Job Search and Career Transition

In 2023, we spent $413,000 on executive recruiters. They helped us hire a new CRO, CTO, CFO, CHRO and CLO. At first, the idea of spending THAT much on executive recruiters seemed outrageous. But I was wrong. Here's how it works: BACKGROUND: Executive Search initially did not sit right with me. Paying a large retainer and trusting the Executive Search firm would hit the target was counter to my formula of hiring more junior staff (we typically use a pool of non-exclusive recruiters or build out an internal recruitment team) and promoting from within to the highest level. The first Exec Search we completed was with Maddy Cross at Erevena for our CHRO Richard Fye. Maddy quickly changed my mind about Executive search and set the bar for what I expect Executive search to be. Thoughtful, well connected and a pleasure to speak to on every call. Our CFO search was done by John Watkins from Altima. The last time we had run a CFO search we had not used a Search firm. We were far smaller and as a working class boy from Manchester, the Executive Search fees seemed mind-blowing! Our board recommended Altima. Again we were presented with a strongly researched group of candidates. Ultimately we selected the talented Jennifer Grunebaum Our CRO search was done by Gary Constance at Daversa Partners. This was the toughest search last year. The revenue range a company is at is critical to this role. Cognism had passed $50M ARR and decided it needed a CRO with experience scaling from $50M to $300M+, which slashed the candidate pool. We selected Rob Tomchick who is a perfect culture fit and just completed a similar challenge at Lever. Both the CTO (Ivana Zuber) and CLO (Elizabeth Rushforth) were sourced internally and are making tremendous impacts on their departments. After all this, here's what I learned makes a great Exec Search experience: - Exec Recruiters have a deep connection to their industry and a strong understanding of the candidates and their desire to make a move. - Exec Recruiters research the market extensively in a way that's difficult to replicate internally. - Exec Recruiters understand their client, can position them and can sell their story. They would make incredible Enterprise Sellers. - Exec Recruiters facilitate great communication with the candidates at all stages of the process. As CEO, you need to ensure this cadence is in place from the start, in particular for candidates that do not get selected. Does this mean you shouldn’t source internally? Of course not. Half of our C-Suite leaders were sourced internally, however it's important to create a good blend of experience to ensure the company can keep scaling safely. In fact, we had over 190 internal promotions last year (more on that soon). But if you ever need to source external executive talent… I would highly recommend Executive Recruiters. P.S. Any questions on Executive Recruiting? Any Recruiters you would recommend? Comment below with names/roles they hire for.

There is an expiration date on your military accomplishments About 2 years out of service, you are no longer a (insert rank here) You are what you have been doing for those 2 years (you've established a new professional identify) #quinnsights I'm about 7 years out & nothing I did as a Sergeant Major really holds weight on my #resume You can go back and look at the last Army job on my LinkedIn profile There are some solid bullets with quantified accomplishments But I've done SO MUCH since then ProSphere, EY, HireMilitary all have relevant accomplishments in related roles that truly show what I've done and am capable of doing out here So the Army stuff becomes "foundational" bullet accomplishments (the wrap up few at the bottom where I tell them I'm a veteran) #militarytransition Many veterans struggling to find meaningful #careers that I engage with are having trouble with this fact They've worked a bit and established a new professional identity on paper (resume and profile) Can't rely on leadership experience and big numbers from years ago And struggle with the difference between who they think they are (past accomplishments) and how industry sees them (current experience) My advice? You didn't get to that military rank on luck The foundation + potential is still there But now you need people that understand this to help you get past the "apply online" phase And that is where speaking with other veterans in industry comes in (relationships + referrals beat online apps) #militarytransition P.S. This is also why we want everyone to start early A little career exploration + networking reduces the chance that all of the above happens...and significantly increases the odds you will find your success

