Executive Job Search Facts and Thoughts
by Fred Coon

Stewart, Cooper & Coon are members of ExecuNet and sponsors for the meetings in Arizona. Annually, ExedNet issues their Executive Job Market Intelligence Report. The data comes from a comprehensive survey of corporate HR professionals throughout the U.S. Here is our reading on the survey data.

Talent is in short supply
Companies are scrambling to find good talent because they have created a problem from their 15-year history of turning the gold watch into a pink slip. This has eroded any sense of loyalty between employer and employee. In fact, according to Mark Anderson, President of ExecuNet, a respected authority on the executive job market, "The average executive tenure is 3.4 years. That's less than a single Presidential term."

68% of corporate HR professionals who completed the survey stated that 52% of dissatisfied executives are looking to make an important career switch. These two facts are working against the executive job seeker who is seeking employment. Corporations, because of their past and continuing practices are driving many executives to look for more secure surroundings.

Bottom Line #1: If you're a top-level executive, the opportunities for personal growth, new challenges and bigger paychecks are yours for the taking IF you know how to secure the interviews.

Bottom Line #2: Competition for these open positions is stronger than ever and this creates a serious problem for the executive in job search.

Compensation packages are the most lucrative in history!
For the first time anywhere new compensation trends revealed, "Companies are being more flexible with their offers and are more willing to negotiate than they were one year ago."

Thought Provoking Questions
Before you enter negotiations consider the following:

• What are you worth? How do you convince them of this? It sure won't be your resume. If you don't know what you are worth, you can't ask for it! By the same token, if you don't know how to demonstrate your worth, you won't negotiate well either.
• 68% more companies than last year are luring executives with one unique and lucrative bonus. Do you know what that is?
• How much should you ask for in your sign-on bonus? We deal with this all the time and our answers might surprise you.
• What is the one perk that will add 28% to your salary? 51% of executives ask for it and get it.
• How do I handle counteroffers? I should accept their counteroffer, right? Wrong!
• Prepared, you are armed. Unprepared, you will lose every time.

At Stewart, Cooper & Coon, we are personal branding experts. We understand marketing and negotiation to achieve personal goals. We help each client create a financial engine to drive their career toward economic security and their personal goals towards fulfillment.

About the Author: Fred Coon