The short version
At executive level, the people who get considered are usually the people someone already knows. A board member, the CEO, a search firm or a former colleague puts a name forward, and the longlist is mostly built from those names. An advert, if there is one, is often a second channel rather than the main one.
That doesn’t mean the process is closed. It means the time to be known is before the role exists.
How a private-sector search usually runs
- The brief. The CEO, a board member or the people team agrees the scope, the reporting line and what the role must deliver. This is where most of the important decisions are made.
- The longlist. A search firm, or the organisation itself, builds a list of possible candidates from its own network, referrals and direct research.
- Approaches. Candidates are approached confidentially. Many of the strongest are not looking and need a reason to talk.
- The shortlist. A small number of candidates are interviewed by the hiring executive, then usually a panel, sometimes including a board member.
- Assessment and references. Psychometric or case-based assessment is common at this level, along with thorough references.
- The offer and resignation. Notice periods for technology executives are often long, so start dates can be months after the decision.
Public-sector roles are different
Government and many public bodies run merit-based selection. Roles are generally advertised, applications are assessed against published criteria, and a panel makes the recommendation. In Queensland, government roles are advertised on SmartJobs.
Even here, being known matters. Search firms are often engaged to find and encourage candidates who would not otherwise apply, and the people they call first are the people they already know.
What this means for you
If you want to be considered for your next role, the most useful thing you can do is be known, accurately, by the people who build longlists. That means a recruiter who understands what you’ve actually done, not just your last title, and peers who would put your name forward.
- Keep a short, current record of the decisions you’ve made and what changed because of them.
- Talk to a search firm when you’re not looking. The conversation is better for both of you.
- Say clearly what would make you move, and what wouldn’t.
- Spend time with peers outside your organisation. They’re often the first people asked for names.
Why techexec runs a network
This is the reason techexec exists in the form it does. A recruiter who only calls when there’s a role can’t know you well enough to put you forward properly. Members of the techexec network get a monthly briefing, small roundtables and a confidential career conversation, so that when the right role comes up, we already know whether it’s right for you.