The Executive Update

Who’s Hiring Whom? How to Spot a Bad Boss During the Interview

Too many job candidates fail to grasp that they have power during the interview. Too often a candidate walks into an interview setting trying to determine the best way to grovel to get a solid job offer. Instead, they should be approaching the interview as an opportunity to assess their potential employer, and not only impress them with his or her credentials but to create an opportunity to be impressed in return. It’s a golden opportunity for you to interview the interviewer.

A job interview is a two-way interaction. The job candidate is interviewing the company to see if he or she is a good fit for the position, and that includes interviewing the boss. Checking out your prospective boss in advance is essential. According to a recent study by Baylor University, an abusive boss can have a huge effect on your health and your family life, so you want to make sure you know what you are getting into. There was an interesting story in Forbes this week on how to spot a bad prospective boss in an interview. Here are some tips to consider:

1. “You” versus “we.” Pronoun usage is a telltale. If during the interview the hiring manager talks about how “you” will be responsible for tough challenges or dealing with something negative, he probably won’t be a mentor. And if he talks about “I” in the context of department successes, then he is not a team player and may deflect blame. Observe how he talks about his employees and his department.
2. Fishing for personal information. It is natural to try to get to know a candidate and learn about some of their outside interests. It is something else to ask probing questions about life outside of work. Be wary if the hiring manager moves from a healthy interest in your hobbies or charity work to a nosy interest in your personal commitments. The interviewer can’t legally ask about your marital status or your family, but by probing about your personal life they may be trying to get you to surrender information to determine if you have too many commitments outside the office.
3. The distracted interviewer. You should command respect during an interview, including the undivided attention of the hiring manager. If your prospective boss is distracted by his iPhone, or email, or telephone calls, of if he is late for your interview, that’s an indication of their normal operating style, and you probably can’t expect them to make much time for their staff, including you.
4. You can’t get a straight answer. If you can’t get a direct answer to a direct question, that could be an indication that they are covering something. For example, if the last person who held the position for which you are interviewing may be characterized as a “bad fit,” which may be an indication that the company didn’t spend enough time on employee development. Listen for awkward pauses and evasive responses. Also look at things such as turnover rates and where others have a path for advancement.
5. What’s the hiring manager’s track record? How long as he or she been with the company? Where did they come from? Look for indicators about their performance and management style. For example, bosses from large companies may want more formality where managers with a history at start-ups may have a less formal approach. Which suits your work style?

Be sure to ask around about the company and your new potential boss. You can search sites such as eBossWatch or ask your network on LinkedIn. There’s nothing wrong with getting references about your prospective employer. You will want to think about the context of what you might uncover, but look for glaring inconsistencies or differences between what you were told and what you discover on your own. It’s better to have more information in advance and avoid a potentially disastrous job than to realize your mistake after you have been hired.

Ask the Coach: In Job Search, Perception is Reality

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from this week’s session with Nicola James, Managing Partner of Thomas Brooke International.

This week’s career coach, Nicola James, emphasized the importance of projecting the right image, whether on the phone, in person, or in your marketing documents. You only have an opportunity to make the right impression once, so how do you portray the real you?

To illustrate her point, Nicola related a story:

It seems that aliens were studying the earth and saw how everyone was interested in the daily newspaper. So they bought a paper, analyzed it, and all they found were wood pulp and ink. They couldn’t understand what all the excitement was about.

So when you meet new people, either in person or online, are they seeing the real you, the you that you want them to see, or are they seeing a two-dimensional representation of who you are? It’s important to have the right message, but it’s equally important to know how to convey that message correctly. You need to leave an impression of not only who you are but what you represent.

Nicola reminded the callers then when you are selling anything, including yourself, you never know if the prospect is ready to buy until you communicate with them. You can’t turn a “no” into a “yes” if the perceived fit or need isn’t there. You can, however, have an impact on how you are remembered. But to have an impact, you have to listen! Listen closely to what the other party is saying. Don’t assume that you understand. Be responsive to their needs rather than trying to push your own personal brand first.