After we tracked 57,000 global development job postings through one of our sector's worst years, here's what our recent data reveals about who's getting hired - and why: 👉 Trade and policy jobs dropped 31%. The work didn't. It just fragmented into climate finance, blended finance, digital infrastructure roles. So if you're job searching right now, try swapping your usual search terms for things like "public-private partnerships" and see what comes up. 👉 Infrastructure is the only sub-sector adding jobs (+2.4%). If you've touched supply chains, procurement, construction oversight, asset management - even tangentially - consider leading with it. You don't need to pivot your entire career - you're just emphasizing the parts of your background that align with where organizations are currently spending. 👉 Contract work jumped to 44% of postings. Some people are setting up actual businesses - LLCs, separate accounts, insurance. Not required, but it shifts the dynamic from "hire me" to "are we a fit?" And clients pick up on that shift immediately. 👉 The "spray and pray" application strategy is failing at scale. Our data shows 5 real conversations per week outperform 20 cold applications. 👉 Geographic flexibility can dramatically boost hirability. A role posted as "remote" gets 500+ applicants. Same role in Mozambique or Nigeria? Under 50. If you’ve been thinking about relocating, now might be the time. 👉 Here's a networking question that actually works: Instead of asking "do you know any openings?" try "what's your budget situation looking like?" You'll learn pretty quickly which organizations are actually hiring. We all know 2025 was brutal. A year I never expected to see after covering this sector for 25 years. But here's what we’ve been finding: the people finding work aren't necessarily better qualified - they're adapting quickly to what the market actually responds to now. Take that mindset into 2026. #JobsOnTheRise

I've been a career coach for nine years. Here's how the job search is different in 2025 ... NETWORKING: I used to see a 40-50% response rate on outreach messages. Now it's more like 5-10%. Few people were doing outreach messages in the past, so the response rate was higher. Now, everyone is reaching out to recruiters and hiring managers and company employees - they're inundated with messages. It's harder to get a response. I say this all the time - the job search is not a numbers game, but networking is a numbers game. I'd rather you send 100 networking messages than 100 applications. METRICS: Your resume needs numbers. Before it was "nice to have" numbers, now it's "necessary to have" numbers. In this market, we don't want to hear as much about your previous tasks and responsibilities, we want to hear about your outcomes, results, and achievements. Numbers are the difference between show vs. tell. You can 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 me you're a good employee, but you can 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 me with metrics that outline your accomplishments. You can also use metrics for context - talk about how many presentations you made, how many customers you served, how many team members you led, how many projects you managed. Use numbers to add context to your experience. PAIN POINTS: We are no longer in a "I can train you" market. We're in a "you need to hit the ground running on day 1" market. In order to do that, you need to make it clear you understand their pain points and can help solve them. Here's the deal: Your target employers have pain points. They have problems/wants/needs that they're trying to solve by hiring someone. It's your job to say, "I got you, I understand your pain points, and here's how I can help." I've been preaching this for years, but now it's more important than ever: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. If you are struggling to find a job right now, I am sorry. I've been a career coach for nine years and I haven't seen a market like this before. It's brutal out there. I have deep admiration for the resilience of today's job seekers, which is why I try to give you simple, practical advice to help your job search. I'll keep sharing the same tips I give my clients in the hopes it helps you land jobs too. I'm rooting for you. 👊 ♻ Please repost if you think this advice will help others. ***** Hi, have we met? I'm Emily and I'm on a mission to get the #greenbannergang back to work, one actionable step at a time. #jobsearch #jobhunt #jobseekers

Are you really happy in your career, or are you just stuck in a path because it’s comfortable? Our priorities shift, and so should our careers. It’s not weak to change direction. It’s a sign of growth and a willingness to align what you do with who you’ve become. 9 Steps to Changing Your Career Path: 1. Reevaluate your priorities ↳ Does your current job align with what matters to you now? 2. Identify your core values ↳ What do you stand for today? Does your career reflect that? 3. Understand the financial impact ↳ What’s the real cost of switching? How will it affect your lifestyle? 4. Leverage your existing skills ↳ How can you apply what you already know in a new industry? 5. Network with those in the field ↳ Learn from people who are already doing what you want to do. 6. Test the waters ↳ Take on side projects or freelance work to get a feel for the change. 7. Update your personal brand ↳ Revamp your LinkedIn and resume to reflect your new direction. 8. Set clear goals and timelines ↳ Make the transition with purpose and action. 9. Let go of the past ↳ Release limiting beliefs about your career and identity. The best time to pivot is when you feel that discomfort. It’s a sign of something better ahead. When was the last time you thought about changing your career?

