Career planning, like everything in life, takes a little effort. To maximize the return of your investment in your BlueSteps lifetime membership, follow these ten quick steps. Remember, the more proactive you are in searching for your perfect position and working towards obtaining it, the much higher your chances of success will be.

1. Read our great tips on how to market yourself through LinkedIn and get the most out of the online networking site. Then come and join the exclusive LinkedIn group of BlueSteps executives and connect with professionals across the world.
    
2. If you have not done so already, apply for a free resume review and career consultation. Our experienced consultants will speak to you about possible improvements in your resume or job searching strategy and give you tips on increasing your chance of finding the perfect position. They will also discuss with you opportunities from Executive Career Services (ECS), which can provide full resume rewrites and career coaching.
    
3. Use our member firm directory to search for consultants specializing in your area and read our tips on how to contact them and create a relationship that could increase the number of opportunities presented to you.
    
4. Scroll through our extensive career library and read informative articles on subjects ranging from interviewing well to successfully negotiating a contract and network creation.
    
5. Browse through some of the executive opportunities listed by AESC member search firms. Not all active searches are publicized due to the highly confidential nature of some of them, but the BlueSteps opportunities directory is an invaluable way to keep in touch with how the market is developing in your sector and provides a direct opportunity to proactively express your interest to the firm conducting the search.
    
6. Sign up for an online webinar or workshop conducted by one of our very experienced and talented career coaches and learn how to maximize your job placement potential. Register here.
    
7. Make sure the only online impression you are creating is a positive one. Double check that everything that shows up in your Google search properly represents your executive brand and remove anything that does not. In addition, you may want to set up search alerts for your name via Google Alerts (while they are still available) and Mention.net, so that you can be aware of any new search results.
    
8. Update your most recent resume, cover letter and personal information. The more updated it is, the more likely it is that you will be contacted.
    
9. Check out some of our Guides and jump start your job hunting journey.
    
10. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook keep updated with the BlueSteps team and news as well as special events.

--

This article was written by Clara Widdison of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC).

About The Association of Executive Search Consultants
The Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) is the worldwide professional association for the retained executive search industry. The AESC promotes the highest professional standards in retained executive search consulting, broadens public understanding of the executive search process, and serves as an advocate for the interests of its member firms. For more information, or to download the AESC Code of Ethics and Professional Practice Guidelines, please visit www.aesc.org.

The AESC also offers www.executivesearchconnect.com, a service for the HR community offering industry information and tools to assist with senior executive recruiting, including access to the AESC membership directory.
 
About BlueSteps
BlueSteps is the exclusive service of the AESC that puts senior executives on the radar screen of over 8,000 executive search professionals in more than 75 countries. Be visible, and be considered for up to 75,000 opportunities handled by AESC search firms every year. Find out more at www.BlueSteps.com.