A Headhunter’s 11 Strategies To Get Hired Now

Headhunter, Rob Barnett, distills everything he’s learned about getting hired into his new book, Next Job, Best Job.

His timely 11 strategies will take you from any current state of confusion about what’s next to a new destination that will become clear and achievable as you seek your next best job.

Candidly and step-by-step, with a book chapter devoted to each of the 11 strategies, Barnett teaches you how to:

Regain confidence and optimism after a job loss.
Create a focused job search game plan.
Clearly communicate your career goals (your true North Star).
Brand and market yourself with a unique resume and strategic LinkedIn profile.
Navigate and effectively incorporate social media during your job search.
Master networking.
Score a perfect 10 interview in-person and online.
Get immediate replies and callbacks.
…and then Pay it forward.

Rob Barnett

Today, Barnett answered these questions for us:

Question: Why did you write your book, Next Job, Best Job?

Barnett: We’ve all just completed a master class in survival. Life is too short to be wasted doing the wrong work or stuck between jobs on a search with no end in sight. I knew I could give people new strategies to win the work they deserve and eliminate all the ancient job search rules that no longer make sense.

Question: How has the pandemic changed the landscape for job seekers?

Barnett: There’s actually more opportunity and more flexibility in a new reality where everything that came before is being reimagined for what’s next. Remote interviews and remote employment are not temporary solutions. For many companies, all this new technology has increased productivity and become part of the new norm.

Question: How has the pandemic changed the landscape for companies that are hiring?

Barnett: At first, mass unemployment and constant cutbacks put any hiring manager in total control to drive the process. Now, with a renewed economy and countless workers deciding to resign, companies need to make the most compelling cases and competitive offers to close the best candidates.

Question: What is the best next step for the job seeker after interviewing for a job?

Barnett: The world’s best follow-up note, of course. Write back the exact same day of the interview - or first thing in the morning if your job interview was at the end of the workday. Hit the highlights in this note and restate your top selling point for why you want the job and a second interview as soon as they’re ready. Ask a thoughtful question about the business as well.

Question: What are your tips for the job seeker interviewing via Zoom or a similar platform?

Barnett: At this point, we should have all followed the essential rules of how to nail the perfect virtual video interview. Next Job, Best Job has dozens of tips. No matter how experienced you are, you’re still in the best position to get hired if you get a friend to rehearse with you for every important interview the day before the real one. Tough love through constructive feedback is invaluable.

Question: Do you believe compensation should be different for employees working remotely versus in the office and if so, why?

Barnett: It’s reasonable to reduce the highest possible compensation if a company offers you a position that’s totally remote. You save all the commuting expense. You may be living in a much more affordable location. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll save tons on all the food you buy every day.

Question: What is causing ghosting by both job seekers and hiring companies?

Barnett: This new normal is a plague I want Dr. Fauci to cure next. Ghosting is rude and unacceptable. Too many people do it because it’s become expected - but it’s still wrong. Every company and every candidate owe each other a specific, timely response about where the process stands.

Question: How does a job seeker pay it forward?

Barnett: Chapter 11 in my book is not about bankruptcy. I dedicate the chapter about paying it forward to David Bowie. “We can be heroes” when we take a minute, an hour, or more to help other job seekers get the counsel, contacts and support they need to find their next, best job. Job seekers will also get renewed energy, positivity, and a return to productivity when they devote time to any nonprofit organization hungry for their wisdom, work, and time. My constant contributions of time and work for WhyHunger.org help me put my own worries and troubles aside to end hunger for people starving right now.

Question: What tips do you have for a new employee joining a company and working remotely?

Barnett: Make time to schedule as many one-on-ones with management and co-workers as you can. And find the first available opportunity to make a safe visit to headquarters.

Question: What are a few best ways for a company to retain employees?

Barnett: You saved your easiest but most important question for the last question!

