YOUR
JOB SEARCH
SURVIVAL GUIDE
A go-to guide for every step of the way,
from resume writing to securing an offer and beyond!
A guide for job seekers by The Execu|Search Group
“BY FAILING TO PREPARE, YOU ARE PREPARING TO FAIL”
- Benjamin Franklin
RESUME REHAB
Throughout your career, it’s important to occasionally take stock of your
progress and ask yourself if you’re on a track that helps you accomplish
your overall goals. If not, it might be time to find a new job that better
suits your interests, or even make a significant career change.
INTERVIEW INTERVENTION
Before tackling such a major undertaking, it’s important to go over all
the steps in the process – something that is especially true given how
vital it is to stand out amongst your competition. It’s been estimated
that, on average, 118 people apply for any given job, and of those
applicants, only 23% move onto the interview process.1 That’s a lot of
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT
competition! From perfecting your resume to proper interview followup, there are quite a few things to review in order to ensure you receive
an offer you would be happy to accept.
We pride ourselves on the relationships we’ve built with hiring decision
THE END GAME
makers, and after placing over 60,000 professionals in new jobs over
the last 30 years, we’ve learned A LOT about what employers are
looking for. We’ve got your entire job search covered – making this
your quick, go-to guide for resume writing, interviewing, finding the
right fit, securing the offer, and networking!
NETWORKING LIKE A PRO
RESUME REHAB
No job search can begin without a solid resume. Not only is it a list of your work experience and
technical skills, it acts as a condensed representation of who you are as a professional. In a matter
of seconds, it can convey so much more to a hiring manager than most people realize.
Elements like formatting, spelling and grammar, and organization can all make the difference
between being called for an interview and being passed up. On one hand, something as simple as
a misspelled word may lead an employer to believe that you’re careless or lack attention to detail,
while on the other, failing to include the right keywords in your resume may prevent you from
showing up in relevant candidate searches. We’re here to help, so the following articles are some
of our best tips to help you ensure you submit the perfect resume.
did you
KNOW
Most employers only spend an average of
6 SECONDS viewing your resume, so make it count!
RESUME REHAB
“RESUME STRATEGIES
THAT WILL HELP YOU
STAND OUT”
(The following is an excerpt from “Resume Strategies That Will Help You Stand Out”)
The journey towards landing your next job begins with a resume
that will get you noticed enough to make it past the initial screening
process. There are certain resume tactics you can utilize to highlight
the professional image you want to convey to prospective employers,
FOR FURTHER READING:
6 Characteristics of an Attention-Grabbing Resume
thus increasing your chances of getting a call for an interview.
Four strategies to consider:
Make Sure You Ask These 4 Questions About Your Resume
1 Include a summary section that gives a brief overview of your career
6 Ways to Bulk Up Your Resume
2 Use keywords to ensure your resume shows up in relevant searches
3 Decide between chronological and functional resume formats
Is Your Resume Mobile-Friendly?
4 Share professional social media profiles and websites
5 Steps to Reducing Resume Clutter
For more information on each of these strategies and how to approach
them, read our full article here.
INTERVIEW INTERVENTION
Congrats! After all of the hard work you put into perfecting your resume, writing cover letters, and
submitting job applications, you land an interview. Now that you’ve gotten your resume noticed,
it’s time for you to prove to them why you are the best candidate for both the job and the team you
could be joining.
