Lars Leafblad Principal, KeyStone Search http://www.larsleafblad.

com November 2011 Insights After Four Years in Retained Executive Search Industry - Most candidates dont expect a timely, professional process based on their previous experience with search firms /recruiters - Candidates in career transition you take the time to help rarely remember you when theyve landed - 99% of unsolicited networking requests = help me or someone I know find a job please - The questions, or lack thereof, posed by candidates are a crucial insight into how they think - Candidates using we more than me have a higher likelihood of moving forward in any search process - Personal hand-written thank you notes from a candidate or networking contact are memorable, impactful, and rare - Traits that matter in all candidates -> Curiosity. Empathy. Positivity. Honesty. Energy. Listening. Follow-up. Gratitude. Vision. Mental Agility. - Think of your resume as a Choose Your Own Adventure story what matters are the choices you faced, what you chose, why you chose it, what happened as a result of that choice, and what you learned from the decision. - Your reputation matters. Thank those that help you along the way. You never know who will ultimately influence a hiring executive(s) in their own assessment of your reputation and candidacy. - Leaders in career transition who view it as a period of life to learn, share, grow, and help others throughout the process will leave it more quickly, with greater fulfillment, and with much more value gained from the experience - Without exception people help people they like. Be likable. Help others without asking for anything in return. Say thank you. Follow up. Actively listen. Be present.

- Own your weaknesses and failures as a leader and as a professional. All leaders have them. - We live in a 2 degree world. Dont burn bridges. Take the high road. If you cant say something nice about a former employer or co-worker, you know the rest.. - Human beings have an incredible authenticity-filter/radar/antenna regardless of formal education/training/job. Be real. - We all want to be heard and respected. Listen first. - Say thank you, a lot, to everyone in your circle. - What email account youre using says something about you -> retire the hotmail.com account. - When interviewing, think of it as a conversation, not an interrogation. Its appropriate to pause, think, and reflect before responding. - Body language is 80% of how were heard and perceived, especially in an interview. - Do your homework. Its your job to be prepared and informed for a networking meeting or an interview. - You can be too early for an interview -> 10-15 minutes early arrival max. Anything more = why do you have that much time on your hands?

Id love to hear your own experience and insights gained from participating in interviews and networking conversations, so if were not already connected, lets connect. Find me: Twitter http://www.twitter.com/larsleafblad LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/larsleafblad KeyStone Search http://www.keystonesearch.com Pollen http://www.facebook.com/bepollen