As an executive-level job seeker, you probably know more than anyone how difficult it has been to try to find work in a recessed economy. Everyone is gunning for the same position, which means you have to work overtime to get your hands on the job you want.

Of course, as an executive, you have your resume to impress potential employers with. You even have your gift of gab as a phenomenal networking tool. But sometimes this is not enough to get you the job. So let's take a look at some other ways to snag an executive-level position.

Write a Career Biography

A career biography is a bit of a cross between a resume and cover letter. It is a synopsis of your entire career and education; however, it is written in a narrative format. It is a great option when you need information to hand out to networking contacts, those you've met at speaking engagements or board meetings, and even when you want to add information to your LinkedIn profile.

The biography is usually no longer than a page long and offers your top career achievements and milestones for each company you've worked for that applies. Also, you might mention your job responsibilities in a summarized format. However, in your biography, it's good to make sure that your language is strong and active and that it is powerful and informative all in one.

Consider a Networking Resume

Another option to consider, in addition to your standard executive resume, is the networking resume. This is the type of resume that works as a summary to the full-length resume. Usually only one page long, it is used simply to catch the attention of recruiters and key decision makers when the time is right.

When writing the networking resume, you want to choose the top highlights from your full resume. Also, you want to make sure that it offers specific skills and goals so that recruiters have a quick snapshot of your goals as an executive job seeker. The good news is that it's easy to write and could work wonders in sparking an employer's interest in you.

Always Remember Your Elevator Speech

One more way to make sure that you stay on the minds of recruiters and other important people in a company is to create your elevator speech. An elevator speech is a very short speech that you prepare in the event that you may have to speak with someone who could later hire you.

Your spiel needs to be short enough that you can get everything out that you need to say in the time it takes to complete an elevator ride. However, it needs to offer enough quality to have the person you're speaking with remember who you are, what you've accomplished and why you'd be a great person for their company.

As you probably already know, conducting a job search is not something that occurs while you're sitting behind your computer. It requires initiative, determination and a great attitude. So if you decide that you're willing to do the work needed to expand your job search, you may just increase your chances of gaining executive-level employment.