Making a career move at the executive level requires more than just experience—it demands strategy, self-awareness, and intention. As you consider your next leadership role, it’s important to take stock of what truly matters to you and how your unique strengths align with today’s job market. From clarifying your personal brand to building a targeted search and strengthening your network, this guide offers a step-by-step approach to navigating the executive job hunt with confidence and clarity.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain, American writer and humorist
You’ve worked hard and risen within your organization’s leadership structure, but now you’re ready for a change. You didn’t get where you are without pragmatism, proper planning and sound judgment—and you know this isn’t a decision to take lightly. So, how do you avoid a bad match and future heartache? How will you know if other organizations genuinely want you and all your specific knowledge, experience and expertise rather than someone who will go with the existing organizational flow?
Job hunting for executives is a different process. There are fewer available positions, fiercer competition the higher you climb and fewer opportunities on traditional job listing websites. Let’s examine a step-by-step strategy for helping executives and people in top leadership roles navigate the constantly shifting executive job market with intention, self-awareness and success.
Complete a Self-Evaluation
Take stock of your experience, skills, strengths, weaknesses and values. Ask yourself, “What matters to me?” Think about specific knowledge you’ve gained and expertise you’ve developed over the years that set you apart from others in your field. Don’t dismiss critical soft skills you may possess that will help you stand out. Empathy, integrity, self-awareness, creativity and resilience are essential for effective leadership. Think about what makes you successful in your current role—do you excel at communication and have a clear vision? Make a list of these characteristics and your core values; matching them to the vision, mission and values of the organizations you’re considering will be more straightforward.
Narrow Your Search
Thoroughly research organizations to discover which aligns with your industry experience and values. To learn more about their culture, look at company websites, blogs, social media accounts and LinkedIn profiles. Scan news headlines for current or past information and read company reviews on sites like The Muse, Fairygodboss and Vault. Pay careful attention to the company’s existing leadership and business operations, and don’t forget to take a peek at their competitors, too.
Next, conduct a targeted search based on your needs and desires. Look at the compensation packages at organizations you’re considering to discover what financial and non-financial benefits they offer, like competitive salaries, retirement plans, healthcare coverage, long-term incentives like bonuses, relocation and travel support, location-specific allowances, profit sharing, and other perks for existing leadership roles.
Once you’ve narrowed the field, do your due diligence using market intelligence research to better understand your audience. Businesses like Crunchbase, Owler, or Apollo provide detailed data and insights about a company’s size, investments, funding, mergers, leadership figures, industry trends and competitors. This will help you curate your brand and uncover hiring decision-makers, increasing your chances of success.
Carefully Craft Your Brand
Your personal brand is how you present yourself professionally and publicly, and it’s essential for people in leadership and executive roles. It’s the custom blend of expertise, experience and character you want to present to the world online and in real life. Cultivating a robust personal brand is not merely for self-promotion but a strategic tool for career advancement. In a marketplace where many competitors possess similar qualifications and experience, it could be the deciding factor that tips the scales in your favor. Your personal brand reflects your leadership style, values, strengths and aspirations.
When crafting your brand, highlight your unique personality, talents and values. Projecting these traits honestly and openly will help organizations seeking to fill an executive role understand whether you’d be a good fit for their organizational vision. Value alignment with the organization is critical to your overall well-being at this career stage.
As the head of marketing for your personal brand, you’ll want to craft a strategic brand communications plan to distinguish yourself from your competition. Consider your audience when writing your executive resume, biography, positioning statement and LinkedIn profile. Curate a robust digital footprint with a clean online presence that balances your brand with your personal SEO. Position yourself as a thought leader by writing for relevant industry publications or speaking at professional association conferences.
Revive Your Network
Personal referrals are typically how many leaders and executives find new jobs. As you pursue the most senior-level positions within a company, your professional network becomes increasingly vital. When executives and board members seek to fill these highly coveted slots, they start with people they know. While the hiring manager may post some of these positions externally sooner or later, they’ve often already identified someone to fill the role by the time it’s published, so you want your name to be top of mind for them. In the meantime, refresh connections with dormant contacts, make new ones and strike a balance between virtual and in-person networking.
Set Goals & Measure Your Progress
Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) goals and attaching analytics can help keep you focused and on target. Develop benchmarks and metrics to track your progress: who you contact and meet with, jobs you’ve applied for, and interviews you’ve had. Determine what tactics worked and didn’t work and adjust accordingly.
Interview Prep!
Anticipate the “tell me about yourself” query and be prepared with a personal brand positioning statement—your 30-second elevator pitch highlighting your values, expertise, and what separates you from your competitors. Understand the importance of CAR (Challenge-Action-Results) storytelling when responding to behavioral interview questions to frame your work experience in a way that showcases your unique value proposition.
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to seek assistance from an executive recruiter in your field. Organizations often use executive search firms to place their highest-ranking positions, including C-suite and board directors. Ask other leadership professionals in your network if they can recommend someone or check in with your industry association. Vet whomever you select, ensuring they have a background in your field and checking their references.
Finding a new senior-level role that’s the right fit for you will take time, patience and perseverance. There are fewer available positions, the interview process is lengthy, and the competition is fierce. However, as long as you have realistic expectations about how long this process may take and are clear about who you are and what you want, there’ll be no stopping you!
Anne Evenson is a native Austinite and a proud Veteran’s spouse with over 20 years of marketing, communications and program coordination experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. She is also a sculptor, jeweler and all-around dabbler in the arts and loves to help military-connected individuals discover their inner creativity.
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