For many senior leaders, 2025 has been a year to pause, assess, and recalibrate. The market remains active, but employers are hiring with sharper intent. This means that clarity, timing, and positioning matter more than ever when you decide to move.
Here are 5 practical steps to strengthen your position and ensure your next move adds real value:
Go beyond listing achievements. Frame your experience in terms of outcomes. This might be sales growth, a change in management or transformation process, governance improvement, or team capability built under your leadership. Employers now expect senior candidates to connect their track record directly to the impact their actions had on the business.
Rather than chasing multiple roles, identify the kind of organisation, size, and culture where you can deliver your best work. A focussed search produces stronger conversations and more aligned offers.
Update your CV and LinkedIn profile to reflect your most recent achievements and current strategic priorities. This could be transformation projects, commercial impact, AI adoption or governance reform. Talk about these authentically, not generically, to ensure your experience is visible to anyone looking at you. If you use AI to generate your CV, use it as a template. DO NOT use it as your final version, it is becoming obvious.
Reconnect with trusted friends, mentors and other contacts. I only wish our office was the gateway for all senior-level opportunities, however, the reality is that it is a fractured market, and opportunities can come from a variety of sources. It is good to keep in touch with as many people as you can, as you never know when your name could be recommended as a solution in a conversation. Make sure your network knows the kind of role you are considering.
Increasingly, business owners and Boards are engaging experienced executives on a project, advisory, or fractional basis. These roles can be stepping stones for you if you are out of work and often open the door to more permanent roles. It could even be a long-term career option for you, if you enjoy the variety.
The strongest senior candidates in today’s market are those who are clear on what they offer employers. They are also willing to work with employers and are not demanding or entitled when it comes to flexible working.
If you would like discreet guidance on positioning yourself for senior opportunities, or to understand what the current market is like, we would be happy to arrange a confidential conversation.
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