Nicola urged everyone to hone their listening and questioning skills. You need to listen before you can present yourself in an engaging manner.

When you make a new connection, try to offer information as well as ask for it. You should be sure the other party doesn’t leave empty-handed. Make it easy for them to help you, and offer whatever help you can in return. Also be sure to close your conversation like you would close a deal, with a question that requires an answer, such as “Who can offer me more insight?” or “Who would you suggest I contact?”

The objective is to present a clear understanding of what you represent and where you offer value, leave a lasting impression with a thoughtful conversation based on carefully listening to the other party, then parting with information that cements the relationship and leaves the door open for future conversations. You want to make a lasting first impression because, in job search, perception truly is reality.

The Face-to-Face Interview: Maximize the Opportunity

The Face-to-Face Interview: Maximize the Opportunity

Guest post by Randy Block

Randy Block is an executive coach specializing in career transition. He also serves as a staffing and onboarding consultant for high tech start up companies. He has over 30 years experience in executive search/recruiting. Randy’s executive consulting practice includes both tactical and strategic issues; i.e. Interview Preparation, Personal Branding, Onboarding, Consulting/Freelancing Opportunities, Boomer issues, etc. Randy will be the featured presenter on this month’s Experts Connection. His topic, “The Face-to-Face Interview: Making the Most of Every Minute” will be presented on Wednesday, October 26th.
experts-connection.com

From my perspective in working with executives, particularly over the past few years….two things have become apparent:

1. Everyone purports to know how to interview…but few execute well.
2.The most qualified candidate does not necessarily get the offer…the offer usually goes to the candidate who interviews the best.

So, if you have survived the emailing, the phone interview(s) and made it to the face to face interview, you’ve done well…and you really deserve to maximize this opportunity that you have earned.

In my workshops on interviewing, I ask the audience this question: “If you are going to paint a room, what is the most important step in that process?” The answers vary from picking the paint color to choosing the right brush. The answer I’m looking for is “the prep.” If your masking is sloppy or you have not filled in the picture hook holes, you could pay $50/gallon for the paint and it will still look unprofessional. Your prized antique furniture or meaningful art will not cover up the mistakes.

When it comes to interviewing, we all know the preparation is important. So what do most people do for prep…check out the company website, study industry/product trends and Google the interviewer. And of course, review the job description. After all, we want to be knowledgeable and “right” with our answers.

This is helpful, but there is much room for improvement. Let’s examine one of these more closely; the job description. The job description is typically broken into three general parts:

1.Description of the company products and its industry.
2.The title, job duties/responsibilities and reporting structure.
3.The candidate profile –the person with these skills and qualities.

Numbers one and two are quantitative and the basis of your research. In my view number three is the most important part of the interview preparation. Here is where the all important “fit” comes into play.

The candidate profile is divided into “hard skills and experience” and soft skills i.e. leadership, decision making, management, etc. And of course all of them are grouped into “required” (usually in descending order of importance) and “preferred.” The “fit” is determined by relevancy (your skills and experience against their definition of what skills the successful candidate should have) and that indefinable something called “will you like doing the job and will I like you doing the job”.

To determine relevancy, I recommend the following as a guide. (Excessive humility or braggadocio will not help you here.)

1. List their required skills (again, whether you agree or not)
2.Then evaluate your skills (both hard and soft) on a scale from 1 (never heard of that acronym let alone do I know what it means) to 10 (I have current and direct experience, achievements and knowledge.)

Companies today want 8’s, 9’s and 10’s.

• For any low scores (7 and below) prepare an “equivalent answer”. For example, if the position requires an MBA and you don’t have one, your response might be “I have 20+ years of successful business experience.”

• For all of the soft skill questions, prepare a story of about 3 minutes that is a solid achievement supporting each soft skill.
Let’s consider the elements of that softer side of “fit” by today’s definition.

