1. Pick your contacts carefully. There are search firms at every corner. Have relationship with consultants who are aligned to the same values and principles as you are (see also point 10). Meet them and get to know them well!

2. Be courteous; not only be acting nice, but by trying to understand whom you’re facing (point 1). An interaction with a search guy always has much broader implications than the position being discussed. Know who he/she is, where he’s come from, what he wants, how he sees your market whom he’s dealing with, what he thinks about issues important to you. If he doesn’t introduce himself thoroughly himself, ask him to do so. You maybe surprised by what you hear. Some search guys sit on boards, have factories, are investors, etc.

3. Don’t be opportunistic. One-off opportunities don’t build relationships. Remain in touch also when you’re not looking for something new. Calling when you want something and ignoring people when you don’t, doesn’t show class.

When you’re on the market or in the interview process:

4. Have the right expectations:

- the role of search guys is NOT to find a job for you! It doesn’t make much sense to start shooting out your resume to search firms when you’re looking for a job. If you still decide to do it avoid addressing them as Dear Recruiter!

- some of them are expected to do more than just listen to the audio version of your resume and ask situational questions so they can fill out a template. Some of them want to see you in action: what you think about macro events’ effect on your industry, can you develop concepts on the spot, can you adjust your thesis according to new information, do you have an opinion on what you want to do with a company, etc.; this is a good thing!

- both of you are there to do the right thing. If the job is not right for you, don’t go for it. This sounds contra productive especially if you need one, but long term it is the right thing for you. If the search guy decides it’s not the right thing for you, have respect: he probably has his reasons and perspective. If he’s wrong or you’re wrong things tend to balance out in the end.

5. Have an open, flexible mind. Believe and expect that absolutely anything can happen and that the right thing will happen. Don’t forget: the right thing is neither positive nor negative. It’s just right.

6. Don’t forget to always have unconditional class: even if you don’t win the position, if you feel you’re treated unfairly, in the face of whatever negativity!

7. Prepare. Know crucial facts, know what you want, know what you want to find out. Being prepared is incredibly impressive.

8. Take the conversation seriously; even if you are a celebrity CEO and you have 5 other interested parties talking to you right now and you feel you’re doing a favor by sitting down. If you don’t take the conversation seriously, you are in contradiction.

Note: in my experience well known celebrity CEOs who are courted by everybody always take the conversation seriously.

9. Listen, ask questions, clarify, understand. Listen, think in context; if something seems out of context ask questions, clarify, understand. Listen, … etc.

10. Resist making statements about yourself. Typical examples: I am a good communicator, I am cummunicative (I hear this a lot recently, but have no idea what it means), I have good people skills, I am highly intellectual (this is not a joke, I’ve heard it happening), I am operational, I am pragmatic, I am versatile, my time is very valuable, I am very high level (I’ve heard somebody saying this one too), I am highly qualified, etc. These statements are invariably almost always out of context; there is simply no context for them.

+ Bonus:

DO NOT say: “as you can see it from my resume”. Ever.

Related note:

how to act as a search professional:

http://prakhsis.com/blog/?p=82