Excerpt from Job Search Debugged which can be purchased and delivered immediately as a PDF download from the book store, the red tab above. A sample of the tough love found in the pages of the book that has guided many a career.
BASICS FOR SIX-FIGURE INCOME CANDIDATES
Most readers of this book earn significant income in salary, bonus, and stock. Landing $100,000+ jobs can often take six months or more. The amount of time is less important than what occurs in that time. To be effective, focus on your networking activities: Your objective is to rise above the competition with recognized expertise, outstanding messaging, and industry presence. Your objective is not to get your resume to rise to the top of the stack, it is to not be on the stack at all. Continue reading 'Job search advice that works for six figure executives'»
Ageism, Branding, career advice, coaching, Executive topics, Job Security, networking, recruiters, Uncategorized, Warnings
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$100+, career advice, executive careers, executive coaching, Rita Ashley, social networking
A quick scan of a resume sets expectations instantly.
Here’s what you need to know to make that fact work for you in your executive job search.
Let’s set the stage. The person reading your resume is a hiring authority or refers candidates to hiring authorities. They want to spend time with only the best candidates and a triage based on a resume is their perceived best first step. Here’s how it works. Continue reading 'Resume roulette – Get your resume to the top of the stack'»
Ageism, Branding, career advice, Executive topics, Job Security, networking, recruiters, resume, Uncategorized, Warnings
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executive jobs, name brand company, networking, personal brand, personal branding, resume, Rita Ashley
This morning I analyzed my blog traffic. What I found was not surprising, in fact, even a little predictable. Many people want to know how to manage a relationship with a good recruiter. The first challenge is how to get a good recruiter interested in you. Continue reading 'Three things you can do to get the attention of the BEST recruiters'»
Just because you are vulnerable doesn’t mean you have to be a victim.
One estimate of job openings filled by recruiters is over 35%. The percentage is higher for executive-level positions in the $100,000+ salary range. Clearly, cultivating a professional relationship with a recruiter or two is an excellent career development strategy. But how do you avoid exposure to the wrong ones? I believe knowledge is power. The more you know about how and why recruiters set traps for you, the easier you can avoid getting caught. Continue reading 'Clues to spotting bad recruiters and scams'»
career advice, Executive topics, recruiters, Uncategorized, Warnings
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bad recruiters, career advice, executive careers, executive jobs, privacy, protect yourself, Rita Ashley, scams
How to get the most from an incompetent recruiter without shooting yourself in the foot.
While the job-search world is filled with competent and effective recruiters, my email from angry candidates who have dealt with the worst of the lot and responses to my LinkedIn threads shout there are a lot of bad recruiters and harmful recruiting practices candidates find demoralizing and frustrating. Continue reading 'Get the most from a bad recruiter'»
Why executives should avoid being part of the herd.
[Experience has taught me this sort of look behind the curtain enrages many recruiters who do not engage in these activities. This report is about some recruiters, not all. It is a warning to job seekers to avoid these parasites and put them out of business. It is not a condemnation of recruiters.]
Recruiter Cattle calls and recruiting open houses are on the rise. Are they great tools or just another way to get burned in your job search? You be the judge. Continue reading 'Don’t respond to Recruiters'»
How to train your recruiter.
All recruiters are not created equal. How do you find the right recruiter(s) for your company?
Bet you have asked this question. And bet you got a lot of different answers. That’s because there are so many different styles and needs reflected in the answer. There is a lot of confusion about what to expect, how they are paid and how to vet them. This post is targeted at employers looking to hire a recruiter or recruitment firm. The second post for candidates will follow soon. You will notice little overlap but both need to know about each other’s bar. Continue reading 'Employers ask, “How do I find a good recruiter?”'»
Control your resume. A friend of mine expressed disbelief than any executive would even consider using a job board. He knows job boards don’t work. He maintained that no executive is so naive to believe an anonymous resource like a job board could be considered as a tool by any executive who has ever hired anyone. I couldn’t agree more. Continue reading 'Why employers post on job boards'»
Scale the ‘Overqualified’ hurdle