(Your technical competence is assumed at the time of the in person interview. Yes, they will check your references. Initially, technical is the focus of the phone screen with soft skills to be screened in the face-to-face meeting. You don’t even get the face-to-face interview unless you have the right background.)

1. During the interview, they want to know how excited you are about the position and the company. Have you chosen them? Be prepared to discuss why (from your heart as well as your head)
2.Will they like you doing the job? (This will be influenced by how you express yourself in #1) It is my opinion that #2 is at least 50-60% of the hiring decision today.

There are definite measures and tactics that you, the interviewee, have control over: your preparation, the interview itself and the followup. When following up with clients and their interviews, the question comes up …"would you do anything different?" If yes, we learn from it and move forward. If the answer is no, then we know we maximized the face-to-face interview. In these cases, we get and go out on another interview stronger and wiser and increasing the probability of success.

Ask the Coach: Talking to Potential Employers

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from our most recent session with Christine Dennison, The Job Search Coach.

This week, job search expert Christine Dennison fielded questions from NETSHARE members about handling outreach to potential employers:

Q. Is it worth cold calling or sending a blind inquiry letter and a resume to a potential employer?

Yes if you use a targeted approach. Your best strategy is to build a list of companies that interest you, whether they have posted openings or not. Then research the companies; gather information from their website, use Google and LinkedIn, and research the executive profiles. Then draft a cover letter or make a phone call that is focused on the company, the company’s executives, and their needs. For example, “I see that you have just given a keynote speech…” or “I see you have just launched a new product line. Can we spend a few minutes talking about the industry…?” Focus on an industry issue, not on you.

Q. Companies often ask for a salary history. How do you deal with that?

Do everything you can to avoid the salary question until the final stages of negotiation, when you have a better sense of what they need and what it’s worth. When you do address the question, address the salary question confidently, firmly, and in a way that moves the dialogue forward. For example, “I’ll be happy to discuss compensation when I have a better understanding of what you need. What has been the main challenge in the last quarter?” Also know what a competitive salary range is. Review Salary.com, Payscale.com, and other resources to determine what the market rate looks like.

Q. How can I keep my job search a secret from my current employer?

Stealth marketing can be a challenge. First, don’t “hang” your resume anywhere where it can be discovered. You will need a LinkedIn profile, but set the tone to demonstrate that you are a subject expert looking to build your network. Turn off the “announcement” settings and don’t check the “career opportunities” box. Also don’t apply directly to posted positions. Instead, use research, talk about the industry, and be active in a way that it opens up confidential conversations.

Q. What’s the best way to spend your time in a job search?

Spend most of your time developing relationships and finding out what’s on the horizon for your target companies. Go after the decision-makers and try to catch them at the start of the search process. Talk to them about their business and competition before they talk to HR or a headhunter. When you approach them, don’t ask if they are hiring but try to spark ideas that demonstrate how you would be valuable to their business. Be curious, have your radar running, and see if you can turn the conversation into the possibility of hiring for an existing position, or even creating a new position. Show you understand their problems, and know how to solve them.

Ask the Coach: Don’t Get Caught Up In the Web

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from our most recent session with Christine Dennison, The Job Search Coach.

The Internet is a wondrous thing. With the birth of the World Wide Web we now can access information and resources that were previously unheard of. In the early days, the Internet was a great tool for job seekers because it was clean and efficient. But then the Web became popular and prolific. Now we have bots and filters and spam and an incredible amount of online noise because everyone has figured out how easy it is to hit the “send” button to submit a resume. That means that yours is just another voice in the crowd, and it will be impossible to make your expertise stand out unless you understand how to properly use the Web as a resource.

This week, job search coach Christine Dennison shared some tips about how to think about and use the Web as part of your job search. She noted that as the din of the Web increased, hiring companies had to implement software filters to handle the data traffic from job applicants. Now all the big firms are using software to pick their job candidates, and this is where the entire online search process has gone hopelessly haywire.

