- Role landed
- Head of IT
- Interviews landed
- 36
Dave came to us because his role had stagnated. He did not have to move, he wanted to. Then he was laid off while the search was already running, which turned a considered move into an urgent one. He landed a Head of IT role at a midsize company based in San Francisco.
The numbers, and what they actually mean
“Some 300 roles, some 35, 36 interviews. That's like 10, 12% conversion.”
It is worth sitting with that number for a second, instead of letting it fly past as a boast. The wider market runs at roughly 3 interviews for every 100 applications. At 10 to 12%, Dave was converting three to four times better than that, off the same resume and the same person.
He does not pretend it was comfortable
“It was a roller coaster.”
“There were many ups and downs along the way, many interviews landed, many conversations happened.”
And on a role that fell through:
“Glad that I didn't get that role, because it wasn't quite right.”
His honest read on readiness
The most useful thing Dave says is about himself.
“I think this was a process that I had to go through. A lot of it was maybe I wasn't quite ready when we started.”
A search this long is partly just interview reps. He is clear that having the right process, the right mindset and real preparation is what made the difference by the end, and that he wishes he had started sooner.
“It's a hard process to go through. You need to make sure that you have someone like this with you.”
The search in numbers
- Around 300 applications, 36 interviews, a 10 to 12% conversion rate against a market norm nearer 3%
- Laid off partway through the search
- Head of IT at a midsize San Francisco company
- Level: VP. Function: IT and Enterprise Systems
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