Few comments by employers are as demoralizing to executive candidates than, “We like you but you are overqualified for this job.” This post addresses what employers actually believe and gives you the career advice you need to overcome their objections. Continue reading 'Overqualified doesn’t mean unemployable'»
Ageism, Branding, career advice, coaching, Interview, Job Security, recruiters, resume, Uncategorized
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ageism, agism, career advice, executive careers, over 50, overqualified, Rita Ashley
Combat Agism, unemployment, and career stagnation.
Jobs are like busses, if you get on the right one, you arrive at your destination
Abstract: Executive career planning for job security – Visibility, choosing the right employer, your professional brand and importance of a Personal Board of Directors. Continue reading 'Job Security – Advanced techniques'»
Ageism, Branding, career advice, coaching, Interview, Job Security, networking, recruiters, resume, Uncategorized
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ageism, career advice, executive jobs, personal board of directors, personal branding, Rita Ashley
Layoff blues got you down?
You didn’t do anything wrong and there was nothing you could do to prevent it, but you are unemployed. In fact, you know if you had been running the show, layoffs would not have been an option. But, you weren’t and the decisions were out of your control.
Of course you are angry, maybe even a little depressed. For sure your self confidence has taken a hit. You did a terrific job and you still find yourself out of a job. That just doesn’t seem fair.
Continue reading 'Laid off and demoralized?'»
Ageism, Branding, career advice, coaching, Interview, Job Security, networking, recruiters, resume, Uncategorized
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$100+, career advice, executive careers, executive jobs, job search advice, laid off, Rita Ashley, unemployed
Are you angry because you feel your age prevents you from landing an executive job? Is it your age or is it something else? Many people over 50 have jobs. Even those over 60 are gainfully employed. Why not you?
My friend Phil is over 65 yet he is constantly courted for his expertise and recently accepted a spot as a CEO in an early stage company. He has had no gaps in his career for over 20 years. Why? Because he is well networked and people know of his accomplishments. In a nutshell, those are the keys to continuous employment.
FREE EXECUTIVE COACHING FOUND HERE. What can you do to improve your chances of getting back to work as an executive? Here’s career advice that is field tested and proven to work. The comments made below are not meant to blame the victim, they are honest reflections of what employers see and how they react. I didn’t script them, I only interview hiring authorities and report. Continue reading 'Why Boomers don’t get hired'»
Ageism, Branding, career advice, coaching, Interview, Job Security, networking, recruiters, resume, Uncategorized
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ageism, agism, career advice, career coaching, executive careers, executive coaching, executive jobs, Rita Ashley, unemployed executives

TACTICS TO AVOID DEALING WITH THE FACT YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED AND THERE IS A ZERO BALANCE IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT Continue reading 'JOB SEARCH DENIAL CHECK LIST'»
Branding, career advice, coaching, Interview, Job Security, networking, recruiters, resume, Uncategorized
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$100+, advice, career branding, executive careers, executive jobs, Rita Ashley

Executives must avoid being part of the herd
Would you use the lottery as your investment strategy? Are the odds appealing? Do you feel lucky, well, do you?
That’s exactly what you do career-wise when you submit your resume to random recruiters and recruiter groups; play the job-search lottery. Continue reading 'Execs, don’t respond to recruiter cattle-calls, ever.'»
Branding, career advice, coaching, networking, recruiters, Uncategorized
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bad recruiter, career advice, career branding, executive careers, executive jobs, Rita Ashley
They like me, they really like me.
Executive employment is not a mystery yet candidates sometimes miss the point. They get so wound up on ‘what I have to offer’ they miss what companies ‘buy.’
Companies hire people to maximize revenue and profitability. No matter how it is dressed up, no matter how we protest, regardless of the niche, the bottom line is the bottom line. We talk about growing a company, succeeding in our space, becoming the standard, beating the competition and releasing new products, but the true desired outcomes are revenue generation and profitability. Continue reading 'Why will I get hired?'»
Branding, career advice, coaching, Interview, networking, recruiters, Uncategorized
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$100+, career advice, executive careers, executive jobs, Rita Ashley, six figure job, why will i get hired