The Challenge: 2 months into my job search, despite a killer resume and a record history of smashing sales quotas as well as solid references, getting interviews feels like a Wonder Woman task. Why? Even with glowing references and a stellar track record, doors could certainly open wider.
The "Laid Off" Stigma: Case in point, a near-miss with a Norwegian company for a Global Sales Leader role. Everything was green-lit until they learned I was laid off. Suddenly, my stock plummeted. I am now considering whether to start lying when companies ask about the lay off, I mean, seriously?
The Layoff Wave: Europe is now surfing the same layoff wave the US faced in March. Result? A flood of applications everywhere. Standing out in this deluge is tougher than ever. One has to be extremely creative.
Networking Nuances: Leveraging contacts, reaching out to VPs and Sales Directors and hiring managers as well as recruiters sometimes leads to interviews, but it's a hit-or-miss strategy.
The Branding Imperative: A flawless CV and LinkedIn profile aren’t cutting it anymore. The big question: How to break through the noise? There is a huge need for branding right now. I am still thinking how to crack this egg and I am to figure out a way to stand out.
Cultural Connections: In Scandinavia and the DACH region, who you know is all that matters. As an international talent, I need extra creativity to bridge this gap.
Diversity Dilemma: Colour and gender plays a critical role, Scandinavia is extremely white and they prefer to hire talents who look like their family members, speak like their family members and eat like their family members. There is no room yet to be unique or special and this is a standard quo in various tech companies here who claim to be open, have all the international stamps and colours but really, they are xenophobic at the core; regardless of your experience or talent, if you don´t fit the profile in their head they´ll be afraid of hiring you. With the exception organisations, who tend to be open and hire for diversity, those are rare but those are the ones I am after. In Germany and Netherlands I noticed a lot more companies are hiring for diversity, unlike in Scandinavia.
I'm still on the lookout for those rare organizations that value diversity and align with my values...
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