Like many drivers, I have a GPS in my car and, probably like some, I don't always listen to where it tells me to go. When I veer from its directions, it gives me a moment on my own and then tells me it's "recalculating" before adjusting to a new course.

While deep into our latest survey research, I thought how a perspective might be recalculated to improve how successful professionals approach job search, and even connect them to conditions that feel more familiar.

Many executives already have the skills they need to find their next opportunity, but the skills need to be pointed in a new direction.

One of the top reasons we found executives stay motivated in their jobs is for the challenge. And the qualities recruiters consistently tell us make good leaders are the ability to solve problems; think strategically; build relationships; and communicate effectively.

So, what if these characteristics — the drivers of professional success — were redirected from inside the executive's organization and instead projected into the job marketplace?

Combine your willingness to be challenged with the skills that made you successful. Job search is a challenge, and finding the right role is a problem to be solved, requiring a strategic plan, solid connections and a clear, articulate value message.

I'm not minimizing the difficulty of job search, and the time- and labor-intensity of tactical planning required. But I often hear executives get stuck because job search feels so unfamiliar to them. When they are able to make a correlation to their strengths and their work, which felt natural and where they were successful, they become empowered to move forward.

Robyn Greenspan
Robyn Greenspan is the Editor-in-Chief at ExecuNet, where she is responsible for setting and driving the editorial content engagement strategy across the private business network's publications and expert-led programming. She is also a Huffington Post blogger. You can follow her on Twitter @RobynGreenspan

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