Tips, Strategies and Mindset Shifts to Stay Energized, Focused and Moving Forward With Your Search

"The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Be patient and stay the course.” —Fabienne Fredrickson

Hi Audie,

I hope your year is off to a great start! 

If you made some New Year’s resolutions, how are they going?   

One of my personal goals for 2022 is to continue focusing on my health and wellness. In addition to taking power walks outside most mornings, I started working with a personal trainer last Spring and, surprisingly, I’ve kept at it! It’s amazing how much stronger I am (I didn’t realize how lazy my muscles had gotten!) and how energized I feel after each of my intense sessions.💪

Speaking of energized ….  

This month’s featured article offers tips, strategies and mindset shifts on how to stay energized, focused and moving forward with your search. 

Enjoy reading this issue and have a fabulous February!

Warm regards,

P.S. I invite you to share my newsletter with anyone you feel could benefit from receiving valuable content and insights specific to mid- to senior-level executive job seekers/career changers. 

P.P.S. To learn more about Your Call To Action, LLC and how I help my clients go from being frustrated and struggling with their search, stuck in a toxic work environment or ready to take their career to the next level to feeling excited, valued and re-energized at work (and in their life) again, take a look around my website.

Tips, Strategies and Mindset Shifts to Stay Energized, Focused and Moving Forward With Your Search

Having been in corporate sales for most of my career, I developed a mindset and ‘reality check’ so I could consistently do what was necessary to secure new corporate clients. When I started in a new position, I was often beginning from 'ground zero' with lofty sales quotas to achieve. To begin building my foundation (pipeline), I networked and prospected (outreach via phone, email or LinkedIn) to targeted companies to secure initial conversations via phone or in-person meetings. Due to the nature and complexity of the products/services I sold, they often had long sales cycles, there were relationships to build with multiple key stakeholders, information to gather, and numerous steps along the way before being awarded the business.

I see many similarities between selling high ticket, long sales cycle products and services and executing a successful executive-level job search.

I’d like to share some tips and ways to stay focused, productive and encouraged along the way.

“Think of your job search like a garden: you need to plant seeds, water them and then watch them blossom and grow!” 
—Audie Fridstein

The key to successfully uncovering open positions (and even having a role created for you) is to consistently be:

• Networking (and strategically expanding your network) 
• Contacting and establishing relationships with Headhunters/Executive Recruiters 
• Proactively reaching out to senior executives at targeted companies using a consultative approach

The initial conversations are similar to planting seeds — letting people know you’re in the market and what you’re looking to do next, seeking their advice or asking for introductions to specific people, and seeing how you can be of help to them.

From these conversations, you want to be sure to follow through on any introductions or referrals, while also making sure you circle back with updates from time to time. 

Similarly, as you begin having interviews, you’ll want to follow up accordingly to reiterate your interest in the role, find out the status, etc. You’re nurturing the relationships, which is similar to watering them in my analogy above. 

If you’re consistent with these activities, your garden will start to blossom and grow! You’ll start gaining traction at companies, you’ll be interviewing and moving through multiple job opportunities at the same time … and you’ll start receiving offers.  

What's so wonderful about the job search process is you never know what the next call you make or the next person you’re introduced to will lead to! 

Time and time again I’ll speak with clients who feel like they’re not making progress (they usually are!) or things are quiet — I'll reassure them it's not unusual and encourage them to stay the course. Next thing you know, their ‘luck’ turns and they are having interviews and gaining traction in their search. This happened often when I was in corporate sales, and it happens with job search.  

👉  Tip: Be strategic and consistent with networking, building relationships with Headhunters and proactively reaching out to companies on your target lists … and your search will blossom!

“Think of your job search as a marathon, not a sprint.” 
—Audie Fridstein

A number of my clients have shared how surprised they are with how long it’s taking them to land a new position. Many of these clients are/were with their employer for 15+ years, some even 20-25 years or more. The interview process and how to effectively run an executive-level job search has changed dramatically since they last looked for a position outside their company. While no one has a crystal ball, I try to set their expectations that it could take a minimum of 6-9 months to find the right opportunity.

It’s not unusual for someone to land a position within a few months; however, generally speaking, the more experienced you are and the higher the position you're seeking, the more time it could take due to fewer openings and increased competition at this level. The good news is I'm seeing an increasing number of companies who are actively hiring or creating new positions for my clients ... and many of them are receiving multiple offers. 

👉  Tip: If you think of your search as a marathon, it helps to minimize (unrealistic) expectations that your search "should" be short and quick. Similarly, it’s also important to be sure you pace yourself and manage your energy levels and mindset. (Trust me on this – I’ve walked marathons and it took 7-8 hours. Beyond 4 or 5 hours, it’s much more about mental stamina than physical!) 

If you're looking to make a job/career change, it’s important to have a clear picture of what your next role entails, the company environment and culture you thrive in, the type of manager you work best under, etc. 

If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?

Here’s a great resource “Your Critical FIRST STEP to Landing a New Job/Career that Re-energizes You” to help you gain clarity, so you’re focused on the right opportunities to pursue, you ask the right questions throughout the interview process and can then determine if offers that come in are the right fit for you … giving you the ability to make a well-informed decision and ensuring you’re setting yourself up for success in your new role.  

If you are a mid- to senior-level executive and motivated to find your next opportunity (or know someone who is), I'd love to speak with you to better understand your situation, what you're looking to do, and see how I can be of help.

Book your complimentary 40-minute Strategy Session here.

Prior to launching Your Call To Action, LLC in 2015, Audie spent over 30 years in technology sales and sales leadership roles working with C-Level and other key stakeholders at Fortune 1000 companies utilizing a consultative and value-based approach to addressing her clients' needs.

Due to the evolving nature of the technology industry, it was common to change companies due to M&A, new leadership coming in and bringing their own team, corporate restructurings, or as a way to advance one's career. Audie became very proficient — and successful — in landing multiple offers each time, and was frequently complimented on how she stood out (in a good way!) from other candidates throughout the interview process.

She leverages her business acumen, consultative and value-based approach to sales, and professional coach training (ICF Certified) in working with clients and delivering her proven methodology, strategies and tips for successfully landing a new position (after all, one needs to sell oneself, right?).

Audie is intuitive, nurturing, and compassionate yet firm—all of the qualities you should want in a coach. She is your accountability partner with a focus on helping you get real results ... and you’ll also have fun along the way!

Want to learn more? Click here to book a Complimentary Strategy Session.