Is it the job market—or is it me?
I'm not moving along in the interview process, and I'm getting nervous.
Careers are deeply personal; most executive career advice isn’t. Crux is here to help.
Ask a Career Coach
I’ve been job searching for about eight months, and I’m pretty consistently not hearing back or moving along in the interview process. In some cases, I apply for an ideal role on LinkedIn with a tailored cover letter, but receive an automated rejection. In others, the recruiter won’t pass me along due to strict criteria like specific revenue achievement. Most frustratingly, I connect with insiders, secure interviews, then learn that other candidates are nearing the final stages.
I’ve been targeting senior marketing leadership roles (CMO/SVP/VP depending on company size) in fast-paced companies with digital marketplace business models or in the hospitality / consumer experience industry. These are two themes that carry consistently through my background, that differentiate me, and that I enjoy.
Many of my peers (including some recruiters) say this has been a slow, cautious time for companies, especially when it comes to their marketing hiring and budget, so my challenges may be partly my approach, partly the environment. With that said, I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to position myself for success. How do I know what’s me, and what’s this market? How do I find the right candidate-market fit?
In the midst of a career turning point or crisis? Crux wants to help. Send us your question to be answered (anonymously) by a career coach in an upcoming newsletter.
A Career Coach Says
Not hearing back from a potential employer—or even worse, receiving an almost immediate rejection note—can get demoralizing pretty quickly, especially when you feel strongly you’ve found an opportunity that aligns extremely well with your skills and experience. And when you really want or actually need a new leadership role ASAP, this lack of response or progress can make you start second-guessing your approach, your resume, and, yes, even your worth.
Hello, executive. I’m here to tell you that you’re more than worthy. Have you looked at all you’ve accomplished so far? So get that right out of your head, then let’s break this down and tackle things in more digestible chunks.
I always tell my coaching clients this: “Control all the things you can control to the absolute best of your ability, and then do everything you can to let go of the rest.”
The latter part is not easy, I know, but there are many (many) aspects of job search that you just have no control over. Like a company’s terse and lightning-fast rejection emails, their staunch policy on revenue requirements, or that they’re interviewing you… but already know they’re close to extending another offer.
So there’s really no point in dwelling on them.
Now here’s the good news: There’s plenty that you can control, like proactively scheduling informational interviews with leaders at companies of interest (even if they don’t have the perfect spot posted right now), positioning yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn, customizing not only your cover letter, but also your resume for every role, and finding an executive recruiter (or two) to support your efforts.
(Crux editor’s note: We’ll cover that in an upcoming issue!)
You can also control how you fuel your body and mind through your job search, and what advice you take to heart. Eat nutritiously, control your alcohol intake, avoid doom scrolling, get plenty of sleep. And, for goodness sakes, don’t let a friend’s proclamation that hiring has come to a screeching halt in your industry crush your spirit.
Because, guess what? There are always jobs out there. You may need to be a bit more creative, a bit more bold, a bit more flexible than you’d originally anticipated, sure. But there’s no value in a friend saying, “All hope’s out the window, my pal. Industry has shut down.”
Not to mention, a lot of the “expert career advice” you get from friends is not exactly evidence-based. Well-meaning, perhaps, but always consider the basis (and the potential bias) of someone’s knowledge as they offer up unsolicited tips.
So, outside of figuring out what you can and cannot control and proceeding accordingly, how can you really know if you’re doing everything possible to position yourself for success? Here’s where an experienced career coach can come in handy, especially one that has intimate knowledge of the executive search process.
Spending even 30 or 60 minutes with someone with a pulse on the market, knowledge of best practices for executive search, a plethora of influential contacts, and/or incredible testimonials from happy clients may be just what you need to gather a few new tactics and get unstuck.
Meet the Coach of the Week: Jenny Foss
In her own words:
As a girl who was 1,000% convinced she'd grow up and become a California beach lifeguard, Jenny is no stranger to big career dreams.
A journalist, corporate marketing / PR leader and recruiter in her earlier career, Jenny never imagined that these (seemingly illogical to family and friends) career moves would ultimately provide her with the perfect combination of experience she’d need to launch and grow JobJenny.com.
But it’s these mad writing, marketing and branding skills—along with her firsthand knowledge of how hiring managers and recruiters think and behave—that enable her to help professionals blast away the fear and confusion that almost always goes along with career change, then take immediate strides forward.
If you’re looking to up your LinkedIn game as you explore your next career chapter or work to affirm your thought leadership, check out Jenny’s Ridiculously Awesome LinkedIn Kit. Now in its third edition, this ebook will walk you through simple steps to maximize the impact of your LinkedIn profile, leverage the latest tools and options LinkedIn offers, and show up as your absolute best self professionally.
Crux subscribers: Get 50% off with promo code CRUX50.
Jenny’s Go-to Resources
Lewis Howes School of Greatness podcast (particularly love the #mindset topics)
Steer Your Career newsletter (by yours truly)
Insight Timer app (a free meditation app)
The Long Game—How to be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World by Dorie Clark
What We’re Thinking About This Week
The greatest Halloween video that’s ever existed (but, actually)
Sabbaticals are proven to be good for companies — yet only 11% of orgs offer them
It’s not just you! Worker happiness just hit a three-year low
But! Workplaces can be happier if they just embraced autonomy
In the midst of a career turning point or crisis? Crux wants to help. Send us your question to be answered (anonymously) by a career coach in an upcoming newsletter.