As published in the Winnipeg Sun. The role of a chief executive officer (CEO) is the most important role in an organization. It’s a senior leadership role with a good deal of responsibility and in most cases, a high profile. Chief executive officers are expected to represent their organization at business and social functions and you will often see these individuals on a volunteer board in the community.

Yet some executives get so focused on their own work that they forget the importance of being “out there”, being known and recognized. In other words, they become insular and isolated. While that is not much of a problem while you still hold the role of CEO, it becomes a very big problem when an executive candidate is engaged in a job search.
As a leading executive recruitment professional, my advice is to always prepare for that next job because you never know when the opportunity will arise. You do this by building your own personal brand. Brands for cars, food and clothing are well known and have been very successful as are personal brands for famous authors or celebrities. While it takes time, creating a brand for yourself can also be successful.

Start by carrying a business card. If you are currently out of work, create a business card that also includes three key words that outline your skills or provides a personal brand statement. Do you have a niche that you represent?  Make sure that your resume is up to date at all times. Use the skills based resume that allows you to highlight what you have to offer as well as the accomplishments, rather than where you worked.

To be honest, most executives neglect this aspect of career management and then when the time comes, they can’t recall the specifics of their accomplishments. They may take themselves for granted and not effectively identify their key skills. If possible, work with a career coach to develop an effective resume that sells you, not your current and/or former employer.

The next strategy for personal branding, although long term, is to become well known in the community. This is accomplished through networking and volunteer leadership. Join an industry association or a university/college alumni group. Take a leadership role within that group which will allow you to meet people from all walks of life and all industry sectors. Volunteer for a charity. Once again, take a leadership role. Then extend your personal branding into the fast growing social networking strategies. Provide a personal profile. If you are job hunting, include your resume and a covering letter.

Next, become a continuous learner. Read, read, read. Read every newspaper you can, examine the trends and issues that arise. Look for business announcements of new appointments, new products and/or awards. Contact these people and offer your congratulations. If possible, call them up and meet them for lunch to discuss common issues. Never mention that you are on a job hunt. Talk only about your skills, interests, experiences and items that are of common interest.  Then keep in touch periodically in order to stay connected.

While it is important to keep in mind that executive search firms work for corporations rather than candidates, you still need to network with these professionals. Know who the search professionals are, what specific areas they work in, how they work and what kind of reputation they have. Submit your resume for their electronic databank and meet them for a preliminary interview so that they can put a face to the name, so to speak.

The opportunities for up and coming executive level professionals should be quite plentiful in the next six months as many baby boomer leaders are beginning to choose retirement over working full time. Those executive level candidates who have built a strong personal brand and are well known will have the best chance at securing that next step in their career.