Submitted for consideration in an article in the ATD publication CTDO that caters to executives in learning and development such as Chief Learning Officers
Executive/c-level job search is different from job search by managers and professionals because it is still personal. Executive recruiters from Associate to Partner, for example, still talk with sources, prospects and candidates. Hiring executives and Boards still meet with candidates face-to-face individually and in person or virtually by video – and eventually in person – as they fill unique, mission critical roles in the company. For those engaged in a job search, therefore, networking counts, relationships count, communication counts, and professional presentation counts. It also means that candidates must be articulate as to the value they bring and clear as to alignment with the needs of a particular company at a specific time.
Hiring of managers and professionals is diverging dramatically from executive search. It is increasingly technology-driven and initial screening outsourced to call centers or even chat bots. Recruiters connect with talent pools through social media and engage in conversations there, often in advance of having a specific opening. Tools such as AI-based selection, self-recorded video applications, and text-driven application systems are maturing. There is also increasing emphasis on pre-interview assessment testing and later on group and panel interviews, especially for high volume recruiting and mass hiring.