Demonstrate adaptability
According to some recruiters, adaptability is not a quality that sticks to the skin of seniors. Wrongly according to Francois Humbert, at least if they have changed position and, even better, company during their career. ” Having accumulated several years of experience means having encountered situations that are sometimes very different, and therefore having been able to adapt to the contexts “, he recalls. Given the threats (health, economic, social, environmental, etc.) hovering above our heads, this notion of adaptability in the face of hazards and even adversity in the face of previous crises (subprime crisis, explosion of Internet bubble, Covid-19, etc. is therefore very important to highlight during a job search. ” Provided you succeed in explaining how they managed to get through these crises and what they learned as lessons concludes Emmanuel Stanislas.
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Target in priority SMEs and ETIs that are restarting
Covid-19 has impacted business sectors differently. According to a Dares study of May 2020, the sectors most affected are accommodation, catering, the manufacture of transport equipment and construction. Conversely, the agri-food, IT, energy, auditing and insurance sectors continue to provide jobs. If they want to maximize their chances of getting a job, seniors therefore have every interest in focusing on sectors that are picking up. In the same way, ” it is more strategic to turn to SMEs and ETIs rather than to large groups, who will massively turn to internal mobility “, valued Florence Saubatte. Finally, due to already fierce competition, ” Retraining in consulting will not be as easy as before, unless you have an excellent financial base “, she warns. ” Wage portage, already favored by a large proportion of seniors, can make it possible to establish exchanges with companies. This device constitutes a transition before bouncing towards other types of contract “, also underlines Roland GomezManaging Director of the Proman Group.
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Expand its geographical scope
The health crisis has given impetus to telework. Now that companies have experimented with the practice on a large scale, it is to be assumed that teleworking will be more easily accepted on a daily basis. For Emmanuel Stanislas, founder of the recruitment firm Clémentine, seniors even have a head start. ” When implementing telecommuting, companies trust seniors more than juniors, whom they believe should be supervised “, he confides. “Senior managers can capitalize on this new work organization and launch their job searches no longer locally, but across their region. “, valued Florence Saubatte. In order not to frighten recruiters, the CV and cover letter must however be adapted to any geographical distance. ” Seniors looking for local management positions can enhance their ability to manage a team remotely, their mastery of collaborative tools, their sensitivity to health and safety at work,” illustrated Florence Saubatte.
Boost your visibility on professional networks
There are of course exceptions. But senior executives are generally less active than their junior counterparts on professional social networks. ” Managers and executives who participate in Comex and Codir are not very active on LinkedIn or Viadeo. Valuing yourself digitally is not something innate for these job seekers. However, in this complex period, supporting your skills, updating your profile summary, expanding your network, soliciting recommendations and relaying publications is a good strategy. So-called “static” profiles do not attract recruiters “, Explain Florence Saubatte, director of Altitud RH. Since the primary purpose of professional social networks is to create links, getting in touch with company and firm recruiters, but also with operational managers is a first step that will be very much appreciated.
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Lower your salary expectations
We are not going to lie to each other: reviewing, downwards, his level of remuneration will work in favor of senior executives in the coming months. Why ? “Because it is mainly for cost issues that companies, especially large groups, separate themselves from seniors and favor juniors, regret Francois Humbertdirector of the cabinet Senior Executives Consulting. Reduce your claims by 20% or even 25% can therefore allow experienced executives to land more opportunities, especially in the post-Covid period “, he adds. It’s cash but that’s what he’s seeing right now: ” Seniors had a hard time realizing that HR budgets have stretched over the years and that companies turn more easily to efficient and inexpensive people. His advice is therefore to study the remuneration packages in a global way, certain benefits in kind being able to compensate for a less attractive remuneration.
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Request a skills assessment
Now that the skills assessment can be financed thanks to the hours accumulated under the Personal Training Account (CPF), seniors on the sidelines or those who are preparing to live on a social plan have every interest in looking into it. ” In particular, they will learn how to write a CV adapted to the current spectrum,” highlighted Florence Saubatte. But not only. ” Seniors who have 20 years of experience have never had the opportunity to ask themselves questions such as: “What am I good at?” », « What work environment stimulates me? », « What type of management neutralizes me? “. It is however very constructive to take stock of these subjects, by means of a skills assessment. Especially since these are questions that will be asked of them in a recruitment interview. “, Explain Emmanuel Stanislas.
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First published: 12/6/2020. Updated: 26/10/2022.