The majority of executive job seekers prefer to undertake their campaigns as efficiently as possible: find a prospective employee, prepare and send a resume, wait for a response. Many, however, lose time and opportunities needlessly or, worse, settle for lower job offers because they have not promoted themselves in an effective manner.

The following approach can help you create an impact in the job market – and help make your executive job search a success.

A Frequent Occurrence

While surfing for a new executive position, you see one that is a perfect match. You quickly send in your resume. You know you have a better than average chance because of your experiences, your academic qualifications, your accomplishments to date. More importantly, since you are among the first to respond to the posting, you think you are ahead of the pack.

What you may not realize is that hundreds, if not thousands, of other executives are thinking the same thing. They have the same basic qualifications, the same core experiences, perhaps they have held positions similar to yours in their respective companies. And, they may have all sent in their resumes within minutes of your posting.

After some time, you realize that you haven’t been called for an interview – the same as so many others who have responded to the posting. At the same time, you realize that the same thing has been happening with most of the positions you have applied for – you send in a resume, but it seems no one is interested in your qualifications for the job.

The Problem

You may have the perfect qualification and background for the jobs posted but so do hundreds or thousands of other applicants – all of whom also bring good things to the table. For corporate goalkeepers, the sheer volume of applicants means that they can pick and choose; in a way, they have the opportunity to pick the ‘cream of the crop.’

The problem is that they may not consider you among the ‘cream’ – not because you are not qualified – but because your resume is no different in form and content to 95 percent of those submitted. You – and so many others – are using pre-determined formats, listing your credentials and achievements in the same dry, ‘professional’ manner. The result is a mass of resumes which look like a collection of good-looking clones, all offering the same thing, speaking the same language, and looking very much the same.

In other words, you projected yourself as being no different from so many others aspiring for the same position. You placed yourself with the mob, rather than established yourself as an A-List candidate worthy of further consideration.

The Solution

Find a way to stand out from the crowd. Start by clearly defining your unique management capabilities and executive advantages – and show your prospective employees how you, alone, will fit into their needs, plans and objectives.

Demonstrate your potential value to the organization. Don’t give a listing of previous accomplishments; tell them how you will make a difference and back up your statements by pointing to your past achievements as an indication that you can perform as promised.

Allow your individuality to show through. Let others fit into a mold – your objective is to break the mold, stand out from the crowd, make yourself noticeable and worthy of consideration.

Maintain this mindset when you are called in for an interview. The objective is to sell yourself – project your capabilities, abilities and experiences as the very thing that the company needs to get ahead of their competition. In the same way, you are getting ahead of your competition – focusing on what makes you eminently more valuable than anyone else.