You already know it - looking for a job in this market is a competitive task. Good news is you can win the race instead of feeling beaten and rejected. According to Wayne Richardson (a former executive recruiter) "you can easily position yourself as a preferred candidate, the one companies actually want to hire". Wayne offers the following 2 strategies that have helped executives boost the effectiveness of their job search:

1. Advertise yourself without the usual 'boring spiel' (or 'B.S.' for short!)

The following sentences are from actual executive resumes. See if any of them look familiar:

- "Over 25 years of experience" (Translation: Over the hill)

- "MBA at the top of the graduating class" (Translation: More theory than practice)

- "Promoted to CEO" (Translation: Our new CEO may not like this candidate)

- "Achieved 200% growth (Translation: Who didn't in a good economy?)

- "Delivered consistent revenues" (Translation: As opposed to?)

- "Awarded 2 salary increases" (Translation: How does this help our company?)

You can clearly the pattern here - self-serving fluff offers little value to hiring decision makers. The key to promoting yourself (in person and on paper) is to anticipate what companies are looking for and present them with an executive proposal instead of "yesterday's news".

It comes down to this - do you want to look commonly boring or uniquely compelling? Focus on your potential, not just on your past (if you want to be ahead of the curve, visit www.ResumesForLeaders.com for a proven action plan).

2. Take control of your job search and create your own position.

Confucius said: "The man who stands on a hill with his mouth open will wait a long time for roast duck to drop in." The most successful executive job seekers are those who are able to adapt to the needs of this unpredictable market and create their own opportunities. Rather than waiting for companies to hire them, they turn into 'niche specialists' and start promoting themselves.

Here is how it works: You know that you have some exclusive, hard-to-get qualities (i.e. skills, knowledge, industry connections, etc.) that can genuinely benefit potential employers. You approach employers with an offer they find hard to refuse. You present them with a powerful presentation (see point #1). You get some rejection, but a few real offers (one of which you happily accept!).

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