TL;DR: Stop blasting your resume everywhere and attending random networking events. The executive job search is a leadership activity that requires a strategic approach. Use the 911 Method: identify your top 10 target companies, map paths to decision-makers, deliver 9 pieces of value, 1 pitch about yourself, and 1 clear ask. Those who commit to this system land roles in weeks. Those who revert to the shotgun approach struggle for months.
Your Executive Job Search Is Failing Because You're Not Leading It
I watched a senior executive spend six months going nowhere fast.
He attended every networking event. Responded to every introduction. Called friends, former colleagues, even distant relatives. He was exhausted, frustrated, and no closer to his next role than when he started.
Then I watched another executive land a VP role in five weeks.
Same market. Similar background. Completely different approach.
The Shotgun Problem
Here's what most job seekers do: they spray and pray.
They respond to every opportunity for an introduction. They show up at countless networking events. They call everyone they know. All of this hoping something sticks.
It's like throwing darts blindfolded.
The problem? This approach is too random. It depletes your energy reserves. It burns through your availability. And it leaves nothing left for the strategic work that actually moves the needle.
Research backs this up. A study published in Personnel Psychology found that structured networking interventions significantly improved both the intensity and effectiveness of job search efforts, leading to higher-quality reemployment outcomes (Wanberg et al., 2020). Random networking without intention produces random results.
The Strategic Alternative
Let me break down what I teach people I work with.
Step 1: Get Crystal Clear on Decision Makers
Who actually has the authority to hire you? Not HR. Not recruiters. The actual hiring manager. The person whose problem you can solve.
Identify them by name.
Step 2: Build Your Top 10 List
Create a list of 10 companies you would genuinely want to work for. Be specific about why you'd fit. What's their biggest challenge right now? How does your experience directly address it?
This isn't about casting a wide net. It's about casting a precise one.
Step 3: Plot Your Path
Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator or Apollo.io to map the connections between you and each decision maker. Who do you know who knows them? Who could make an introduction?
Think of it like planning a military campaign. You need to know the terrain before you move.
The 911 Method
Once you have your targets, here's the engagement sequence that works.
9 pieces of high-value information. Never your resume. Articles they'd find useful. Insights about their industry. Congratulations on their company's recent wins. Commentary on trends affecting their business. Make yourself valuable before you ask for anything.
1 time you tell them about yourself. This is where you position yourself as the solution to an actual problem they're facing right now. Not a generic pitch. A specific alignment.
1 ask. Your call to action. A virtual meeting works. But in-person coffee chats are significantly more effective. Research on social network theory shows that stronger ties formed through face-to-face interaction produce better employment outcomes (Van Hoye & Lievens, 2009). Invest in making the trip.
Then rinse and repeat. Keep building. Keep nurturing. Transform these touches into trusted, long-term professional relationships.
Why Most People Fail
This system sounds simple. It isn't easy.
Most people never stick with it long enough. They try it for a week or two, then revert to the familiar shotgun approach.
Here's the thing. Doing what's familiar requires less mental energy than becoming proficient at something new. The brain is lazy. It defaults to the path of least resistance.
But that path leads nowhere fast.
The Commitment Divide
After years of working with executives, I've noticed a clear pattern.
Those who remain committed to leading their job search strategically succeed in a matter of weeks. Those who break their own commitment to success keep themselves available for just about anything for many months. Sometimes years.
Studies consistently show that 70% of positions are filled through networking and referrals (Questrom Career Development, 2025). But not random networking. Strategic, intentional relationship building with the right people.
The Hard Truth
Let me leave you with something uncomfortable.
The very act of seeking executive roles is a leadership activity.
It requires strategic planning. It demands strategic execution. You're essentially running a campaign to position yourself as the obvious choice for a specific outcome.
People who fail to approach their job search this way might not be at the level of executive readiness they believe they are.
If you can't lead your own career transition, why would someone trust you to lead their organization?
The Burnout Connection
Random job searching is a burnout accelerator.
Every fruitless networking event. Every unreturned email. Every dead-end introduction. They all drain your reserves without refilling them.
When you have no strategic direction, you have no way to measure progress. No progress means no wins. No wins means no recovery of energy spent.
A strategic approach gives you clarity. Clarity reduces anxiety. Reduced anxiety preserves energy. Preserved energy keeps you sharp for the opportunities that actually matter.
Your First Move
Stop accepting every meeting invitation.
Start identifying your top 10 target companies this week. Research who makes hiring decisions. Map your path to them.
Then begin the 911 sequence with just one target. Build the muscle. See what happens.
If you're ready to accelerate this process and want help building your strategic job search plan, let's connect. Book time with me at https://book.drdegnan.com
Your next role is waiting. The question is whether you'll lead yourself to it.
Until next week, my friend!
—Oliver
