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Landing a CSO Job

Why recruiters are your friends (and other secrets to landing a new CSO job)

Africans have a saying: "Before you get married, have both eyes open; after you get married, close one eye." If you're serious about changing jobs, you want to make absolutely sure that you will be improving your work situation. Extensively research your new company to see if it will be a good fit. True, the grass may look greener on the other side, but that may just be because the employees put up with a lot more fertilizer.

Start with traditional methods such as reviewing the company's website and its quarterly and annual reports. Those sources are always good for basic facts such as the company's size, locations, history and financial health. However, as we all know, there is a big difference between what marketing advertises and how the actual product performs. So try to find out the "straight skinny" from someone who already works inside the company. One way is to browse websites such as Vault (www.thevault.com), which provides insights into a company's work culture. The site has a message board where you can read what current and former employees have to say about a company. You can also ask questions about the company's culture and compensation and find out whether current employees are happy.

An even better source is your network of contacts. If you've been participating in industry conferences and organizations, then chances are good that you already know someone who works in the company. If not, make a few calls to see if any of your friends know anyone who works in the company. Heck, if it's true that we're only six degrees of separation away from Kevin Bacon, then I'm sure a couple of phone calls should get you to a person within the companyâ¬or at least Mr. Bacon's agent.

This research should be done before your first interview, which will be a vetting interview with the recruiter. In my experience, this is typically the toughest interview. This surprises a lot of people because they assume that their potential employer would be tougher. Not so. Recruiters want to ensure that potentially embarrassing or unqualified candidates are weeded out. If the recruiter is satisfied with you after the vetting interview, then and only then will she begin scheduling interviews with the employer.

If you make it that far, then you're probably in the final three to five candidates. I can't improve on the vast amount of literature that has already been written about how to shine during a job interview, so I won't even attempt it.