Quick Take | Tips to Help Executives and Leaders Grow
The Quick Take podcast provides concise and actionable tips to help executives and leaders, like you, tackle the thorny and complex challenges that affect us daily. By leveraging their experience and relationship with other global leaders, our hosts provide suggestions that are based on their deep experience as leaders and coaches but also pressure tested in boardrooms everywhere because they asked their friends….(almost). Hosted by James Capps and Susie Tomenchok. Episodes release weekly on Thursdays.
Quick Take | Tips to Help Executives and Leaders Grow
Elevate Your Job Search with Andrew Veeder
Unlock the secrets to standing out in the crowded job market with insights from Andrew Veeder of TEKsystems! Discover actionable strategies for tailoring your resume to specific roles, leveraging AI for a competitive edge, and maintaining a cohesive, compelling narrative that captures employers' attention. Andrew shares his tips on staying proactive in your career, even if you're currently satisfied with your job. This episode is essential listening for anyone aiming to enhance their job search approach and secure their next big opportunity.
In this episode, we discuss the following:
1. The challenges executives face in a competitive job market.
2. Leveraging AI to customize resumes for specific job descriptions.
3. Importance of maintaining a positive mindset during the job search process.
CONNECT WITH ANDREW:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-veeder-5499b946/
CONNECT WITH SUSIE:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susietomenchok/
CONNECT WITH JAMES:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/capps/
Welcome to the Quick Take podcast, the show where you get targeted advice and coaching for executives by executives. I'm Susie Tominchuk.
Speaker 2:And I'm James Capps. Give us 15 minutes and we'll give you three secrets to address the complex topic of issues that are challenging executives like you today.
Speaker 1:Hey, welcome to Quick Take. I'm one of your hosts, Susie, along with James. How are you, James?
Speaker 2:I am one of your hosts also. I am great.
Speaker 1:The other my co, my co to your host, whatever.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, there we go.
Speaker 1:But we have a guest today, so do you want to introduce our guest and I'll give you some more color.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that you know we've, in response to a lot of the feedback we've been getting from listeners. You know the numbers. On some of our past episodes related to the challenges of either looking for a new role, having been part of a layoff, or looking to leave a company that maybe is struggling, we thought we'd bring in somebody from the talent services space that is really involved in helping a lot of the people we work with find new roles, and so we've got Andrew Vita here with Tech Systems and we thought we'd pick his brain and get some insights. So welcome Andrew.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thanks James, Thanks Susie. I appreciate your time today, Excited for the discussion and just looking forward to seeing how we can help some of your listeners find new jobs or just kind of explore the space a little bit more efficiently.
Speaker 1:They leave a job. They are always like, oh my gosh, what do I need to do? I need to update my LinkedIn, I need to do a resume, and so sometimes it isn't good that, when you're in a job that you love to also be really mindful of what's next for you and be proactive around that too. So this is really for everybody, and not just people that are in transition, but if you are, this is a good reminder of some of the things that you need to focus on.
Speaker 2:So I think one of the things that is also worth mentioning, too, is I find that when I talk to people who are in transition, they do feel lost, and some of these things that you do are pretty obvious, and there is no super secret magic here, but it is great to have somebody like Andrew give us, like, these are the things that he looks for. It gives confidence, gives you confidence, um, and, and what you do, um, you know what? What are you seeing in the market right now, andrew? Is it, uh, is it as weird as I think it is, and and is there a lot of movement going on?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's. It's always an interesting market, especially during an election year. Uh, say that right now it's very much the employer's market. There's a lot of folks on the market right now, so the employers have the ability to be a little bit more picky, meaning if they're looking for that purple unicorn with two heads, they can generally be a little bit pickier to try and find somebody that's as close to that as possible, generally be a little bit pickier to try and find somebody that's as close to that as possible, whereas maybe a year and a half to two years ago it was very much flip-flop market where people that had relevant skill sets within relative industries were finding jobs a little bit easier. I'd say right now the employers are kind of holding the keys at this point, but we could also see that turn very quickly, and that's generally since it's such a cyclical environment. We could probably see that change here in the next six to eight months.
Speaker 1:Super interesting to think about just that ebb and flow of what that looks like. You can't get too caught up in it because, like you said, it changes quickly, but definitely an employer marketplace right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah. With that said, I mean let's jump in, andrew. What are some of the things that you suggest? You know, like you said, sometimes it's easy when it's a seller's market, but right now it's a little more difficult. So give us some tips on how you think folks that are of the mindset here can be more aggressive, be more proactive, really shine in a competitive space.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, and I think one of the biggest buzzwords around companies and technology right now is AI and I'd say, utilizing AI to your benefit in your job seeking process. Every resume is like your one resume is not going to fit for every job you apply for. If you're looking for a director level role, if you're looking for a VP-level role or an MD or C-level, all of those job descriptions are going to be very different from the one maybe above or below it. So, utilizing AI to look at a job description and have that help tailor your resume to fit that description. Now, with everything in AI, don't take it for granted. Look at it with, maybe a lens of hey, make sure that you're not sending this out without proofreading Exactly Exactly, but that's really interesting advice.
