You’re an accomplished executive who is ready for your next challenge. You’ve reached your potential in your current role and are eager to spread your wings in a new group, company, or industry. You’re excited for your next step.
But… you’re busy! You have a great deal of responsibility in your current executive role. While you know you can’t take the next step without committing to the process, you have very little time to engage in an executive job search.
Here are 4 steps to help you maximize your executive career transition when you have limited bandwidth:
1. Have a clear focus.
Because you don’t have time to waste, you must be strategic about your executive career transition. Before you even begin your search, know exactly what you want:
Be crystal clear about your career target.
Identify your specific target companies.
Know what you need from your next work environment.
If you’re not clear about this yet, set aside small, but consistent, blocks of time to conduct research, engage in soul searching, or talk with others. With a clear focus, you’ll avoid a time-consuming and frustrating trial and error process.
2. Avoid known executive job search pitfalls.
You know job boards are an ineffective executive job search strategy, so don’t waste precious time on them. Engage in the highest payoff activities to accelerate the career transition process.
You already know that networking is the most effective strategy, so make time to connect or re-connect with your friends, colleagues, and associates. Networking doesn’t have to be all-consuming. Schedule one 30-minute call per week to build momentum.
3. Take incremental steps.
One of the greatest challenges facing busy executives in career transition is their belief that they need to do too much too soon. Trying to boil the ocean will only set you up to fail.
Determine how much time you can reasonably commit to your executive job search each week and mark it on your calendar. Occasional 30-minute blocks in the morning or 1-hour blocks in the evening will produce a cumulative effect over time. If you wait until you have large chunks of time available, you will never move forward.
4. Seek help.
Making an executive career transition under any circumstances is challenging. Doing so when you’re actively employed is even more complicated. Don’t try to do it alone. You may be a rock star in your role, but navigating an executive job search does not come naturally to most. Evaluate your strengths and determine where you need help.
Do you need help clarifying your career direction?
Do you need a more effective networking strategy?
Do you need support crafting your value proposition?
An executive career strategist can help you minimize the inefficiencies of an executive job search process. With the right support, you’ll stay focused, maximize your time, and reach your target with far less stress and uncertainty than you would on your own.
If you’re a busy executive who is ready for a career change, don’t let time stand in your way. With a clear focus, the right strategies, and a strong support system, you can achieve your career goals. And you won’t lose your sanity in the process!