Great Executive Job Search Ideas for the New Year

Now that the New Year is upon us, it’s time make some choices regarding your executive job search that could help offer you a fresh start. Of course, you’ve already worked hard to find the job for you, but with a little regrouping, you could further increase your chances of acquiring the job you want in 2010. Reevaluate What You Want As you’re thinking about the executive career you’re looking for, it’s good to make sure you feel the same way that you did about your career track a few months ago. It’s natural to evolve over time and have your career objectives evolve with you. So, before you go with the “flow” you’ve created for yourself, take some time to make sure you’re heading in the direction you want to move in at this point. You may realize that it’s time to actually reevaluate your goals and begin searching for a career in a totally different industry. Look for New Industry Trends If you’re sure that you’re on the right track with the career you’re pursuing, even at this stage in your career, it’s good to keep searching for new trends to learn and understand. You may know a great deal about your industry, but without being entrenched in it regularly, it’s hard to know everything that’s going on. So, in the New Year, it’s a good idea to see what new trends are expected in your industry then take the necessary steps to prepare yourself for changes (i.e. take new classes, add new categories to your blog, etc.). Build Your Online Professional Brand If you have yet to expand on your online presence, it is more than important that you get started sooner than later, so why not do it for the New Year? Many employers recruit executive-level professionals they’ve found online, so it’s important to build a brand in this area. One fast and easy way to build an online presence is to create a free LinkedIn profile that allows you to list your employment history, education, and even garner recommendations. Also, you could create a free blog that allows you to give tips, advice and insight about your field. Another great way to expand your online presence is to purchase a website domain in your name. This might cost as little as $10 for an entire year with a hosting account costing an additional $5 a month. On your website, you could create a simple page that lists your name, title, contact information and a link to your LinkedIn page/resume (don’t forget to create a creative, yet professional design). Review Your Resume One of the most important ways to get a good start to your job search in 2010 is to review your resume. If you have any training courses, rewards, guest blogs – anything significant – to add, it’s good to make sure you do that. Also, you want to check for grammar and spelling errors, as well as any cosmetic adjustments you might want to make to help improve its appearance. The New Year always represents change and improvement and you don’t want it to leave you behind. So, as you prepare for a new year of job seeking, don’t forget to refresh and rebuild for 2010.