Speaker 2:I think that we talk about AI a lot, but really taking advantage of that here may not be something that our listeners are comfortable with or have done in the past.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'd say utilizing it and being smart about it, and also just understanding that it is work to find a new position. Reworking your resume, small tweaks whether it be management level or technology stacks or languages that you're proficient in or different industries that you've helped impact, I think are very important to highlight, especially when you are looking for those higher level positions.
Speaker 1:I like the tweaks too. I heard somebody say yesterday is like tell your story, make sure that your story comes through and it doesn't feel like clunky in each thing you did. And maybe that can get pulled together when you send the email out. Or how do you make sure that makes sense on your resume? I mean, do you think about that as well?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it has to be a cohesive story and it has to flow well. I think it helps when there's logical movements in companies that you can explain, that you can help show the areas that you've impacted, whether you're helping an organization save money or grow or mitigate risk, whatever it might be. But yes, you're right, Telling that story, Susie, is super important, especially when you are getting to the levels within an organization that you're really going to help affect change from the ground up. So you're a hundred percent correct. And just being able to to slow down and show the movement and growth that you've had throughout your career.
Speaker 1:The ROI I, I. I know that's very overused, but it's. I think it's important to your point. I think what are some of the metrics or things that you contributed to in the overall success of the business?
Speaker 2:Being specific is so important.
Speaker 3:It helps give some context and helps people understand what the kind of things you are actually doing Absolutely, and I think being able to show that those data points is much better than being able to say well, trust me, I did this. It's like no. Having that to back you up is very important and crucial.
Speaker 2:That's a good one, all right, let's go on to the second one. Give us another tip usual.
Speaker 3:That's a good one, all right let's go on to the second one. Give us another tip. I'd say it sounds cliche, maybe a little bit overused, like ROI, but do your homework, especially when it comes to companies, maybe companies or industries that you're passionate about or that you're wanting to get into. There's features within LinkedIn I think, even in the premium version, that you can pay for, that can help you show recent hires within companies. I think that's a really kind of good peek behind the curtain, if you will, to let you see how those companies are viewing the people that they want to bring in. For instance, if it's a highly regulated industry like financial services or oil and gas, if you can look and see who those folks are hiring and that way you can kind of pair your background against the folks that are already coming into that environment organization. So I'd say that would be. My second tip is to do your homework. Look at the folks who have coming in and see how your background compares to those.
Speaker 1:I love that too, because it gives you some context Once you do get the interview and you're in there. It also really helps you to show the continuity and the context to what you know, because you can allow that to be threaded through the conversation.
Speaker 3:you can allow that to be threaded through the conversation For sure, and I think it will show that, whether it be the whomever you're interviewing with, that, hey, you're tuned in to what this organization is doing and you care enough to do that homework and be fully prepared to have those kind of meaningful conversations, rather than going into an interview that maybe you mass applied for a hundred jobs and you just happen to get one. You're like oh, who is this company, what do you guys do again? And I think it really shows that intentionality behind it.
Speaker 2:Well, I think it also gives you the opportunity to understand what they are, what the fashion is at their company right now. You know, are they hiring for people that don't have regulated experience? Are they trying to think outside the box? Are they struggling with their regulated number of the people who do have regulated experiences? So they're going back to the, the the core, and I think if you can discern that through the recent hires, then you can position yourself much better. Um times change at companies and you never know exactly what they're trying to look for, and if you can figure that out you can be much more positioned, I guess, for the opening. So it's interesting.
Speaker 1:Such a good point, what's your third tip?
Speaker 3:I'd say my third tip is, you know, be active on LinkedIn. It sounds simple Be active. Tap into your network Again, looking at the folks maybe that you've worked with at a previous organization or previous company, see where they've gone. If you all got along, connect with them. Hey, I'm on my hunt again. I'd love to see you know. We had worked well at this company together. What are your thoughts? Are there any openings? Are there any of your colleagues that have moved on to other companies that you'd be able to help make introductions to? I'd say that tapping into your network is really important, especially in this kind of job hunt, job search stage, and sometimes folks are maybe embarrassed to ask for introductions. But this is the time to put yourself out there to say, hey, johnny, susie, sally, can you please help with the introduction to so-and-so? And if they can, fantastic. If they can't, well, at least you're in the same, you're in the same boat where you started. But that's another avenue that you attempted to go down.
Speaker 1:What do you think about some people put a post out to everybody on LinkedIn and say, hey, I'm on the job hunt, make a connection. Do you think that's effective or do you think it's more effective to reach out to individuals?