Standard interview practices have changed a lot over the years. In fact, there may no longer be
such a thing as “standard” practices. Advances in technology, along with an increased emphasis
on a candidate’s personality and soft skills, have pushed employers to become more creative with
how they approach the interviewing process. Whether you get asked to do a spur of the moment
video interview or find yourself having to answer seemingly bizarre questions, it’s important to be
prepared for a wide array of interview scenarios that may come your way!
did you
KNOW
33%:
the % of respondents in a recent survey of over 2,000 MANAGERS who claimed to
know whether or not to hire someone within the first 90 SECONDS of an interview3
INTERVIEW INTERVENTION
“WRAP UP EVERY
INTERVIEW WITH
THESE 5 QUESTIONS”
(The following is an excerpt from “Wrap Up Every Interview With These 5 Questions”)
“Do you have any questions for me?” We all get asked this at some point,
if not in every interview. When a hiring manager asks this question, it’s
your chance to shine and take control of the flow of conversation. Use
it to your advantage by asking the following questions:
FOR FURTHER READING:
Picture Perfect Video Interview Tips
The Importance of a Post-Interview Thank You Note
7 Steps to Saving Your Interview From a Nosedive
5 Steps to Securing Great References
How to Ace The Post-Interview Process
1 How would you describe the company’s culture?
2 What’s the most important skill or characteristic the ideal person in this role would possess?
3 How do you measure and evaluate success here?
4 What do you like most about working for this company?
5 How will my work impact the company as a whole?
Read on for more info on asking these questions and what you should
look for in the interviewer’s response.
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT
We always tell job seekers that it’s imperative to research a company prior to an interview, but
it’s important to remember that an interview is two-sided. While the interviewer needs to ask you
questions to determine whether or not you’re a good fit for the role, it’s just as important for you to
determine if the role and the company are the right fit for YOU. Do you believe in the values of the
company? Will there be opportunities for growth and development? Does the company emphasize
teamwork or favor individual achievement?
All of these things can tell you a lot about a company’s culture, which factors heavily into employee
happiness. Employees leave and join companies for a variety of reasons, but whether or not they
feel they fit with the company’s culture is a huge component. Read on for some helpful articles
with tips for finding a company that truly fits you.
did you
KNOW
80%:
the % of respondents to our survey of hiring decision makers who claimed that
personality fit was “CRITICAL” or “VERY IMPORTANT” in their hiring decisions4
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT
“COMPANY CULTURE:
WHAT IS IT AND HOW
DOES IT AFFECT YOU?”
(The following is an excerpt from “Company Culture: What is it and How Does it Affect You?”)
There’s a lot of talk about company culture as of late, but it seems to
be one of those terms often used and less often understood. What is
it? And how does it affect you as a job seeker and an employee?
FOR FURTHER READING:
4 Ways to Find the Company That’s the Right Fit For You
Considering a Job Offer? 5 Ways to Gauge the Work Environment
A Guide to Thoroughly Researching a Company
Company culture, at its simplest, is a set of elements that make up the
company’s “way of life.” This encompasses:
• A company’s mission and values
• How professional or casual the work environment is
• What level of work-life balance is provided
• The level of teamwork or autonomy among coworkers
• Much more
Check out our full article to learn more about why company culture
should play a critical role in your job search.
THE END GAME: NEGOTIATIONS, OFFERS, AND REJECTIONS
You’ve perfected your resume, targeted a company with great corporate culture, and aced the
interview — congratulations! Now you’re at the part of your job search every job seeker looks
forward to: receiving an offer.
Don’t get too comfortable, though. Your work isn’t over yet — this stage of your search is just
as crucial as any other, if not more so. Do you know how much your skills are worth? Are you
prepared to negotiate salary or choose between multiple offers? What if you’re ultimately rejected
for a position you thought you landed?
There are a number of variables to consider at this stage of the process, and the only way to ensure
you handle them like a pro is to prepare for both the expected and the unexpected.
did you
KNOW
76%:
the % of professionals that say they REGRET NOT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY during the interview process5
THE END GAME
“NAVIGATING THE
COMPLICATED WORLD
OF COUNTER OFFERS”
(The following is an excerpt from “Navigating the Complicated World of Counter Offers”)
FOR FURTHER READING:
How to Negotiate a Job Offer Like a Pro
The 5 Laws of Successful Salary Negotiations
How to Juggle Multiple Job Offers
Should You Really Accept That Job Offer?
