A plan for your next move, not just documents to send.
Before any resume gets written, we work through where you're actually trying to go — the roles, industries, and timing that make sense for your specific situation.
From uncertainty to one clear direction.
Where you are
Current role, industry, and constraints
Where it's open
Realistic directions given your background
Where it narrows
One primary target, one secondary option
Where you land
A positioning brief driving every document
Most searches start with documents, not a plan
The typical executive job search starts backwards: update the resume, update LinkedIn, start applying, see what happens. That works reasonably well when the target is obvious — same function, same level, same industry. It works far less well for the situations that actually bring most senior executives to us: a transition between industries, a move from operating role to board seat, a confidential search while still employed, or genuine uncertainty about what the next role should even be.
Without a strategy underneath them, even well-written documents end up being sent in too many directions at once, diluting the story instead of sharpening it.
Built for executives facing a genuine decision, not just an update
Why this gets skipped
Strategy work is less tangible than a finished resume, so it's easy to skip in favor of jumping straight to the documents. The problem is that a resume can only be as sharp as the target it's aimed at — and for executives without a clear, single target, that vagueness shows up in the writing no matter how skilled the writer is.
Most executives also haven't had to think about their own career this deliberately before. Earlier moves often happened through internal promotion or a direct recruiter call, not a structured search — so there's rarely an existing framework to fall back on.
How we build it
Direction-setting conversation
We work through the realistic range of roles, industries, and timing that fit your situation.
Target narrowing
We narrow that range to a small number of concrete directions worth pursuing in parallel.
Positioning brief
A short written brief defining how your story should be told for each direction, used to guide every document that follows.
What you receive
Written positioning brief
A concrete summary of your target roles, industries, and the story that supports each one.
Search sequencing plan
Guidance on which direction to pursue first, and how to run more than one in parallel without diluting either.
Confidentiality guidance
Practical steps for searching discreetly while currently employed, where relevant.
How long it takes
A career strategy engagement typically runs one to two working sessions over 5–7 business days, and is often completed before an Executive Resume engagement begins.
Executive Career Strategy
- Scoped to the complexity of your situation
- Often bundled with Executive Resume and LinkedIn services
- Quoted after an initial consultation
Common questions
Do I need this before getting a resume written?+
Not always — if your next target role is clear, we can move straight to the resume. This is most useful when there's genuine uncertainty or more than one possible direction.
Can this help with a confidential search?+
Yes, this is one of the more common reasons executives start here rather than with a resume directly.
How is pricing determined?+
It depends on how many directions we're evaluating and how much groundwork is needed. We'll give you a clear number after the initial conversation.
Narrowing three directions into one search
A candidate came to us weighing a lateral move, a step up in their current industry, and a board opportunity — all at once. A single strategy session narrowed that to one primary direction and one secondary option, which then shaped every document that followed.
