Article by Laura SmithProulx
British Petroleum CEO Tony Hayward has repeatedly made news in the wake of the company's oil spill-and it certainly hasn't been good. His personal messages, which may have been intended to show support for the spill's victims, have nevertheless served to tarnish his public image.
Ironically, the same is true of many executive job hunters at this point in our contentious job market. They pore over every detail of a resume, writing down every task and achievement that they believe will catch an employer's eye, while failing to notice obvious slipups, public identity problems, and networking issues that can cost them the interview.
Consider these 3 lessons in executive job search, courtesy of Mr. Hayward's commentary and public appearances:
1 - Your words can be taken out of context very easily—or your intent misconstrued.
Many people reacted to Hayward's comment, "I want my life back," potentially missing the first part of the quote where he noted, "We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused to their lives."
BP's chief executive apparently intended to express his regret over the situation; however, as in many business communications, the latter part of his sentence is what most people will remember because it grabbed their attention in a negative way.
On your executive resume, a simple miscommunication can occur with even the slightest spelling error or an unintended gaffe. One need only perform a Google search for "resume bloopers" to see actual examples of errors that went down in history.
To avoid having your resume fall into this trap, you'll need to proofread by reading it aloud several times—or you can even read it backwards to catch more errors. Also, have a friend look it over for potential landmines that will trip up your search in no time flat.
2 - Your online (public) life is just as important as what you show on paper.
If you've carefully crafted an image on your executive resume that's at odds with what employers find out through a Google search on your name, then your efforts will have been wasted. Like Tony Hayward, you may find out that you're only measured by the public information that you put on display.
Yet, many executive job seekers still haven't received the memo on updating—and controlling—their online identity, and some even believe that the less information they spread online, the better.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
Just like public figures, you can count on having your name Googled on a regular basis during an executive job search. Executive recruiters, employers, and potential interviewers are eager to see if your brand message will hold true across your LinkedIn Profile, company website, FaceBook account, press releases, and other Internet content.
3 - Your network will remember your attitude longer than your achievements.
Especially in a tight job market, employers want and need classic team players—and they'll skip those who post on FaceBook about how they loathe work (or how they'd like THEIR life back from an uninspiring job.)
Carefully cultivating and maintaining an executive network that remembers your positive contributions isn't just a good idea—it's a must for anyone serious about landing their next great gig.
More people will remember you for being a positive, upbeat presence at work than they will for what you actually achieved, especially if your accomplishments come at a cost to those around you. It pays to take note of how your demeanor is perceived by others—even if you naturally excel at every task. Attitude counts!
Your key takeaway from the BP Oil debacle? In an executive job search, your brand message has become split into equal parts career marketing (through your resume), public communication (via your online identity), and image (bolstered by your network).
To be successful, you'll need to manage and nurture all 3 components.
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