There are a growing number of career information providers and opportunists trying to make money from job seekers. If you are posting to random job locations then you become a commodity, which means you won’t stand out. Your first step needs to be to control the noise. Align yourself with a reputable career service such as LinkedIn or NETSHARE to get the online traffic under control. And use the Web to conduct your own research. It’s a great tool to help you determine where the market opportunities lie, which companies are on the move, and where to apply your efforts both online and offline.

Should you apply to online job postings? Sure, but only dedicate 5 to 10 percent of your time to online postings. Remember that resumes are usually sorted by software and many are never actually seen by a human being. Even if you cram in all the keywords, chances are it will never surface. You can throw your resume in the mix, but it’s always better to network your way in using a resource such as LinkedIn.

Should you post your resume to job boards? You can “hang” your resume on online bulletin boards, but be discriminating so you can control access. Use services like NETSHARE where you know your information is protected. Otherwise you are just opening yourself up to spam and scam artists.

The bottom line is, don’t let the Web dominate your job search. Spend no more than an hour or two online each day. The Web is a great research tool and can help you find the right connections, but you need to make time for face-to-face activities. The Web is no substitute for personal contact, especially if you are looking for a new career opportunity.

Trapped in Transition: Don’t Derail Your Next Interview

We all know that career transitions are difficult. You go into an interview assuming that there will be skepticism, and that the hiring manager or recruiter is looking for reasons to exclude you from the mix of candidates because you aren’t working or you are trying to enter a new field and your credentials aren’t an exact fit. This is where transition candidates lose the opportunity; when they approach a job opportunity from a point of weakness, inwardly saying to themselves, “I am not worthy.”

Candidates in transition often are their own worst enemy largely because they ARE in transition. They lack their usual self-assurance and assume an air or quiet desperation that sabotages the interview. Last week I read a blog entry profiling this phenomenon from the Candidate’s Chair. Blogger Mark Richards describes some insights he gathered from Marcia Ballinger of Keystone Search about the difference between candidates with jobs and those in transition.

According to Ballinger, there are some distinct behavioral differences that candidates in transition display during a job interview. Like it or not, these unconscious clues usually lead to the candidates’ downfall:

1. The candidate talks more than listens. They are usually nervous and on the defensive.
2. They don’t wait for the speaker to finish before answering a question.
3. They quickly assume that the position is exactly what they want, without hearing more. They are desperate for a job so they aren’t worried about pounding a round peg into a square hole.
4. Their responses are usually less consider and glib, lacking any depth of thought.
5. They talk faster, as though trying to squeeze in more information to close a sale.
6. They lean forward taking a more aggressive posture.
7. They are seeking to persuade the interviewer, not understand their needs.

As Richards points out, when you are competing for an opening, you don’t have to be perfect but you do have to be better than the next guy:

“Much like that old joke about when you and buddy are being chased by a bear, you don’t have to run faster than the bear, just your buddy. When it comes to hiring, the candidate selected is not the best at everything, they are simply better than the other candidates.”

To be perceived as better than the other candidates, you need to control your anxiety and project your competence with confidence. Here’s the behavior to adopt for a successful job interview:

1. Be selective. Candidates who aren’t in transition are choosey; they can afford to be.
2. Wait to be convinced, instead of trying to convince them. Assume you are right for the role.
3. You should be genuinely interested in learning more about the job to determine if it is a good fit; don’t assume it’s a fit.
4. When you are employed, an interview is usually perceived as a business meeting of peers. Approach the situation as though you are talking to an equal, because you are. Don’t assume that because you are in transition you are at a disadvantage. Rather, stand on your expertise.
5. Try to put the hiring manager at ease as though they were talking to a staff member, not a salesman or an outsider.

