Skip to main content

How To Get Hired

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

Earlier this year, 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.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How To Rewire Your Mind To Build Your Adaptability Quotient

    Alec Litowitz argues that the most valuable skill of the next decade isn't IQ or even EQ (Emotional Intelligence). It's AQ: your Adaptability Quotient, the ability to question assumptions, update beliefs, and respond effectively when reality changes.   Litowitz is the author of the forthcoming book (releasing on September 15, 2026)  The Adaptability Quotient: Rewiring Your Mind For Success In The Next Human Era .   And he shares that “AQ is a learnable way of using your mind like a high-performance machine: to model risk, absorb feedback, make faster corrections, and create repeatable advantages in conditions where most people stall out—or drown.”   In short, it’s all about how to move from “making the right decision” to “making decisions right.”   “As artificial intelligence, media, and scientific advances reshape the cognitive landscape, adaptability becomes the essential discipline for reclaiming human agency,” adds Litowitz. “And a s AI resha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Leadership Quotes From John C. Maxwell's Book, Everyone Communicates Few Connect

The real gems in John C. Maxwell's book,  Everyone Communicates Few Connect , are the abundant leadership and communication quotes, such as these: To add value to others, one must first value others. People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. All good communicators get to the point before their listeners start asking, "What's the point?" The first time you say something, it's heard. The second time, it's recognized, and the third time it's learned. In the end, people are persuaded not by what we say, but by what they understand. People pay attention when something that is said connects with something they greatly desire. Maxwell also says that: Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could . The book covers five principles and five practices to help readers so they can connect one-on-one, in a group, o...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Five Critical Roles You Need To Build A Winning Team

  The new book, Team Players , by leadership expert and New York Times bestselling author, Mark Murphy , explains why a team needs more than strong leaders—it needs the right mix of five roles and talents to succeed.   In addition, Murphy reveals that the secret to extraordinary teams isn’t making everyone the same—it’s embracing and leveraging fundamental differences through those five distinct team roles. No amount of teambuilding, trust, or cohesion can overcome having the wrong mix of people in the room.   The five essential roles and talents are:   The Director assumes a leadership role within the team, guiding its direction and making important, difficult, and even unpopular decisions.   The Achiever immerses themselves in the details of accomplishing tasks and getting things done, with a keen eye for delivering error-free work.   The Stabilizer keeps the team on track with meticulous planning, processes and procedures, clear timelines, and organi...
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Overcome Four Common Challenges To Become A Better Communicator

“Raising your game as a communicator is one of the best ways to make a difference in the world, but it takes courage to open up to others and invite others to open up to you” says Michelle D. Gladieux , author of the new book, Communicate With Courage: Taking Risks To Overcome The Four Hidden Challenges .   Gladieux explains that those four hidden challenges and sneaky obstacles that can keep you from becoming the best communicator you can be are:  Hiding —Fear of exposing your supposed weaknesses. Defining —Putting too much stock into assumptions and being quick to judge. Rationalizing —Using “being realistic” to shield yourself from taking chances, engaging in conflict, or doing other scary but potentially rewarding actions. Settling —Stopping at “good enough” instead of aiming for something better in your interactions.  According to Gladieux, these challenges all have something in common. They require taking risks—to reveal yourself, question your beliefs,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lessons From CEOs On How To Start Well And Perform Quickly As The New CEO

“Walk past any airport bookstore and you’ll find countless books about what it means to be a leader or a CEO, or how to nail your first 90 days as a general executive,” says author Ty Wiggins . “What you won’t find is a book that specifically covers the challenge you face now: the CEO transition  – a period that covers your first 6–12 months in the role , which is often the most challenging and crucial time for a company and its new leader.”  Fortunately, Wiggins’ new book, The New CEO , fills that educational gap by teaching you the 10 components that make for a successful CEO transition  –    whether you are a newly announced or newly appointed CEO.   These 10 components inform the chapters within the book. “While the ideas are presented linearly, the reality is that some clearly overlap, and others may resolve only to return again,” explains Wiggins.   The 10 components are: Approaches… Getting The Message Right Act Discerningly M...
Post a Comment
Read more

Learn The Power Of Probabilistic Thinking

Dive in for a fascinating read as you discover the life-changing power of probabilistic thinking, taught by Kyle Austin Young in his book, Success Is A Numbers Game .   “Every goal that you’re pursuing has two hidden numbers attached to it—a probability of success and a probability of failure,” explains Young, “If you can make the first number bigger and the second number smaller, you can rewrite your predicted outcome.”   “Whether you’re trying to start a business, run a marathon, get a promotion, earn a pilot’s license, grow a bumper crop of tomatoes, or sign an acting deal, these two percentages are always lurking in the shadows predicting what is going to happen.”   But, adds Young, "Most of us never think about them. We assume our odds are unknowable and unchangeable. This dangerous lie leads millions of people to fail at goals where they were perfectly capable of succeeding. You can choose a smarter path,” encourages Young.   In Success is a Numbers Game , ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability .  They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Become Your Best-Self Leader Everyday

“By focusing in specific ways on five key leadership elements— Purpose, Process, People, Presence, and Peace —you can increase your time, capacity, energy, and ultimately your leadership impact,” explains Amy Jen Su , author of the book, The Leader You Want To Be: Five Essential Principles for Bringing Out Your Best Self—Every Day . Su shares both Western management thinking and Eastern philosophy to provide a holistic yet hands-on approach to becoming a more effective leader with less stress and more equanimity. She draws on rich and instructive stories of clients, leaders, artists, and athletes. And, she focuses on three foundational tenets: s elf-care, self-awareness, and personal agency . Most important, Su explores in depth, chapter-by-chapter the Five Ps : Purpose – Staying grounded in your passions and contributions, doing your highest and best work that has meaning and is making a difference. Process – Relying on daily practices and routines that honor your natural energy rhyt...
Post a Comment
Read more

Daily Intentions For Leaders

Everyone can benefit from the book, Dear Friend , which features bite-sized, daily notes for contemplation, inspiration, connection, and clarity. Busy and stressed business leaders can particularly benefit from the 365 profound, heartfelt reflections from author Michelle Maros , founder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life and cohost of the podcast, Life Happens with Barb and Michelle .   Dear Friend invites readers to go deep and use the notes as a daily practice that compounds over time, nurturing strength, resilience, and clarity.   In just a few minutes each day, this book will offer you a daily reprieve when you feel burned out, beaten down, or overwhelmed by the strains and stresses of modern life.   The heart of Dear Friend began in the quiet mornings Michelle shared with her mom, Barb. Every day, they would sit together, reading affirmations or passages from Barb’s beloved books. These small rituals—simple but powerful—set the tone for each day, grounding them in g...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Five Critical Roles You Need To Build A Winning Team

The book, Team Players , by leadership expert and New York Times bestselling author, Mark Murphy , explains why a team needs more than strong leaders—it needs the right mix of five roles and talents to succeed.   In addition, Murphy reveals that the secret to extraordinary teams isn’t making everyone the same—it’s embracing and leveraging fundamental differences through those five distinct team roles. No amount of teambuilding, trust, or cohesion can overcome having the wrong mix of people in the room.   The five essential roles and talents are :   The Director assumes a leadership role within the team, guiding its direction and making important, difficult, and even unpopular decisions.   The Achiever immerses themselves in the details of accomplishing tasks and getting things done, with a keen eye for delivering error-free work.   The Stabilizer keeps the team on track with meticulous planning, processes and procedures, clear timelines, and organization. ...
Post a Comment
Read more