo Lyons for Harvard Business Review.
“If you can’t see the name of the recruiter who posted a particular job, search LinkedIn using the name of the company plus the word ‘recruiter’ or ‘source,’ then read through recruiter profiles to determine their areas of focus,” she said.
You could also connect with recruiters who fill roles in your specific niche. If you write them and describe your expertise, you may not receive an immediate response, especially if they don’t have a role available. However, the recruiter may enter your information into their database and reach out to you when they have a position that may suit you.
☑ Have An Elevator Pitch Prepared When You Do Connect With The Executive Recruiter
When you do connect with a recruiter, either by phone or email, you want to make sure you’re not just reiterating your company profile or LinkedIn page (though there should be continuity in all three!). Instead, you want to have an elevator pitch that includes the following:
- Your two or three most valuable skills
- A mention of your current position and work history
- The trajectory in which you see your career moving
- A hint at your soft skills and emotional intelligence.
This information should be repeated on your resume, as well. All of this advice connects with personal branding – at the executive level, it should be clear that you have a strong sense of yourself and what you can offer. Executive recruiters are looking for more than competence; they are seeking presence.
☑ Consistently Network With Professionals – And Not Just Executive Recruiters – In Your Field
If you want to be “scouted” by an executive recruiter, you want to make sure you’re developing a reputation in your industry. So, you need to be consistent and reliable in networking with your peers, both online and in person. This means building relationships over time rather than asking for favors when they serve your ambitions.
“Fits and bursts of activity won’t cut it. A consistent approach is far more likely to reward you when the time for change arises,” said Hamilton Recruitment.
Not only does this strategy make you more likely to get noticed by an executive recruiter but also by other industry professionals who could help you land your next role.
☑ How To Get Noticed By An Executive Recruiter
Executive recruiters are likely to notice you if you brand yourself appropriately on LinkedIn and in your elevator pitch and materials.
At the same time, you want to be proactive in reaching out to recruiters so you can get on their radar. Like everything else in your job search, you need to come across as someone with a unique specialty, as well as tailor your approach to the executive recruiter with whom you want to connect.
Getting noticed by an executive recruiter is an important part of landing a job in the C-suite. But if you’re unsure of the steps to take, consider connecting with one of Ivy Exec’s coaches. From helping you tailor your resume to finding the best recruiters for you, a coach can guide you in the right direction.
