For those entering a period of transition, now is the time to build a strategic action plan to make sure that this time is used wisely, to carefully re-evaluate your career and prepare for the future, rather than to panic about what lies ahead.
 
By following the simple steps below, you can utilize your time in transition to achieve your new professional goals with timely success.
 
Here Are 5 Simple Steps to Use During Your Executive Transition:
 
1. Prepare: If you have been given notice that a period of transition is approaching, make sure that you make the best of this time to plan ahead. Review your professional achievements and make a careful list of connections that may be of use to you in the future. You should also take time to prepare your finances, and even complete further education, during this time. Always think about your executive job search in the long term. You should even start to prepare before there are any signs of an approaching transition.

2. Highlighting Your Strengths: Now is the time to make sure that your executive resume, LinkedIn and other professional accoutrements are up-to-date and effectively written. You must use this time to perfect your brand, before you can sell it.

3. The Hybrid Resume: If you have been in-transition for a significant period, why not take advantage of the hybrid resume? Unlike chronological resumes, which many now believe is an out-of-date method, hybrid resumes place achievements in order of importance. This will highlight your attributes more effectively, while also making your time in-transition less apparent to the reader.

4. Consider Age: Despite the advances made in the hiring process, due to various age discrimination laws, age discrimination does still occur occasionally. To avoid age being an issue, you are under no obligation to include the date of your high school or university graduation in your executive resume, so many executives choose to leave this information off this document.

5. Project Positivity, Not Panic: Executive career transition can be a great opportunity to change direction, so don’t panic. Make sure that you stay positive and avoid negatively discussing your previous experiences, especially during interviews. People respond better to those who convey a positive image. And, by leaving on good terms with your prior employers, you are able to make use of those connections later in your search.

Career transitions can be a challenging time for any executive, but by sticking to the steps above, and by keeping your firm career goals in mind, you can significantly shorten the amount of time you are in-transition. If you would like to hear more tips for executives in-transition from a leading career expert and coach, download the podcast recording of our recent BlueSteps webinar, How to Achieve Career Transition Success, which took place on Wednesday, August 13, 2014. To view this recording and the full BlueSteps Podcast Library, log in or join BlueSteps today!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 over 90,000 opportunities handled by AESC search firms every year. Find out more at www.BlueSteps.com.