The best way to retain employees is to create a culture that’s honest, open, supportive, inclusive, inspiring, creative, rewarding, fair, transparent, communicative, positive, and clear about the mission and the expectations.

Finally, Barnett shares that the top three takeaways from his new book for the job seeker are:

1. Learn how to find your true North Star.

2. Define your professional brand to make it crystal clear who you are and why you’re a perfect fit.

3. Market, Market, Market Yourself by cresting constant value every day on social media.

Rob Barnett is a headhunter, management executive, author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. As founder of Rob Barnett Media, he has discovered, hired, and led hundreds of talented creators and executives in senior management roles at MTV, VH1, and Audible/Amazon. He was President of Programming at CBS Radio. A digital pioneer, he founded My Damn Channel, one of the first original online studios and networks. Representing diverse careers, companies, and opportunities, Rob's multi-platform content and no-nonsense approach inspires people to define and sell their best professional brand.

Thank you to the book's publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

Comments

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

The Psychology Of Leadership

I read many books about leadership and this book is one of my favorites. It’s The Psychology of Leadership by Sebastien Page . It offers a fresh take on leadership through the lens of groundbreaking research in positive, sports, and personality psychology. “Like exercise strengthens your body, practicing positive, sports, and personality psychology will make you a better leader,” says Page. The book blends research, fascinating true stories, humor, and self-improvement advice to deliver simple yet powerful principles to master the mental game of leadership. Page reveals timeless strategies for achieving lasting impact, fostering growth, and promoting well-being. He demonstrates how leaders and individuals can balance measurable goals with practical approaches to maximize performance and fulfillment. “Effective leadership is not merely about achieving measurable outcomes. It requires aligning goals with intrinsic motivations and psychological ins...

How to Be a Leader – 9 Principles from Dale Carnegie

Today, I welcome thought-leader Nathan Magnuson as guest blogger... Nathan writes : This is it, your first day in a formal leadership role. You’ve worked hard as an individual contributor at one or possibly several organizations. Now management has finally seen fit to promote you into a position as one of their own: a supervisor. You don’t care if your new team is only one person or ten, you’re just excited that now – finally – you will be in charge! Unfortunately the euphoria is short-lived. Almost immediately, you are not only overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a team, but you quickly find that your team members are not as experienced or adroit as you. Some aren’t even as committed. You find yourself having to repeat yourself, send their work back for corrections, and staying late to fill the gap. If something doesn’t change soon, you might just run yourself into the ground. How did something that looked so easy ...

70 New Year's Resolutions For Leaders

With 2026 fast approaching, it's a good time to identify your New Year's Resolutions for next year. To get you started, how about selecting one or more of the following 70 New Year's resolutions for leaders? Perhaps write down five to ten and then between now and January 1, think about which couple you want to work on during 2026. Don't micromanage Don't be a bottleneck Focus on outcomes, not minutiae Build trust with your colleagues before a crisis comes Assess your company's strengths and weaknesses at all times Conduct annual risk reviews Be courageous, quick and fair Talk more about values more than rules Reward how a performance is achieved and not only the performance Constantly challenge your team to do better Celebrate your employees' successes, not your own Err on the side of taking action Communicate clearly and often Be visible Eliminate the cause of a mistake View every problem as an opportunity to grow Summarize group consensus after each deci...

How To Uncover Your Blindspots To Become A More Effective Leader

What you don't see about yourself can hold you back as a leader. That's typical for many leaders. What we don't see is what we can't see: we have blindspots . Your blindspots prevent you from achieving your greatest success. “It turns out that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems,” explains Martin Dubin , author of the book, Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back As A Leader . “Bottom line: until we uncover these blindspots, we can't move forward. The good news is that you can learn to do your own blindspotting .” “Most of us understand the idea of blindspots in a general sense—areas we can’t see, to take the term most literally, or places we have gaps that we may not even realize, to be a little more abstract,” says Dubin. “But in the context of this book, I’m defining blindspots quite specifically: They are the...

