Their Own Worst EnemyTheir Own Worst Enemy

IT execs, by their very nature, have a harder time finding job leads, says Peter Cowdon, a Harvard-trained psychologist who runs Executive Destinations, an outplacement and coaching firm for top brass in high tech and financial services. "There's some truth to the point that high-tech execs aren't 'people people' and haven't built up a cadre of networking professionals."

So what does he tell executives looking for work? To keep the economy and their career goals in mind and avoid rash decisions, and to blame the tough job market, rather than themselves, for their situations.