The Executive Job Search Is Broken, Here’s How to Fix It

(Interview from the Leadership That Sells Podcast with Paul Morton)

Most senior leaders are running a reactive job search in a market that now demands precision.

They rely on job boards.

They wait for recruiters.

They spray CVs into the void.

And then they wonder why they get ghosted, mis-sold on roles, or land in the wrong company at the wrong stage.

In this episode of What Makes You Tick, Paul Morton interviews Richard Washington, Founder at Tick Talent, to talk through a modern, GTM-led approach to executive job search and career strategy, one designed for CROs, VPs, founders, and senior operators who want to create opportunity, not chase it.

This is about treating your career like a revenue motion — with:

A clearly defined ICP

A positioning strategy

A relationship-led outreach engine

And a process that compounds trust, visibility, and access

What We Cover in This Episode

Why traditional executive job search methods no longer work

How senior leaders lose leverage in recruiter-led processes

The psychology of being “chosen” vs “creating demand”

How to define your true Ideal Career Profile (stage, culture, challenge, not just title)

How to build a targeted list of companies you actually want to work for

How to turn thought leadership into inbound career opportunity

How to use soft outreach and value-first conversations instead of cold pitches

Why warm introductions outperform applications at every level

How to move from conversations to real opportunities without formally “applying”

How to track your job search like a live revenue pipeline

This episode is about control, alignment, and leverage — and how the best operators engineer their next move long before the market ever sees them.

Who This Is For

CROs, VPs, and GTM leaders planning their next move

Tech executives navigating layoffs, transitions, or quiet job searches

Operators moving from scale-up to startup (or vice versa)

Leaders who care about culture, stage-fit, and meaningful challenges

Anyone tired of reactive, recruiter-driven career strategy

Why This Matters Now

The hiring market has changed.

Access matters more than volume.

Reputation matters more than CVs.

And trust compounds faster than outreach ever will.

The leaders who win in this market don’t “job hunt.”

They build visibility, relevance, and demand — quietly and deliberately.

This episode shows you how.

Follow Paul's podcast https://www.youtube.com/@practical-leadership

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

Get the Playbook in the comments

Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

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