Dear Abby

DEAR ABBY: I’m now looking for a job at the controller, director, vp, cfo level, and it’s going much slower than I expected – any thoughts or advice?

Why High-Level Job Searches Take Longer

I’ve been having this conversation with quite a few of my higher-level job seekers and team members at Prospex Recruiting! The job search generally feels different at different levels of your career. SO MUCH of the higher-level search is timing dependent and can (not always) take longer than what you may have initially expected.

Think about it – most organizations have a triangle hierarchy with only 1 CFO/VP/Controller to multiple staff underneath them. Because of this, there are more available roles at the entry-to-mid level. Those professionals then continue to rise and climb the corporate ladder, and there becomes more competition for the higher-level roles in the market. These roles have the widest range of applicants ranging from the up-and-comer, to a lateral move, to experienced CFOs. At these higher comp roles, hiring managers are usually more particular on specific skillsets and experiences they want in a candidate.

How to Stand Out as a High-Level Candidate

So…WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SEPARATE YOURSELF as a candidate??

🐮 Update your LinkedIn profile to make yourself easy to find! Have good detail on your roles, software you’ve worked with and proficiency, implementation experience, industry experience, PE/VC-backed company experience…anything that highlights you as a professional!! Also – make sure you have an updated picture on your profile.

🐮 Ensure your LinkedIn and resume align and include your most relevant experience in both!

🐮 Respond promptly to hiring managers or recruiters. When our team reaches out about a role, we are generally sending candidates to a company that day. A delay in your response can cause you to miss the opportunity.

🐮 Network strategically. Connect with people at the company and check if you have mutual connections who can vouch for you. (Prospex Recruiting comes in clutch with our strong network!!)

Managing Expectations and Staying Positive

🐮 Be patient. When a search takes longer than expected, it can feel deflating. Understanding that this level takes time can help you stay mentally positive in your search.

🐮 Consider the time of year.

• Q1: YE and audits can slow things down.
• Q2: End-of-school activities, graduations, and early summer vacations may delay hiring processes.
• Q3: Generally a good time for hiring as summer winds down.
• Q4: The holidays can slow things, but there are still great opportunities each quarter.

Pay attention to seasonal external factors that may impact hiring timelines and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Thanks for Reading!

This was lengthy…but hopefully helpful! What else have you found helpful in your advanced-level searches?

Reach out to anyone on our team to discuss current hiring trends and how we at Prospex Recruiting can help in your search!!

DEAR ABBY: How do I tell if the culture of a company is right for me? Things have seemed good in the interview and I get in and it’s toxic! HELP!!

Why Culture Fit Matters

Anyone that has ever hired, worked at a company, or applied at a company (this should cast a pretty wide net) can attest that finding the right culture fit is just as important as finding the right skillset/right position.

Defining Your Ideal Culture

Culture means something different to everyone. Culture isn’t just ping pong tables and fully stocked break rooms (although those don’t hurt to have). First thing you need to do is define what you want in a culture. This is YOUR job search after all – make sure that what you are looking for is what YOU want!

Do Your Research

Research the company, read reviews, read whatever you can find. I always take reviews with a grain of salt (someone’s bad could be fine for you and visa versa), but I do like to use them to ask questions and make sure I feel comfortable with the responses. What is the company doing to remedy bad reviews? Are there consistent positive reviews??

Leverage Your Network

Use your network. Getting feedback from trusted sources that know you can be really helpful as you’re evaluating a company.

Observe During Interviews

Try to meet with more than one person at a company during your interview. You may get along great with one person but clash with another. Get a feel of how people interact with each other as you’re walking through the office. Observe the environment of the office. What is the overall energy of the company? How do the employees talk to each other? Take all of these in and assess if they align with what you’re looking for to find the best level of fulfillment in your position!

Ask the Right Questions

Ask the leaders and employees to describe the company culture during the interview. Get their perspective on their experience and see if the leadership and employees’ viewpoints match. Does this align with what you want?

Got Questions? Contact Prospex Recruiting Today

There is no good or bad – there is right for you and not right for you. What have you done to assess if a culture is right for you?? Anything else to add to this?

Reach out to anyone on our Prospex Recruiting team to help you through the process and ensure you’re making the best move for you. Our team hears a lot about a lot of different companies – we can walk through any concerns with you to help you make the best choice!

ALSO – I am grateful for our phenomenal team here at Prospex and everything each person does to make the culture such a fun, productive, caring, and encouraging place to be every day!

DEAR ABBY: I have an offer with an awesome company but the title is below my current title – am I ruining my resume??

Why Titles Can Be Misleading

I’ve gotten this question quite a bit recently and my answer, as it often is, is it depends. Titles are so nebulous – a Controller at one company could be equivalent to a Sr. Accountant at another company and an Assistant Controller at one company could be the same as a CFO at another.

Factors to Consider Beyond the Title

So much goes into just a title. I always take into consideration the size of the company, the size of the team, where this position is in relation to the executive it funnels up to, long-term growth for the company and the specific role, etc.

Take a look at where you want to be in the next 5 years and does this give you the right starting point to get there. I never want someone to title chase and I never want someone to dollar chase. I want someone to make their next career move based on the factors that go beyond the title. Companies will have different naming conventions depending on their size, industry, functional roles, etc.

