The job search mistakes executive coaches want you to avoid

You’ve been working for years. You’ve got a lot of experience, and you’re good at what you do. But that doesn’t mean you’re good at finding your next position.

In fact, you may be worse at it than someone straight out of college, because it may have been years since you’ve had to peruse the want ads (and if you’re still calling them “want ads” you should definitely keep reading).

Executive coaches—career gurus who help senior exec- utives manage their careers— have insight into where you might be going astray. We asked some for the top job search missteps they see experienced workers making.

You’re still sending résumés

Today, especially for more senior level candidates, it’s not just about the résumé but also about making a connection with someone and demonstrating your value to your industry. How to do that, you ask?

ar t ic i pate in a panel discussion thrown by your alumni or industry associa- tion. Or even better: Organize a panel discussion yourself.

“It gives you an opportunity to talk to people at higher levels than you, and they’ll take your call because you’re doing something constructive,” says Joshua Spodek, an adjunct professor of leadership and entrepreneurship at NYU.

PThis isn’t to say that you don’t need a killer résumé — you do. Both for emailing, and for submitting to online job sites like Monster. First of all, make sure you’ve got an MS Word version that’s easy for applicant tracking systems to read. And secondly, make sure you’re using the most up-to-date résumé best practices.

Your professional online profile is old

Just like you’re scouring job sites like Monster for the perfect fit, companies and recruiters search Monster for perfect candidates too — but they can’t find you if your résumé isn’t updated and more importantly, uploaded.

“You want to update your profile any time you start a new job — not just when you need one — and you want to highlight in your profile not only what you’ve done but also what you’d love to be doing more of,” says Maggie Mistal, a career consultant and executive coach in New York City.

“For example, if you want more leadership responsibil- ity, highlight where you’ve lead successfully, and make sure ‘leadership’ is listed in your skills.” And remember to keep your résumé up-todate. Recruiters will notice you online if your profile and skills are current.

Assuming the recruiter is your advocate

A headhunter or execu- tive recruiter may have mul- tiple candidates for a posi- tion — so they’re not nec- essarily focused on making sure that you land the job.

“You need to treat them just as you would any per- son you’re interacting with as the potential employer,” Mistal says.

“Treat every conversation with them as you would with an interviewer. You’ve got to sell the executive recruiter on your merits and you need to focus on building that relationship, too.”

You’re not asking the right questions

At this stage in your career, when an interviewer asks you if you have any ques- tions for her, don’t attempt the usual patter.

“A lot of people use that time to show off what they’ve learned about the company,” Spodek says. “But now’s the time to ask, ‘Why is this position vacant? Do you like work- ing here?’ People right out of school never ask questions like that because they’re afraid to.”

You don’t have good interview answers

This isn’t your first time at the job search rodeo. You’ve likely heard many of these interview questions before, so have some good responses at the ready.

“I was having a conversation with a senior executive and I asked him, ‘What would you share as being your strengths in leader- ship?’ and I was stunned he hadn’t thought of that,” says Cheryl Procter-Rogers, a PR strategist and executive coach in the Chicago area.

“Going into an interview setting, you must really be clear on your strengths and have stories that support and demonstrate them.” Make sure you don’t get stumped. Practice your responses to our top 100 most-asked interview questions.

You didn’t consider whether the job matches you

“As people get older, they settle more into their own temperament, so there’s less of a desire and less of an ability to adapt to a culture that’s very different from your own personality,” says Jude Miller Burke, Ph.D., a business psychologist, executive coach, and author of The Adversity Advantage.

“You really need to learn as much as you can about the culture to see if it’s a good fit,” advises Burke. When you’re researching a company, pay attention to the corporate vibe as well as the job stats. Talk to people who work there or research it at sites such as kununu.com.