Projecting the image that you don’t need the job and you can walk away gives you an advantage in an interview setting. It puts the interviewer on the defensive to convince you to consider the job. Take control of the interview by adopting a positive attitude, “I can take it or leave it,” and you will improve your chances. Better to approach from a position of strength and find the right position than going through the interview process again a year from now.

Job Interview Psych Out – Taking Control of Your Interview

Many candidates work really hard to identify the right company to target, create the right job opportunity, and do everything right in the race to win that next perfect job, only to lose in the last mile – the interview. Even the most polished presenters can trip up in a job interview, and as the old saw goes, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

I recently came across a post from PsyBlog, “10 Psychological Techniques to Help You Get a New Job.” It captured my interest because of the links to research. As the blog notes, hiring decisions often are made on gut feeling and personal interaction more than on credentials. In fact, your credentials are probably what landed you the interview. Most interviews are about “fit” – can you really do the job and will I like working with you. Here are some pointers based on psychological research that should be valuable to anyone going into an interview:

1. Schmooze but don’t sell. Be complementary about the other party; don’t sing your own praises. Praise the organization, the interviewer, show enthusiasm, see if you can find common interests, use eye contact. In other words, engage the interviewer. Research shows that those who ingratiate themselves do better in interviews.

2. Maintain control. You undoubtedly have rehearsed some of the tough questions in advance. So when an interviewer asks you how you handled a tough situation, make sure you answer the question so it displays the qualities they are looking for. Specifically, show how you took charge of the situation, rather than letting the situation control you.

3. Give yourself a pep talk. You should talk to yourself because it provides “verbal self-guidance.” Talk to yourself about positive ways to approach the interview such as “Smile and offer a firm handshake” and “Be confident in your approach.” Vocalizing these instructions helps give you more conviction and confidence. (Just don’t get caught talking to yourself in the interview itself.)

4. Use mental imagery. Visualize yourself as feeling confident and relaxed in the interview. Studies show that those who use positive mental imagery perform better in job interviews.

5. Lose the plastic smile. Be forthright in your body language, using eye contact, lean forward, don’t cross your arms, etc. But don’t put on a fake smile. A genuine smile and relaxed posture go farther than putting on a false front.

6. Use a firm handshake. It’s amazing but a firm handshake makes all the difference, especially for women. Use a firm hand grasp to start the interview.

7. Be defensive when appropriate. Some career coaches advise that you avoid being defensive, but if you are being challenged about holes in your job history or other obvious issues, defend yourself. Studies show that interviewees who made excuses, expressed remorse, and promised reform ranked higher than those who didn’t. Human fallacy is desirable.

8. Be honest about your weaknesses. It takes skill to reveal your weak spots without sacrificing likeability. Being honest about your weaknesses is seen as a positive trait and refreshing, where being honest about your strengths is perceived as boastful. If you are up front about your weaknesses, you will promote likeability with a better outcome. If you walk out of the interview on a high and feeling good about it, chances are the interviewer will come away with the same impression.

9. Avoid the, errr, verbal pauses, like, you know. It’s a shame that many of the younger job seekers lack verbal communications skills and continue to punctuate their conversation with phrases such as “like,” “you know,” and “ummm.” Studies show that these verbal fillers are seen as being less professional and have a clearly negative impact on hiring.

10. Be different. Granted, you have heard most of the interview questions in the past, but if you can come up with a unique response or a novel answer, it will be to your advantage. You will stand out and remain memorable for all the right reasons.

Practice makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to get some interview coaching. Find a professional to practice with so you can smooth the rough spots out of your interview technique.

Cultivating Likeability

We spend a lot of time talking about networking and its value for your career. There are degrees of networking as well. What the Facebook/LinkedIn/Twitter phenomenon has taught us is that you can connect with any number of people with similar interests and concerns, but how many of those connects can you count as contacts in the true sense of the word? How many of those 500+ LinkedIn connections can you call for advice or to exchange ideas? That’s what is missing in the world of social networking.

