I am often in awe of the sharpness, experience and business acumen of my executive clients. Regardless of the circumstances that led to their transition it is easy to how they garnered the respect of their colleagues while working.
After almost 20 years working with professionals in transition I am equally amazed at how quickly they seem to abandon the basic instincts that undoubtedly were the cornerstone of their success in the “corner office”.
As job seekers these professionals and executives seem to lose the ability to evaluate and discern large amounts of information including sometimes conflicting information.
The job search process involves consuming large amounts of information whether found on the internet, in networking groups or seminars, or given by well intended connections or “arm-chair coaches”.
The mistake I see made frequently is job seekers accept much of the information as fact without scrutinizing it to the level they likely did while working. Their ability to distill, decipher and assess information is often not applied for some reason in job search.
I see them discount the source of the information, consider points of view without a well presented business case, or neglect to consider the credentials, perspective and background of the advise giver. This never would fly in the work place at any level. My hope and reminder to all job seekers is to apply the skills you already possess and apply them to your job search. Lending a critical eye to information gathered along the way will not only serve you well in job search but also when you return to work.
