In a survey of senior executives, “respondents rated ‘leading and maintaining talent in challenging economic conditions’ as a key career-related concern for 2012,” according to BlueSteps president Peter Felix.

Who would think there’s a talent shortage given the state of the economy and high unemployment rates! Yet it’s something we keep hearing about – the need to find the right person with the right capabilities to lead through challenging times.

The lessons for executive job seekers:

• Understand your value. What do you do really well? Make sure you communicate that unique value in your resume, LinkedIn profile, networking messages, interviews, etc.
• Be confident. Companies need you, companies want you, companies will pay you well for your ability to make them thrive.
• Be specific. If you have a certain area of expertise or deep experience in a specific industry, position yourself as a specialist, not a generalist. It’s easier to rise to the top in a small field, where you’re not one of thousands with more general skills and knowledge.

Key takeaways from the National Resume Writers’ Conference I attended last week in lovely Portland, Maine:

• The resume is just the beginning. We talked a lot about resumes – but just as much about LinkedIn profiles, online visibility and social networking, personal branding, and ways to beat the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that are used by just about every employer.
• It’s never too late to learn. I enjoyed seeing how some very talented colleagues gather information from clients and write powerful executive resumes. And yes, this old dog learned a few new tricks!
• Shorter, tighter, crisper, sharper … This is my new mantra. I need constantly to strive to say more with less, cut the clutter, and get to the heart of the matter.
• Industry rejuvenation. It was great to meet so many up-and-comers in our industry! I’ve been around “forever” and known many of my colleagues for 10, 15, or 20 years. It’s lovely to have those long-time relationships, of course, but I was jazzed by seeing the energetic newcomers.

Now, back to work …

The son of our good friends just started a wonderful job at a great company, and we feel GREAT! Why? Because we helped him out, just a bit.

I use the royal “we” because actually my husband did the helping – first recommending him for an interview, then providing interview tips, company information, and general guidance to this young engineer. And when the job offer came through, we were almost as thrilled as our friends!

All of this makes me think about the networking cycle. Good networking means giving when you can, asking when you need help. And the interesting thing about it is that it feels so good to be on the giving side!

So often job seekers who are urged to “network” are very hesitant about asking for help. They don’t want to be a pest or burden … they don’t want to pressure their friends and relatives into doing something … they think they should get by on their own. Yet, when you flip it around and think about how good it feels to give, your whole perspective will change!

In fact, consider it a gift to allow your friends to help you. (Think about how you’d feel if the circumstances were reversed and I’m sure you’ll agree.) Then make it easy for them by being specific about what you want, asking only for what they can give, and following through on their suggestions.

When you land that new job, your friends will be share your joy and feel wonderful about being able to help. Trust me, I know!

When potential employers, recruiters, and contacts Google you, what do they find? You’d better know, and it had better be good, relevant, on-brand, and supportive of your long-term career and current job search goals.

And yes, you had better be on LinkedIn – the #1 online professional networking site, also known as “the recruiter’s passive candidate database.” In other words, the information you list about yourself on LinkedIn can cause a recruiter to find you (via a keyword search) and possibly contact you for an opportunity or a referral. Conversely, not having enough information or the right information will mean you are indistinguishable in the sea of millions of other professionals on LinkedIn.

If you’re not confident your LinkedIn profile represents you powerfully and professionally, you can learn how to do a better job through this webcast I  designed for career professionals. Tap into my “insider secrets” to create your own winning profile!

Of course, just being on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you’re taking advantage of all of its capabilities. Here are two excellent resources from expert Jason Alba – a webinar and a self-paced DVD.

Excellent story in the Wall Street Journal about being truthful on your resume. (I am always thrilled to be quoted!)

Key point: Don’t lie.

My take: Most people distort the truth because they are insecure about their credentials, scared they won’t get a job, and convinced every other candidate has a perfect slate of qualifications.

Solution: Really believe in your own value! Know what you’ve done, what you have to offer, and how you will benefit your next employer. If you do have a challenging issue – e.g., no college degree, large gaps in employment, desire to change industries or change careers – accept the fact that traditional applications (online postings) are not the way to go. Focus on networking, personal contacts, targeted search. Make your case with power and passion! The credentials (or lack thereof) take a back seat to the knowledge, value, and insight you offer.

#1, get promoted within your company.
#2, get referred to someone at your target company.

Surprising? I think not. The 9th annual “Sources of Hire” report from CareerXRoads reinforces what most of us have known to be true just as long as people have been hiring people. And in the past recession year, when external hiring was down, more than half of new hires (51%) at the companies surveyed came from their internal ranks.

I was fascinated to see the comparison between 2009 and some findings from 1997. Of most interest to me was that – even in an age of job boards and ubiquitous online postings – the percentage of hires from referrals jumped from 19.7% in 1997 to 26.7% in 2009!

For job seekers, the implications are clear:

• Minimize reliance on online postings.
• Ramp up your network and ask for referrals to your target companies.
• Once hired, be alert to upward mobility within your new company.

