Even in the best job market for candidates in decades, you need to differentiate yourself from the start. A recent job seeker asked if he should bother to send a “generic cover letter” and if the employer even looked at it. Many employers request a cover letter in their job postings because they want to see how you communicate. When SelectLeaders emails the employer, you applied to with a link to your resume, we also paste your cover letter...

The turn of events at GE highlights the tenuous role of the CEO. John Flannery, the recently deposed CEO of GE, spent 25 years working his way through the ranks within striking distance of the top job. Then he was engaged in a four-year bakeoff against four rivals in a succession process led by the Board that landed him the top job. Alas, Flannery had a meager fourteen month stint that ended in his dismissal after missing financial targets and...