Speaker 3:I think it's probably more effective to reach out to individuals.
Speaker 3:I don't think it's a bad thing to post like, hey, I'm on my next search, appreciate.
Speaker 3:But at the same time you're probably going to get a lot of maybe just unwarranted or unsolicited inbox DMs, that sort of thing. So I would say it's probably going to be more effective to have that one-on-one connection, whether it be a coffee, whether it be a phone call, whether it be a lunch, to just be like hey, this is where I am, this is what I'm looking for. Is hey, you know, this is where I am, this is what I'm looking for. You know, is there anybody that you can help with? Is there any way I can help you? Because at the end of the day, it also can go both ways, it's you know, you might be leaving an organization and have context or institutional knowledge that you might be able to help share. Obviously, MDAs are always a thing, but being able to kind of have that give and take I think is super important, because nobody wants to have that one relationship where they only reach out when they need something. You want it to kind of go both ways.
Speaker 2:You know, somebody once said to me that you need to position yourself in a less negative perspective, meaning that so often when you are looking for a job, you feel like your network is drying up and you're kind of nervous about reaching out to people. But you know, if I'm not looking for a job and somebody reaches out to me even it's been two, three years I love hearing from them. And so remember, people love hearing from you. You think you're thinking of them and so don't get in that mindset that you're asking for help. Just connecting with people is great. People love to hear from you. Don't be in that negative space, and I love what you said. You know, reach out to those folks make it a two-way street. How can I help you? Can you help me? But I think it's. You get yourself in a weird place if you don't just think about the positives and make those connections.
Speaker 1:Yeah, such a good point. That's such a good point and it's actually backed with research. We believe that. But people really like that outreach and, like we started to at the beginning, say this is a time where you you'll go through ebbs and flows of feeling a little bit insecure or not as confident, and so get those, get that noise out of your head and just be proactive for you and don't allow that to sabotage your efforts.
Speaker 3:Correct. And, james, you're right. People want to know what you've been up to, what's new, what's been going well, what hasn't, and then you can kind of work into the networking piece and the two-way street idea.
Speaker 2:Love it, love it. Let me see if I can wrap that up. Susie, do you think?
Speaker 1:I can do the recap here. It'll be interesting to see if you were listening.
Speaker 2:Yes, I was actively listening. I was taking notes copiously here. The first one I think is super interesting and it is remember to take advantage of AI and other technologies to customize your resume. Customizing your resume seems obvious, but there are tools now that can make it that much better and really fine tune that. The second one is really do your homework. Learn about the company that you're going to, but also look at who they're hiring. Try to understand what they're looking for at this time, because times change and their recent hires is really important. And the third one, you know be active on LinkedIn. I'm paraphrasing here, but I think what you're really saying was subscribe to our podcast is really what the advice was. So, but in more detail, be active on LinkedIn. Subscribe to QuickTake and reach out to your network and build and reestablish those relationships, because this is a good time for you to connect with people. And remember, people love to hear from you.
Speaker 1:So good and well positioned. Good job, James.
Speaker 2:It's all about sales Always be closing, always be closing.
Speaker 1:Andrew, thank you so much for being here today. This was such great tips. You brought wisdom to our quicksters.
Speaker 3:Thank you, susie, thank you, james. I appreciate your time and I hope there was some value provided to some of your listeners and looking forward to seeing how folks can utilize this advice to make their next job search successful. So thank you.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3:Thanks so much.
Speaker 2:Hey Susie, I have a question for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Um, if, uh, if somebody in your life is running to to Starbucks and they want to buy you a, a, a birthday drink not your daily morning drink, but your birthday drink what are you going to have them get you?
Speaker 1:Oh, that is so. Okay, I'm going to say a Vente, because you got to get the biggest Got to go large. You got to go large in charge is what I like to say. Uh, I would get a latte with an extra shot and it would have espresso. That's right, espresso, not a pump.
Speaker 2:Yes, so uh, so a vente extra shot it would be a vanilla latte vanilla latte yeah wow, that's pretty vanilla, if I can. I thought there'd be some sort of made up italian in there, like frappa maca, something like that.
Speaker 1:Not a big fan of those. I might do a chai. Sometimes they don't have like a spicy chai. I like a great coffee shop that has a really good spicy chai.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but those are hard to come by.
Speaker 1:They are Good spicy chai I don't like it when it comes from a mix that they just heat in the microwave. So yeah, that would be my choice if I was on the way to Starbucks.
Speaker 2:Good answer, good answer.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for listening to this week's episode of Quick Take, where we talk about the questions that are on the mind of executives everywhere. Connect with us and share what's on your mind.
Speaker 2:You can find us on LinkedIn, youtube or whatever nerdy place on the internet. You find your podcasts. Our links to the show are in the show notes.
Speaker 1:We appreciate you.