And part of the challenge of effective networking is promoting likeability. For someone to offer to help you or even to listen to what you have to say, they have to have enough regard for you to give you the time of day. In short, they have to like you. The same is very true in job search – you will never hire someone you don’t like. To quote from a recent article by Denise Martin in Consulting Magazine explores the fact that, in order to do business, you have to like the other party:

“After all, the very continuation of the species depends on us being social with each other. We consider the loner, the misfit, and the socially inept as pariahs and avoid them where possible. We simply prefer to say ‘yes’ to people that we like. For proof positive, look at the success of Tupperware parties, office charity requests for their kids’ activities, attendance at benefit auctions, etc….

“That trusting environment is embodied in the emotion of liking someone. It is critical in the art of doing business. You will never, repeat never, do business with someone you don’t trust. Also true is a corollary fact: you will never trust someone that you don’t like.”

So when networking or job hunting, you have to promote likeability. No matter how smart you are, how qualified you are, or how good your ideas are, you will never connect with another person unless you can get them to like you at some level.

So how do you promote likeability? There are some simple techniques anyone can use:

1. Smile – As the saying goes, let a smile be your umbrella. If you smile, not matter what your real mood, will promote openness and likeability. This doesn’t mean you have to paste a perpetual grin on your face, but be prepared with a social smile. Use a smile when you are on the phone as well – if you smile it will lighten your tone of voice.
2. Find common ground – Find something you can come together on to forge a connection, even if it’s only the weather. Start with small talk to find something you can agree upon and have in common to make a connection.
3. Be complementary – Complement the other party’s tie, or dress, or hair, but find something positive to say so you can praise the other person and demonstrate that you are paying attention to them.
4. Establish camaraderie – Use “we” language to imply you are of the same tribe and interest. “We” is the pronoun of teams and by using it you are saying we are on the same team.
5. Build on the familiar – If you are from the same region, or have common friends, or have known each other for some time, use it! People gravitate toward the familiar and it promotes instant likeability.
6. Name dropping – Use the other person’s name, often. Work it into conversation in a natural way, because people like to hear their name; it promotes familiarity.
7. Get them to do you a favor – We are not talking about a huge thing but find an area where the other party can perform a small service, whether it’s giving you the name of a movie or sharing something small. The act of providing a service creates a connection.

In business, or any type of networking for that matter, likeability has to come before trust. If they don’t like you they can’t trust you, and if they can’t trust you, they will never help or hire you.

Ask the Coach: Don Orlando Offers Some Steps for Success

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from a recent session with career coach Don Orlando .

This week, career coach Don Orlando was fielding questions from callers and online. He had some interesting insights into job search strategy and tactics, and we wanted to share his advice.

Question: Can you be too aggressive in an interview? Does it come across as being too desperate?

Answer: The better question is can you be inadvertently too aggressive? It’s easy to use the style that’s working for you in your current job—and that may not match the job you’re seeking. Remember to bear with the usually untrained interviewer who might be intimidated. Be sensitive to different cultures (especially overseas jobs where there are cultural differences).

Question: I am seeking a role from consulting back to the industry, but my current experience is varied across many industries. How can I improve my personal brand so that I may be considered for M&A roles in niche industries?

Answer: This is a multistep process. First, decide which industries best match your experience and needs. This chart shows the fastest growing industries and is a good place to start.

Next, use various constraints to help you focus your efforts. Assess recent, well-documented, successful experience with solid references. Determine what is unique to a specific industry and what is applicable to any industry. Consider how current your knowledge is for a specific industry and if you can get the references you need to get a job. Also take into account geographic considerations, and if you are looking abroad, political considerations.

Question: Do you have a recommended tactical plan that I can execute over the next 12 months to find my ideal job?

Answer: First, match your campaign to a specific executive role - CEO, COO, CFO, etc. Remember that every campaign is looking to match a specific capability, so multiple functions require multiple campaigns. Next, benchmark your digital footprint, and then make an effort to increase your visibility by function and industry. Look at the results in the last month, and that you have a clean, uncluttered online brand (so you are not mistaken for someone else) that represents your brand.

