A successful six figure job search requires planning and the use of skills that often need to be practiced and tuned to be truly effective. To prepare for your search start with your resume...

1.WORK ON YOUR RESUME
Most people work on their resumes only when forced to. Make the time now to update first your resume data. Second, try and capture your projects and accomplishments since the last time you did this. Don’t make a huge production of it. Just get it done.

2.ASSESS YOUR SITUATION
What is the state of your industry, organization, and your position today? DO NOT automatically assume that you are immune to unpleasant or surprise changes. What can and should you do about it?

3.WRITE YOUR BIO
Writing your one-page bio is a hugely valuable exercise. Here’s why. A good bio pulls everything you’ve done to describe WHO you are and WHAT you are about in a consistent theme. The act of writing it makes you much more self-aware about your career, which helps in your planning. A bio is another tool you can use to market your personal brand. You can readily send it to someone as an introduction to yourself without sending the signals that accompany a resume. Traditionally, bio’s have been reserved for the very senior and for public speakers. Ignore that. Write your bio. Have fun with it. And, learn. (Hint: A great way of thinking about life chapters and what’s next.)

4.ENSURE YOUR PROFILE IS COMPLETE ON HIGHERBRACKET.CA
Can you be found? The easiest way to answer yes to that question, is to ensure your profile is complete and in front of the right people. The confidentiality built into HigherBracket's profile engine ensures that your current employer will not be able to see your resume so you can conduct an effective search while still employed.

5.CULTIVATE YOUR REFERENCES
Good references will probably be there for you when you need them, but it is wise to not take them for granted. Renew your list. Make sure you have their up to date contact information. Re-acquaint, if appropriate. Can you help them with something? Remember, that you will need some of them 10+ years from now.

6.CULTIVATE YOUR POWER NETWORK
The best time to get a loan from the bank is when you don’t need the money. Work on those relationships in a mutually beneficial way.

7.CULTIVATE THE RIGHT RECRUITERS
Understand that the world is full of good and bad recruiters. Developing a relationship with the good ones is a very smart career move indeed. Putting aside their obvious access to interesting jobs, they can provide rare market data and feedback. Moreover, as true people & relationship collectors, smart recruiters can be an awesome source of introductions into new, interesting and powerful circles. I will discuss this more at a later date.

8.LOGISTICS
Use a private email address for this kind of correspondence. Save your resume, bio, reference document and others in an easily accessible, secure e-folder. Have them in multiple formats (Word or WP, text, and html) so that you aren’t forced to convert at the last minute.

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Ian Christie is president of BoldCareer.com, a Vancouver-based career services firm focused on assisting managers, executives and other professionals with career coaching, job search and career marketing, resume writing, interview prep and career change.
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