Focus on accomplishments, money and mission. By accomplishments, I mean anything that pushed your organization ahead and for which you can honestly claim ownership.
Is your networking not working? Stop and reassess!
At its best, networking is about having an influential group of people respect you and your work such that they are willing and pleased to make referrals on your behalf. Coming across as desperate, over-eager or focused to the exclusion of building genuine ties sends a mixed message of desperation and self-absorption. This is not a great selling point.
Reference Check
Question: Our company is about to hire a new COO who will manage the whole finance department. We want to be very sure she has strong interpersonal and technical skills. We have spoken to all of her listed references, and, while they have been off the charts, I want to be absolutely certain we cover our basis. What do you suggest?
Lonely at the Top
Question: I am at the top of my game having just been promoted into the CEO role at a major corporation. Yet, I am feeling strangely dissatisfied and lonely despite my professional accolades. It seems as if I attend meeting after meeting and as if I am not connecting with my staff. Am I missing some important clues?
The Thoughtful Cover Letter
Question: I am applying for C-Suite position with a company. The position description requires a “thoughtful” cover letter. What does this mean? How do I draft one?
Bridging the Gap
Years ago, I founded a successful social service organization that ran well until I had to take on family concerns. Do you have any ideas about how I can get back to this area of interest when most employers look at my finance and legal accomplishments and want to place me in those kinds of roles?
Professional Development
Question: I am a human resources officer, and our company wants to set up really effective professional development programs. How should we go about doing this?
Salary & Geography
Question: I am a highly qualified financial manager who just moved across the country for family reasons. The location where I am presently located has much lower salaries than the DC area from where I relocated. I cannot move back to DC to take advantage of the salary scale there. At the same time, what is offered in this jurisdiction is well below what I can afford. I am used to receiving between $150k and $175K per annum, and the offers I have received have come in at $80K or less. What can I do to address this issue?