How to Address Title Changes on Your Resume

One way to highlight this on a resume (we want to be proactive in answering any potential question marks on a resume!!) is to put the company name and then have a brief sentence that describes the company size, revenues, industry, etc. (i.e. Controller for a $5mm company with a team of 1 transitioning to an Assistant controller at a $250mm company with a team of 4).

Got Questions? Contact Prospex Recruiting Today

In short, it won’t kill your resume by taking a lesser title, just make sure the opportunity itself fits what you are looking for as the next step in your career! If you like the people, you like what you’re doing, and money makes sense – you can’t make a bad choice!!

Have you ever made a transition for a lesser title? How did it turn out? What were your factors in making the decision??

Feel free to reach out to anyone here at Prospex Recruiting if you want to talk through an offer or your interview process in general!

PROSPEX FAM:

• Amelia Graviet
• Talisha Jones
• Bracken Higginson
• Maloree Johnson
• Whitney Jaques
• Maria Battista Foxley
• Lauren Hedin
• Zach Truman
• Josh Roberts
• Nicole Ehlers

Dear Abby: I haven’t written a resume in years and I need HELP! or I’ve sent my resume to more places than there are Swifties with no response – HELP!

Don’t worry, I got you. Here are some tips that get the best response from hiring managers:

The Basics of a Great Resume

Key Resume Tips

1. Chronological Format > Functional Format. I want to know what you did, when you did it, and where you did it.
2. 👍 bullet points, 👎 paragraphs. If a hiring manager is thumbing through 50+ resumes, make sure your content is as digestible as possible. I’m fine with a 1-2 descriptive sentence detailing the size of company, etc., but concise bullet points are easier to consume.
3. Bullet Points – Have a good mix of key accomplishments and daily responsibilities, either separated out with the respective headers or mixed together…your personal preference. The more quantifiable and objective details, the better: revenue generating/expense saving initiatives, reducing ME close X amount of days, presidents club, % achievement of quotas, etc.
4. Outline/Header Format – This is my favorite view to construct your resume. This can show longevity, progression, and highlights of what you did at each role. If you’ve had more than one position at the same company, start with the name of the company as the master header with the total years you’ve been there. Under the master heading, your secondary heading is the most recent title you held, the dates/years you held it, with bullet points under that; then your next secondary heading with the next most recent title, dates, bullet points; so on and so forth!

Highlighting Your Skills and Achievements

5. Section for Technology, Certifications, Skillsets. Show the level you’re at as much as you can, i.e., Excel (v-lookups, Macros, Pivot Tables). Include all softwares and ERPs. You can list out general responsibilities like Cost Accounting, Budgeting, Forecasting, etc. Be as objective as you can. I don’t care as much about “hard working, detail oriented, etc.” because those are so subjective. Show that with your accomplishments in your bullet points.
6. Less is more – save a little for the interview! Keep your resume 1-2 pages with the top highlights.
7. Add more details under your most recent positions. What you’ve done in the last 5 years is much more relevant than what you did 15 years ago. All of it is important, but I want to know what your recent experiences have been!
8. If you have any certifications, list them after your name. This starts the review of your resume on an optimistic note!
9. I’m indifferent about an Objective or Interest section. To me, the objective is implied by applying to any position. I’d rather take that space to add more details about what you’ve done.
10. If you have less than a 3.8 GPA, leave it off the resume. 🙂

Need Help? We’ve Got You Covered

If you want help or a review of your resume, reach out to our Prospex Recruiting team!!

Need help?? Reach out to anyone on the Prospex Recruiting team to review your resume and LinkedIn profile and ensure you’re presenting your best on-paper self.

• Amelia Graviet
• Talisha Jones
• Bracken Higginson
• Maloree Johnson
• Whitney Jaques
• Maria Battista Foxley
• Lauren Hedin
• Josh Roberts
• Zach Truman
• Nicole Ehlers

DEAR ABBY: Is the art of a Thank You Note dead?? Should I still send one? Should I send one after each interview if there are multiple rounds?? If I’m not interested in the position, should I still send a Thank You?

Call me old fashioned but…ALWAYS SEND A THANK YOU!! I love a Thank You after each round. I have never seen anyone get disqualified because they were too gracious.

I have had multiple hiring managers tell me they will not hire someone if they don’t send a Thank You.

An email works great! I have seen people do hand-delivered notes but I definitely don’t think that is necessary. If it is a group interview then you can either do a combined Thank You or you can personalize each one – I think either gets the intent across!

A Few Pointers:

1. Highlight a few things that you spoke about in the interview to make sure it’s personalized
2. If you have any additional questions, this is a great place to ask
3. Reinforce how your background is relevant for the position
4. Assuming you’re interested in moving forward, let them know and ask for next steps
5. If you aren’t interested in moving forward, thank them for their time and let them know that you are pursuing other opportunities at this time but would love to stay connected

Contact the Pros at Prospex Recruiting Today!

What has been your experience with Thank You’s? What extra tips do you have? Love hearing from you!!

Reach out to anyone on our Prospex Recruiting team for help or to review a thank you.

• Nicole Ehlers
• Maloree Johnson
• Zach Truman
• Amelia Graviet
• Maria Battista Foxley
• Lauren Hedin
• Whitney Jaques
• Talisha Jones
• Bracken Higginson
• Josh Roberts