CMO Job Search Success Stories

Total search time: 6 months

Job landed time: “Over 5 weeks I met with key execs and multiple board members. 10 interviews total. No presentations this time around.”

Lead source: A recruitment agency

Total search time: 2 months

Job landed time: “The process was super quick since I started in an interim role”

Lead source: “A friend in my network introduced me to the incoming CEO.”

Lessons learned: “I wish I had built up my network before I left my last job.”

How did you get the role? 

Long story short is I got recruited by my CEO from my previous role. Not sure how applicable that is to others’ job search sadly.

What was your job search experience like?

I did get really deep with two other processes, both of which had a lot of stages (11 hours of meetings in one case, and I was flown into Atlanta to present for the other one). Overall it was a grind and i found the market tough.

The irony is that there seems to be jobs at the $5m-$30m revenue level but the nature of these companies are that they - understandably - incredibly picky when hiring. At that level, mis-hires are so costly and extremely difficult to absorb. CEOs are also under so much pressure from PE firms (I am a PE-backed company guy) and it’s making them scared to be decisive.

1. How long was your job search?

My search was 5 months from layoff to hire. I searched full time and worked fractional gigs during that time. 

2. Is there anything you know now that you wish you knew earlier?

As part of our program, I wished I’d known more PE talent sources. The board at my job I was let go from were very helpful with intros. I just wished I’d known several more connectors like them. 

How was your job search?

It took me a solid 9 months and was quite brutal indeed. I went through 16 rounds with one big healthcare tech company that would have been my dream job, only for them to be incredibly disrespectful the entire time the process unfolded, over the course of four months. Not sure I'm your poster child for this but I'm happy that I did eventually land something that aligns with my areas of strength, even if I had to switch industries.

Switching industries is a success story in itself these days. How did you make the case that your past experience was relevant to this new category?

My new company's customers were all staffing agencies so switching into staffing wasn't a hard sell, since I already understood and had lots of relationships within the industry.

Focus: They became interested in employee-owned companies (EOCs)

Networking: To better understand EOCs, they called an accountant friend who ended up introducing them to the company that hired them

Networking: They strongly encourage TT members to invite others into your journey – don’t go it alone!

Coach: They worked with a coach to help them refine their value prop and prep for board interviews (investment: around $5k)

Backdoor: Initially they were interviewing for a board position and it was through those conversations that the CMO role became an option

Time: It took them about 9 months to secure their new position

Learn: They also advise taking advantage of the time off to learn something you always wanted to learn more about (they got certified in an area that interested them)