Unfortunately, there is no “magic bullet” for job search. It requires lots of time and hard, slogging work. If you’re among the many who have “never had to look for a job before,” count your blessings from the past and invest the time, effort, and energy needed when you DO have to look for a job.
And read the report – it’s a fascinating look into the good, the bad, and the ugly of internal recruitment/hiring.

I had a lovely evening last night at the Boston Symphony. (Thanks, UBS and Mike Haynes!) I was fortunate to be able to hear a brief, informal talk by one of the orchestra’s bass players, Ben Levy, in addition to an outstanding pre-concert talk about the night’s program.

Here are some interesting takeaways that relate to my favorite subject of career management:

• Passion sells! The woman who gave the pre-concert talk was so enthusiastic about her subject, so enthralled with the composers and their stories, that we in the audience couldn’t help but be swept up in her enthusiasm. When you’re talking to people about your job search, what you love to do, the kinds of opportunities you’re seeking, or the challenges of a particular job you’re interviewing for, be sure to show your knowledge, passion, and energy.
• Competition is fierce. As a “top 5″ national orchestra, and representing a steady gig for often itinerant musicians, Boston draws a huge applicant pool when a (rare) opening occurs. Just to get a live audition you have to beat out hundreds of other applicants sending in tapes, and the audition is a grueling two-day process that requires you to perform at your very best. I was fascinated to learn that the auditions are “blind” – candidates perform behind a screen, and the judging panel doesn’t know anything about age, appearance, gender, race, or any other factor that might influence their judgment. The decisions are based entirely on performance – a perfect example of Nick Corcodilos/Ask the Headhunter‘s sage advice to “to the job in the interview.”
• Teamwork is everything. An orchestra is a team in perfect unison – each musician and instrument does something different, yet it all comes together into a harmonious whole. Yo-Yo Ma, one of the world’s most celebrated cellists, first wowed the audience with his lead performance in a Cello Concerto. His style is unique, and his cello made sounds that were nothing like any of the other instruments in the orchestra. Then, in the night’s final piece, Mr. Ma joined the cello section of the orchestra and blended flawlessly with the rest of the instruments during Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony. It was a brilliant finish to the evening.

Did I mention that Symphony Hall was sold out? Not bad for a freezing midweek night in January.

A Conference Board survey of 5000 American workers reveals that only 45% are satisfied with their jobs, and all categories and ages of workers show downward trends. These findings are a red flag to employers, who (if they’re smart) will be stepping up their efforts to engage their workforce, ensure new hires are a great fit with the job/company/culture, and find what really works to motivate and delight employees.

But I wonder if this report reveals an even more significant trend about how we view work and career. Once, work was just that – work we did, jobs we held to put food on the table and support our families. A hundred years ago, there was little notion of having a “career” or finding work that fulfilled our personal aspirations. If people were lucky, they found something they liked and were good at. But now there is much societal pressure on people to find meaningful work … to align our personal values with the work we do … to identify our greatest passions and fulfill them through our work.

Perhaps some of this pressure is due to the huge amounts of time and energy we pour into our work. The 9-to-5 is long gone for many people, and if you’re working 8-to-8 you’d better love what you’re doing! And in a culture where coaching has become commonplace and there is enormous emphasis on finding work that fulfills us, it’s easy to feel dissatisfied when our jobs don’t meet these very lofty societal goals.

So maybe workers need to cut themselves some slack – not expect to find total joy and fulfillment at work (at least not every day) – as long as there are pockets of satisfaction and an underlying belief that your work is worthwhile.

Nothing like hearing it from the horse’s mouth … or, in the case of job search, the recruiter’s.

I am impressed by the clarity, consistency, and honesty of these 100 tips shared by recruiters from EMC Corp. It’s a quick read but packed full of spot-on advice along with real recruiting stories (both horrifying and heartwarming).

Boiled down even further, the advice is simple yet profound: Know yourself, know your value to the company, be prepared. Never forget that job search is all about marketing and sales. Be passionate, curious, engaged, honest, sincere. Keep a positive attitude during what can be a long and frustrating process. Network!

And … have a great resume. If yours doesn’t showcase your skills, value, and successes, you’ll never get the chance to wow them in the interview.

I am very excited about story-telling techniques I learned at a workshop in New York on Saturday. Stories have an unmatched power to convey meaning and connect with an audience and are the very best way for job candidates to communicate their uniqueness and value.

What’s more, when you think about “universal” experiences – experiences that many people can relate to on personal level (emigrating to a new country, giving birth, surviving high school, choosing a career) – each experience is unique in its own way. Telling the story of your “universal” experience not only allows you to express your uniqueness, it connects deeply with your listenener who will tap into his or her own similar (but not identical) experience. I’m not suggesting that you discuss your birth experience or high school days during your executive interview, but do look for opportunities to share personal stories (as appropriate) and entice the interviewer to do the same.

For several years I’ve been using the “Tell Your Story” tagline for my business, representing my passion for helping my clients communicate their uniqueness in a way that is meaningful for their audience and helpful for their careers. The workshop I attended validated my approach and gave me some deeper insights and new tools to apply in my interview coaching sessions. And, I hope to wow them from the podium at my next presentation!