The Many Times You Should Thank Customers

In your leadership role, it's vital that your team members know how to deliver excellent customer service. " Knock Your Socks Off " type service as book editor Ann Thomas and Jill Applegate would say. Part of delivering excellent customer service is saying "Thank You" to your customers and knowing when to say "Thank You". Thomas and Applegate recommend telling your customers "Thank You" during at least these nine situations : When they do business with you...every time. When they compliment you (or your company) When they offer you comments or suggestions When they try one of your new products or services When they recommend you to a friend When they are patient...and even when they are not so patient When they help you to serve them better When they complain to you When they make you smile You and your team members can say "Thank You" : Verbally In writing (and don't underestimate the power of perso...

How To Harness The Power Of Experiential Intelligence

“Experiential Intelligence provides a new lens from which to view what makes you, you—and what makes your team and organization unique,” says Soren Kaplan , author of the book, Experiential Intelligence . Kaplan explains that over 100 years ago, we established IQ (Intelligence Quotient) to predict success. Then we explored Emotional Intelligence (EQ), the theory of multiple intelligences, and mindsets that broaden the definition of smarts. “Today, Experiential Intelligence ( XQ ) expands our understanding of what's needed to thrive in a disruptive world. While you can't change the past, your unique experiences and stories contain hidden strengths and untapped potential for the future,” explains Kaplan. Experiential Intelligence is the combination of mindsets, abilities, and know-how gained from your unique life experiences that empowers you to achieve your goals. It allows you to get in touch with the accumulated wisdom and talents you have ga...

Leadership Lessons From A Serial Entrepreneur

Brad Jacobs’ new book provides you a treasure trove of leadership lessons from a man with more than four decades of CEO and serial entrepreneur experience. So, even if you don’t envision yourself wanting to earn a billion dollars, don’t pass up reading Jacob’s, How To Make A Few Billion Dollars . In the book, Jacobs defines the mindset that drives his remarkable success in corporate America – and distills a lifetime of business brilliance into a tactical road map. And he shares his techniques for: Turning a healthy fear of failure to your advantage. Building an outrageously talented team. Catalyzing electric meetings. Transforming a company into a superorganism that beats the competition. “This book is about what I’ve learned from my blunders, and how you can replicate our successes,” says Jacobs. He shares his candid account of the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Jacobs has founded seven billion-dollar or multibillion-dollar businesse...

6 Ways To Seek Feedback To Improve Your Performance In The Workplace

Getting feedback is an important way to improve performance at work. But sometimes, it can be hard to seek out, and even harder to hear. “Feedback is all around you. Your job is to find it, both through asking directly and observing it,” says David L. Van Rooy, author of the new book, Trajectory: 7 Career Strategies to Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be . As today's guest post, Van Rooy offers these six tips for how to get the feedback you need to improve performance at work . Guest Post By David L. Van Rooy 1. Don’t forget to as k : One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming things are going perfectly (until they make a catastrophic mistake). By not asking, you’re missing out on opportunities for deep feedback: the difficult, critical feedback that gives you constructive ways to improve. 2. Make sure you listen : Remember, getting fee...

7 Honest-Feedback-Extracting-Questions To Ask When Hiring

Awhile ago, the Harvard Business Review published some great questions that Gilt Groupe CEO Kevin Ryan asks when he is checking references. Ryan serves on the board of Yale Corporation, Human Rights Watch, and INSEAD , and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A from INSEAD. His main seven honest-feedback-extracting-questions (and follow-ups) are: Would you hire this person again? If so, why and in what capacity? If not, why not? How would you describe the candidate's ability to innovate, manage, lead, deal with ambiguity, get things done and influence others? What were some of the best things this person accomplished? What could he or she have done better? In what type of culture, environment, and role can you see this person excelling? In what type of role is he or she unlikely to be successful? Would you describe the candidate as a leader, a ...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog