Insight Blog

As executive search consultants, we consistently receive requests from A|E|C and Facilities Management (FM) professionals asking if we can help them find new career opportunities. As 'retained' executive search consultants, we only represent client organizations in identifying and securing qualified professionals, and do not work on behalf of candidates. However, we can provide some suggestions on how to maximize efforts in finding new career opportunities.

While we have covered these topics in other posts, we thought we would write a quick synopsis of our recommendations in one encompassing blog, and if you would like more detailed information, you can read the specific posts.

Below are the top 3 things you must do to position yourself to secure a new career opportunity:

Develop a resume and cover letter that capture immediate attention.

You have heard this before but it is extremely important that you take the time and give close consideration to your resume. By this, we mean the format, content, and overall 'feel' of your resume. Just as you can read an employment ad and get a 'feel' of a role and of a hiring organization, your resume gives off the same vibes. Make sure it is organized appropriately with emphasis on your strengths, achievements, and capabilities. Keep in mind that you only have 3 - 5 seconds to capture the reader's attention so use bullet points to break up content and quantifiable metrics within your accomplishments. With technology playing an increasingly critical role in the A|E|C and FM sectors, highlight your certifications or specialized knowledge.

By simply including a cover letter, you are going to increase your chances of getting noticed by a prospective employer because most candidates will not take the time to write one. Use this to your advantage by writing a strong cover letter which summarizes your resume. Include your career motivations so that the hiring manager can understand why you are expressing an interest in the position. 

Leverage social media.

The emergence of social media has drastically changed the way that organizations can identify candidates and, according to Jobvite, 89% of U. S. companies are utilizing social networks to find and recruit employees. If you are only going to use one social media platform, make it LinkedIn. According to a recent survey, 73% of hires made through social media are initiated on LinkedIn. Therefore, update your profile, use keywords so that prospective employers can find you, and include your photo. Your LinkedIn profile is just as important as your resume so take the time to make sure it reflects your professional experience and abilities. Any savvy hiring manager is going to check your LinkedIn profile to see how it reads and they will cross reference the information within your resume to your LinkedIn profile. For our extensive list of tips on how to maximize your LinkedIn profile, and use the platform and others to your advantage, read How To Leverage Social Media In Your Job Search.

Introduce yourself to specialized, reputable search firms.

While retained executive search firms, such as Helbling & Associates, cannot represent you in finding a new opportunity, we do recommend that you identify and contact the firms that specialize in your industry or within the function of the role you would like to secure. After identifying those entities, make contact with one or two of their search consultants, and submit your resume in the preferred manner. If they have a proprietary database, your information will then be entered in their system, so that if and when they are retained for a search that matches your qualifications, you will be on their radar. We also recommend that you occasionally check in with the consultants by sending them an email just to update them on what you're doing and that you are still open to new opportunities.