Next, develop your concentrated brand. Create a powerful and (if possible) unique brand promise that offers value. Be sure to avoid adjectives and responsibilities and credentials. Instead, focus on results. Remember that developing your personal brand takes time.

Then you can capture your brand in job search documents that meet your next boss’s needs as well as your own. Create roles for your resume. Offer clear and compelling proof that you can make the company money by delivering on your brand promise. Also create a template for successful interviews. And create a strategy for negotiation for compensation. Create roles for your cover letter that transmit your industry knowledge in the first line. And use your brand to build your online presence with a LinkedIn profile, by joining professional organizations, participating in special LinkedIn Groups, writing articles, and sharing your expertise.

You should be dividing your time, using about 20 percent of your efforts to respond to job postings and 80 percent of your time networking.

Ask the Coach: You Have Questions, We Have Answers

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from our most recent session with Christine Dennison, The Job Search Coach.

As part of our weekly career coaching call, NETSHARE members will call, email, and tweet their questions for our coaches to answer. As a change of pace this week, we thought we would offer the questions as they were presented, with the responses by this week’s expert, Chris Dennison:

Q: Can you discuss working with, finding and approaching Private Equity firms?

To quote from Chicago politics, “We don’t want nobody nobody sent.” Job search success depends heavily on relationships and referrals. There also are search firms that include work with private equity and venture capital firms in their specialties; check the Kennedy Information Directory. Banks, investment banks and accounting firms also have those relationships, so see who’s in your network who can introduce you. There are also firms that keep a stable of interim managers on tap, such as Tatum LLC, which has offices across the country.

Q: In the past I held two C-level positions (CEO and COO) at relatively small firms (under $10M). I have been looking for a position as General Manager/Director/Vice President for which I consider myself well-qualified, but I am getting the impression that recruiters and hiring managers are dissuaded by my previous C-level positions. Perhaps they are thinking that I no longer have the energy to "work," that I might not be used to reporting to someone, that I am just looking for an "interim" position. How do I overcome this?

Your best strategy is to focus on connecting your ability with their specific pain. Then the resume can (and should) be more of an afterthought. If you’re using the resume as a door-opener, it’s much more difficult to avoid the typecasting and assumptions. Job search conversations and relationship development are especially critical situations like yours.

Q: During this difficult economic time, some candidates may have issues in their background check related to home short sales or other financial issues. Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with this, or do these topics even come up on the typical employment background check?

Background checks are becoming more prevalent, but many states are trying to update their laws to keep them fairer. For the most part, an actual credit check should only apply to positions that include handling money. Most of the time you will have had a chance to win them over before a background check is performed, but it’s still difficult to figure out if and when to bring up any negative information that may be in your record. Companies shouldn’t poke around for information that isn’t relevant to your ability to do the job, but that doesn’t mean they won’t. Of course, if you are turned down you might have grounds to sue them, but where does that get you?

Q: You go on a face-to-face interview. It goes exceedingly well and you get very positive feedback in terms of comments made and body language. But once you leave the building it turns into a literal black hole. The HR contact doesn't respond to your emails or return your phone calls, even though you strongly suspect that you're going to get called back for a second interview. Is the HR contact dodging you because he/she literally doesn't know when the next round of interviews is going to take place? And if that's the case, what's the best course of action? Stop trying to contact them? The "not knowing" is leading me to some sleepless nights.

“They” don’t usually mean to leave you hanging. It’s good to ask during the interview what the next steps will be and the timetable. Then you have a reason to follow up, but add a week to whatever they say. HR is usually in a state of frustration, trying to keep the decision-makers moving the process along. It’s perfectly reasonable for you to be professionally persistent –just be sympathetic to HR’s challenges. As much as we would love to be the center of their work schedule, that’s never the case.