Knowing when to switch roles or companies significantly impacts your career growth and trajectory, and I have a simple 3P formula that can help you find the right time to switch. 1. Paisa (money) 2. Power (core competency growth) 3. Position (ladder growth) At any company you are working at or switching to, you should get at least two of the three Ps. If you are getting fewer than two, it is time to switch. 1. Paisa (Money) Monetary compensation is often a primary motivator for a job change. Consider a switch if your current role does not provide enough or if the increments do not keep pace with industry norms. If the other two Ps outweigh your average salary, it might be worth staying at the current company. 2. Power (Core Competency) Power in this context refers to your growth in core competency and how close you are to becoming a subject matter expert in the domain in which you operate. Aim to become a really good engineer, and a good job will always present you with opportunities to become one. Assess whether your current role challenges you, introduces you to new technologies, methodologies, or projects, and ultimately contributes to your professional depth and breadth. Again, if the other two Ps outweigh the lack of core competency, it might be worth staying at the current company. 3. Position (Ladder Growth) The third P, Position, involves your upward movement in the org ladder. Your official title matters, and it dictates the roles and responsibilities you have handled. Hence, an important criterion to decide if it is the right time to switch or not. Assess if your current job provides a clear and actionable path for promotion and increases in responsibility. Stagnation can often lead to your future employer doubting your abilities and will negatively impact your career growth. Again, if the other two Ps outweigh the lack of ladder growth, it might be worth staying at the current company. Most people remain at an L5 at Google is an example of this. I always evaluated my situation every six months and over-optimized for two of the three Ps. For example, 1. at Practo, I optimized for Power and Paisa 2. at Amazon, I optimized for Position and Paisa 3. at Unacademy, I optimized for Position and Power 4. at Google, I optimized for Power and Paisa My entrepreneurial stint has been about optimizing for Position and Power with a hope for a high gain in the third P in the coming years. To me, this has been a pretty structured framework to guide my thinking process, ensuring that my career decisions are both strategic and beneficial in the long run. Hope it helps you as well.

Struggling to change careers? Here are 7 steps I used to jump from healthcare to Microsoft: 1. Start With Foundational Knowledge I started by learning the basics of my new field. I scoured the web for the top 3 introductory courses on marketing. I devoted a month to taking all of them. But education doesn't get you hired, results do. This was just the starting point. 2. Create A Sandbox Next, I set up my own website. I explored all the digital marketing channels: I published articles (SEO). I ran small paid campaigns to it. I started social accounts for it. I made an email newsletter. This let me get hands on with real tools I'd use. 3. Volunteering Now it was time for the real deal. I reached out to 100s of local businesses. I told them about my goal to transition industries. Then I offered them my services for free with an out to cut ties at any time. This gave me "real" experience and testimonials. 4. Consulting Next, I started charging for my services. I started with a low monthly retainer. Then I used my volunteering case studies to get clients. As I helped more clients, I increased my rates. I also expanded my experience and skills. I was getting paid to learn! 5. Documenting The Journey As I learned, I shared. I created content about: - Strategies I was testing - Mistakes I made - Results of tests I ran - Big wins Writing helped me cement what I learned. It also acted as a "resume" where employers could see how I operated. 6. Action-Oriented Education I didn't stop taking courses after Step 1. I used my "real world" work to guide me. If a client gave me a task I couldn't do? I'd take a course on it. If I realized I needed a skill to level up? I read a book on it. Action refined my education. 7. Packaging It All Up This process allowed me to create my own experience. I put it on my resume, in my LinkedIn, and used the examples during interviews. When I started, I was working in healthcare. By the end, I'd landed my dream job at Microsoft. I hope it helps you too!

