AI was certainly the 800-pound gorilla in the room at the National SHRM Talent Conference in Dallas this week. The majority of the exhibitors were showcasing new AI tools to make hiring and recruiting "easier, faster, and cheaper." And MANY of the sessions and conversations were around how AI is changing the hiring landscape for recruiters and hiring managers. Because our work is to help candidates land offers, I noticed that these new AI tools are actually making the proce

Let me describe a situation that is more common than most executives would like to admit. You are accomplished. Serious track record. The kind of career that should make your search straightforward. And yet, you have been applying to roles online, following up with recruiters, and waiting. Weeks turn into months. You are doing everything you were told to do. And it is not working. Here is what is actually happening: you are running a mid-level job search at the executive le

The executive job search can be one of the most challenging phases in a leader’s career. While you’ve navigated complex business problems, led teams to success, and strategically steered organizations toward growth, the process of finding a new role at the executive level can feel like a different ball game entirely. The stakes are high, and the challenges unique. Understanding these hurdles and preparing for them can make all the difference. In this edition, we’ll explore so

If your search feels slower than expected, it’s not you. It’s the market. Here’s how recruiters want you to adapt and win.

Lately, I've felt a bit like a dentist trying to get people floss. Or a parent trying to get a child to eat their broccoli. Or even my doctor, trying to get me to exercise more. But instead, the topic is networking. In this market, if you want to land your next executive role or your first board seat, having a strong network that can open doors for you is a non-negotiable. And the process doesn't have to be painful. In this issue, we share our top five tips for easily mee

I had coffee with a client last week. Brilliant COO. She has twenty-five years of operational excellence and is ready for her next C-suite role. Her LinkedIn profile had 247 connections and hadn't been updated since 2019. She told me, "I don't want my CEO to think I'm looking." Here's the problem: Her CEO wasn't the only one who couldn't tell she existed. Recruiters couldn't find her. Board nomination committees couldn't find her. The opportunities she deserved? They went to

Senior leaders don’t land C-suite roles by being close. In today’s executive job market, precision, positioning, and strategic leverage determine who wins the offer. Learn what it takes to compete and secure top executive roles.

If you've spent your career in traditional corporate environments, interviewing with a private equity or venture capital-backed company will feel like a different universe. Because it is. I've worked with hundreds of senior leaders navigating this transition, and I see the same missteps repeatedly. Talented executives who should land these roles stumble because they don't understand the fundamental shift in what's being evaluated. Let me be direct: your traditional corporate

If your executive job search feels harder, longer, or more unpredictable than you expected, you are not imagining it. And you're not alone. The good news is, offers are still being made (we negotiated two this week). In this issue, we call out the patterns we're seeing every day that lead to stalled searches, disappearing offers, and months of lost time and income. And most importantly, we share what you can do about it to regain momentum and land faster. PSA: Don't Sabota

What do Amazon, Walmart, UPS, Nike, and Pinterest all have in common? They've all announced huge upcoming layoffs this week. And while it might not seem relevant for your career if you don't work for these comapnies, we know that when major players like Amazon announce a layoff, many other companies follow suit, whether they really need to or not. And with the tough job market, now is not the time to "wait and see." Hope is not a strategy. The senior leaders and others who

Executive compensation conversations are changing and the data behind them matters more than ever. As senior leaders plan career moves in 2026, one question consistently comes up: What does a competitive offer really look like in this market? The answer requires more than gut instinct or last year’s benchmarks. That’s why we’re sharing key insights from the 2026 Executive Compensation Guide , developed by our trusted partners at Ascentria Search Partners , and pairing it wit

How do you respond when an interviewer asks you, “What questions do you have for us?” You've prepared for every possible question they might ask. You've rehearsed your leadership philosophy, your turnaround stories, your 90-day plan. In my experience, executives focus their interview preparation on how they will answer questions and often either leave the questions they may ask “for later” or never get to them because there’s no time. This oversight leads to an unmemorable en

Whatever you were putting off until January, it's now go time. In support of your career and board-related goals, we've got our top predictions for the 2026 market as well as a new FREE DAILY resource designed to help you stay a step ahead of your competition. Our Top 3 Predictions for the 2026 Market One of the most common questions we’re getting right now is, "What should senior leaders expect as we move into 2026?" Our team has been talking to recruiters, as well as pori

Here's what we're seeing in executive compensation right now and what you can do to negotiate your best offer, even in a tough market. See our full 30-minute video here . The key takeaway? Executives who walk in unprepared are capping their offers without even knowing it. Here are our top six tips to help you maximize your final offer: 1. Define Your Automatic Yes & No Now Long before the offer hits your inbox, you should already know: • What makes an opportunity a cl

With clients getting offers and other movement in the executive job market. But this week, we're going to focus on corporate board trends because, as a nerd, I couldn't wait to dig into Spencer Stuart's latest Board Index Report. In the publication's 40th year, they have tracked the evolution of boardroom practices, composition, and priorities across all S&P 500 companies. It's a must-read for our team every year, so we stay on top of emerging trends and share the latest in

Whether you’re interviewing for a new role, presenting to the board, or leading through high-stakes interactions, this framework helps you connect, influence, and lead with greater impact.

You HAVE to change your approach. Online applications have always been a long shot, but it's nearly impossible now. This means you have to double down into building and activating your network, focusing on target companies instead of ideal job postings, and connecting with recruiters (if that's the right job search channel for you).

Pausing your executive job search right now could be one of the most expensive decisions you make this year.

If you've been spinning your wheels in a job search and want expert human support to gain traction and land an offer faster, book a complimentary strategy call to explore how we can support your next move.

Are you spinning your wheels in your job search without landing offers? If so, you're not alone. We've seen too many senior leaders in...