Successfully interviewing at the senior level means showcasing your knowledge of the company, its culture, its potential pain-points and opportunities - and how you can get them there - during the entire interview. Companies are looking for leaders that can deliver results but that are also a strong cultural fit. Through the questions you ask – and answers you deliver – you need to weave stories that describe their experiences solving business problems while also painting their leadership style.  Before the initial phone interview, research and preparation is key. Reading websites, an ..read more

When I work with executives and senior professionals to create a their career development plan, we start with their vision. A vision statement, in my opinion, is the most powerful tool in your arsenal for achieving your goals. Why? Because it aligns all your decisions with your goals and translates into how you will lead. Sometimes people can easily and clearly communicate their vision. Other times, it isn’t as easy. Of course, visions can change as you progress in your career and gain more experience. Each experience helps you better understand yourself, what you value and what you want. More ..read more

 Whether you are interviewing internally for a more senior role or externally, there are certain steps everyone should follow when preparing for an interview. Just like a test, you need to study. You wouldn’t take a test without studying and you shouldn’t interview without preparing. You need to research, learn how to answer all types of questions, ask relevant (this is key) questions and follow up afterwards. And, if you want to secure an executive level role, you need to interview like an executive. What does this mean? The questions you ask, and the ones you answer, need to b ..read more

Executive interviews can be quite rigorous. Sometimes they are one v. one, sometimes they are group interviews, and sometimes they involve multiple parties. You could get interviewed by your future team, peers or even Board members (depending on the role). You need to research the company extensively and be prepared.   Interviewing can be a challenge without having to explain employment gaps, terminations, demotions (or perceived demotions), lateral moves or other bumps in the road. If you have had a more linear career, your interview prep probably includes things like:   1. &nb ..read more

All leaders want to engage with their employees but it is a matter of time. There is one of you and potentially hundreds or thousands of them. You want to drive engagement - to be visible - but might be unable to do it in a personal manner. Companies invest heavily in employee engagement. Engagement leads to greater performance, higher revenues and sales, happier customers and lower turnover. But so much of engagement comes directly from leadership. The more senior you are in an organization, the more your time is structured, fractured and in high demand. You need to focus your attention on mu ..read more

Over the past 20 - 30 years, our culture has transitioned from working for one company for our entire lives to have 5 jobs by the time we hit 25. If a company doesn’t fit “our narrative”, we leave. The good news is that it has become acceptable to change jobs - it isn’ perceived as disloyal or as though you are a poor performer. But at some point in the career journey, people begin to hit a tipping point. Do they stay with a company for the remainder of their career or do they switch? Sometimes this has to do with age and sometimes this has to do with the position you have achieved and whether ..read more

People are much more likely to be successful if they develop a plan and follow it. A good career plan includes short-, mid- and long- range goals. A better career plan also includes potential obstacles (personal and professional) and ways to overcome them. A great career plan include your twilight years and transition away from full time work. And a great career plan should define success. It answers the question: What does success look like? People invest in career plans at beginning or middle of their careers. But how many professionals create a career plan for the twilight or end of their c ..read more

Culture is a critical part of career happiness. You can love the job and the impact you are making, but if you struggle with leadership, management, how work is allocated, how performance is measured or how employees are treated or engaged, you will be unhappy.  The greatest job in the world can’t compensate for a bad cultural fit.  And by culture – what I really mean are core company attributes that impact your career development and employee experience. Core attributes include how companies pay employees or develop their careers. It also means access to leadership, autonomy, decisi ..read more

For some senior executives, interviewing doesn’t cause any angst. They are calm, cool and collected. They feel good about the process, delivering their answers and even the follow up. The are 100% confident they aced the interview. Yet they don’t always get a call back or an offer. Even though they know they could hit it out of the ballpark and help the company achieve its goals. Even these “no stress'“ executives may not be acing the interview. Acing an interview is more than just answering questions without sweaty palms and feeling prepared. Acing an interview is about preparing and deliveri ..read more

Consulting seems like a glamorous way to earn a living - flexibility, project-based work and lots of freedom. You decide when you work. where you work, how much you work and how you get paid. But if you have worked full time for an employer and are thinking of consulting, there are some important things to consider. It isn’t that easy to just BE a consultant. If you are thinking of making the switch, here are a few things to keep in mind: 1. Your hourly rate can be the hardest thing to determine. It’s based on the value of your experience. This is probably the first question I get from client ..read more