The long and winding job search

A Chief Marketing Officer that I’m working with just heard about a job opening six months after being turned down by the company. The other candidate apparently didn’t work out.

At my last recruiter gig, after several interviews, the company CEO was still contemplating a marketing manager candidate about 9 weeks after the hiring manager said she wanted to hire him. I’m pretty sure the candidate took another offer.

I also heard of an executive who was hired after 17, yes 17, separate interviews. Imagine being one of the candidates who went those 17 interviews and NOT getting hired. Ugh.

Since even before COVID and The Great Resignation, people have been complaining left and right about the length of the hiring process. Executive job seekers are complaining that companies take too long to make a decision. Hiring teams complain that it takes them too long to find good candidates because they don’t have a great pool of talent to choose from. At least one factor affecting this is that most resumes (and LinkedIn profiles) are very difficult to decipher.

The point is that delays happen on both sides of the hiring desk. If you’re an executive, you can read more about a day in the life of an executive recruiter in a previous article.

Just like you may be looking for a job for months, the hiring teams at companies are taking months to decide about candidates. Especially executive leadership, because there are fewer leaders to choose from and it is VERY EXPENSIVE to hire new people. Between the people sourcing, recruiting, onboarding, and team adjustments, it costs approximately the salary of a position to hire someone for that position. Not to mention the energetic and emotional toll that hiring has on everyone at the company.

In the current climate, as an executive looking for a new role, you have to be prepared for the long haul in hiring.

One of my clients, an IT executive, told me after two weeks of job search with no results that he was fed up and frustrated. That is just not enough time these days.

You have to persevere, you have to demonstrate impact, you have to optimize your materials, and you have to be willing to be choosey. Take your time and find the right fit. Optimize your LinkedIn profile and have your resume ready for when an opportunity, even one that you might have thought was lost, comes back.

It’s not pretty out there right now, folks. The hiring process is long and frustrating. But I’m in the fear removal business: with the right tools, the right methodology, and the right coach, you will feel less pressure and stress. And you will be able to control your career.

For questions or to schedule a complementary discussion on how you can navigate the job search process more effectively to maximize potential and transform for greater impact and significance, please email me at coach@maximizeu.life

Live, Work & Lead with greater Freedom, Power & Peace of Mind.

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