#Climateaction could be the biggest job creator of the 21st century. The low-carbon transition could generate 375 million new jobs in the next decade across #energy, #construction, #manufacturing and #agriculture - according to a new analysis by the World Resources Institute 280 million of those jobs could come from climate #adaptation. Retrofitting buildings. Restoring ecosystems. Climate-smart agriculture. Grid expansion. Resilient infrastructure. 630 million workers will experience job transitions. Green skill demand is growing twice as fast as supply. A 14% shortfall in renewable energy workers by 2030 could slow deployment and increase warming by up to 0.7°C. Countries like the 🇵🇭 Philippines are embedding green jobs into legislation. K-Electric in 🇵🇰 Pakistan is training women electricians for the clean energy transition. 🇰🇪 Kenya is aligning green finance with job creation in climate-resilient agriculture. The low-carbon transition is building resilient economies and expanding opportunity, if we get it right, it’s the strongest growth story of our time. https://lnkd.in/eRePV8mE

Exploring the Complex Factors Surrounding Women's Career Choices: The decision for women and girls to leave their careers is a multifaceted issue that cannot be attributed to a single cause. Instead, it involves a complex interplay of personal, societal, and structural factors. In this post, we will delve into some of the reasons why it can be easier for women and girls to leave their careers. It's important to remember that these reasons are not universal and may vary greatly from person to person. 🎯Gender Roles and Expectations: Traditional gender roles have often placed the burden of childcare and household responsibilities primarily on women. These societal expectations can make it easier for women to leave their careers, especially if they face pressure to prioritize their family over their professional aspirations. 🎯Unequal Distribution of Household and Caregiving Responsibilities: Even in dual-income households, women often bear a disproportionate share of household and caregiving responsibilities. Balancing a career and these responsibilities can be overwhelming, leading some women to opt for leaving their careers temporarily or permanently. 🎯Career Barriers: Women may face numerous career barriers, such as discrimination, a lack of mentorship opportunities, and a glass ceiling that limits their advancement. These obstacles can discourage them from pursuing their careers or can lead to them leaving their careers prematurely. 🎯Personal Fulfillment: Some women choose to leave their careers because they find greater fulfillment in roles outside of the traditional workforce, such as entrepreneurship, volunteering, or pursuing creative passions. This decision may not be solely influenced by external pressures but by personal values and aspirations. 🎯Health and Well-being: The physical and emotional toll of balancing career and family can impact women's health and well-being. In some cases, leaving a career may be a necessary decision to prioritize mental and physical health. 🎯Lack of Access to Quality Childcare: The availability and affordability of quality childcare can be a significant factor. If women cannot secure reliable childcare, they may have no choice but to leave their careers temporarily or permanently. It's essential to recognize that women's decisions to leave their careers are shaped by a wide range of factors, both personal and systemic. Addressing these issues requires a holistic approach that includes changes in societal expectations, workplace policies, and support systems. Ultimately, empowering women to make choices that align with their goals and aspirations is crucial for achieving gender equality in the workforce.

This award goes to everyone who tried really hard this year to post rage bait content just to get likes instead of helping job seekers. “Do not use Open to Work on LinkedIn” winning Worst Career Advice of 2025 is well deserved. 👏 Here is why this take is terrible. First, recruiters are measured on time to fill. Their job is to bring the best talent in the fastest possible way. If someone is openly looking and can start sooner, why would they ignore that signal? When I see someone with the green frame whose skills match what we need, I reach out immediately or share their profile with my team. That is literally how hiring pipelines move faster. Open to Work is a visibility signal, not a personality trait. It helps recruiters find candidates faster in search. It does not lower quality; it improves matching. It also helps candidates control the narrative. Being open about looking for a role is far better than pretending everything is fine while hoping someone magically notices you. I am not sure where the authors of these posts live, but on planet Earth, layoffs happen. Often. And many highly skilled, high-performing people are laid off through no fault of their own and need to find work again. I have hired hundreds of people over my career who had the green Open to Work frame. And I will continue to do that. It has never been a negative signal. Not once! The green banner does not make anyone desperate. The only desperation I see is from people with jobs telling job seekers to hide, just to get attention and likes.