4 Do’s and Don’ts for Handing a Job Rejection
In today’s ever-evolving job market, counter offers are making a swift
return. They were nearly unheard of just a few short years ago when
the job market was quite different, but that’s no longer the case. As
a result, many job seekers are caught off guard when they receive a
counter offer from their current employer in an attempt to keep them
as an employee. But should you take that counter offer? Maybe not. If
you’re thinking about it, consider these stats from our survey of 400+
working professionals:
• 70% of employees who leave their company are seeking better
growth opportunities that their current company hasn’t provided.
• 28% of those who accepted counter offers ended up leaving within 1 year.
• 64% of those who left within 1 year felt that accepting the counter
offer affected their work relationships.
For more stats on counter offers, as well as advice on how to navigate
them, check out our infographic!
NETWORKING LIKE A PRO
While many professionals know the important role that networking plays in their job search
and career as a whole, they sometimes make the mistake of letting their connections fall to the
wayside once they land a new position. Of course, one of the biggest faux pas of networking is
only reaching out when you want something.
With this in mind, it’s important to make a consistent effort to build and maintain your professional
network at all times! Regardless of whether or not you are an active job seeker, the following articles
will help you learn how to identify prospective connections as well as how you can strengthen and
maintain these relationships over time.
did you
KNOW
LinkedIn users with complete profiles are
40 TIMES MORE LIKELY
to receive job opportunities from employers
6
+
40%:
the % of job seekers that have
found their “favorite” or “best”
job through personal connections7
NETWORKING LIKE A PRO
“HOW TO MAKE THE
MOST OUT OF EVERY
NETWORKING
OPPORTUNITY”
(The following is an excerpt from “How to Make the Most Out of Every Networking Opportunity”)
Networking opportunities come in all forms, from a planned
informational interview or career fair to an impromptu introduction at a
social gathering. Since it’s impossible to predict when and where you’ll
bump into someone you’d like to connect with, here’s how to ensure
you are ready to expand your network at all times:
FOR FURTHER READING:
5 People to Add to Your Network ASAP
6 Steps to Staying in Touch with Your Network
How to Get Better at In-Person Networking
3 Networking Tips to Further Your Career
How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile More Marketable
1 Being prepared with three key tools: a couple of conversation
starters, an elevator pitch, and a small stack of business cards.
2 Assessing the type of opportunity: the networking tactics you utilize
will differ depending on whether you are trying to make new connections,
explore potential opportunities, or pursue something more tangible.
3 Following up: it’s the best way to ensure a successful, long-term
relationship!
Of course, it’s important to always network tactfully, so be sure to review
the full article to ensure you can truly make the most of every opportunity.
SOURCES:
The Execu|Search Group blog
4. The Execu|Search Group 2015 Hiring Outlook
1.Forbes
5. Salary.com
2. ABC News
6. LinkedIn
3. The Undercover Recruiter
7. Jobvite
ABOUT THE EXECU|SEARCH GROUP:
The Execu|Search Group was founded in 1985 as a recruitment firm focused on serving
accounting firms, boutique hedge funds, and private equity funds. Over time, our firm
has evolved into a full-service firm integrating a broad range of industries. We’re proud
to say that we’ve helped over 26,000 companies find talent and have connected over
60,000 people with new jobs.
Headquartered in New York City with 9 additional offices in New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida, we’ve become one of the largest privatelyowned recruitment, temporary staffing, and workforce solutions firms. We specialize in
the placement of professionals in the following roles:
ACCOUNTING/FINANCE | CREATIVE & DIGITAL | ENGINEERING
FINANCIAL SERVICES | HEALTH SERVICES | HUMAN RESOURCES
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | LEGAL SERVICES | LIFE SCIENCES
NONPROFIT | OFFICE SUPPORT
www.execu-search.com
For more resources
and career inspiration,
visit:
our resources page at
execu-search.com/resources
for helpful whitepapers and
infographics
OR
our blog at
blog.execu-search.com,
which is chock full of tips and
tricks for all steps of your
career!