A dragging executive job search isn’t the end of the world, it just means that you may have to light a fire – better yet, a towering inferno – under your own you-know-what. By using your creativity and motivation to change what you’re doing, you’ll greatly improve your executive job search almost instantaneously.

After years as an executive, you may have a healthy list of contacts to connect with as you seek job opportunities. But if your job search has so far led you to brick walls, it may be time to expand your contact list. LinkedIn and ZoomInfo are great web resources that can help you expand your list by contacting millions of professionals from every field of work and industry.

Broaden Your Contact Scope

So what do you say in your “p.s.”? You may take a chance and namedrop. Use some subtlety and engage the hiring manager’s interest with something like “Contact me to find out why Dr. Ted Stephens from Harvard supplied his personal recommendation.” You might just want to add a personal statement that explains why you’re a good executive hire for the prospective employer’s business.

In a continued effort to stand out among your competition, you might also consider adding a “p.s” to your cover letter. One reason is that in this section you can add one or two tidbits about yourself that the employer may not know. But an even more important reason is that, if nothing else gets read in the cover letter, the “p.s” will – in fact, it may draw the employer in first then intrigue him enough to work backwards and read the entire cover letter.

Add A Personal Touch With A P.S. to your Cover Letter

Another unique resume strategy would be to list the logos of past (or current) employers on the left-hand side of your resume. You can also show the logos from universities you’ve attended, including pictures of any awards you’ve received. These images would give quick insight to your background without having to search for words. You might also vary the system that you use to deliver your resume–if you use email often, try using regular mail, or vice versa.

If your traditional resume isn’t pulling in the attention you want, you may have the wave the red flag at the bull. In other words, you may have to say some things that may get a recruiter or employer’s attention. For online applications, this can mean using a more attention-getting title. Instead of just re-typing the position you’re applying for (i.e. “Executive Sales Director), you might use one that draws people in (i.e. “Executive Sales Director at 123 Trading Led Team to Record $1 Million Revenue in 2008”).

Make Some Unique Adjustments to Your Resume

There’s no definitive, certain way to get an executive job tomorrow, but there are certainly ways to refined and clean up your approach to ensure that you’ve got the best possible chance of getting a job. When you feel like your executive job search is slowing down, use a few of these tips to speed it back up.

There is often nothing more frustrating than spending many hours each day searching for a job only to find that your hard work doesn’t seem to be paying off. Of course, most people are aware that job searches (and particularly executive job searches) take some time, but sometimes, you just want things to move a bit faster.

Image taken on 2009-04-16 12:37:23. Image Source. (Used with permission)