03 · Activate · Web guide
The Opportunity Market
How do the right conversations begin before there is a vacancy?
Many senior roles take shape in conversations long before a vacancy is published. Activating that market is less about networking volume than about relevance and timing.
Use this guide when…
- you are waiting for the right vacancy to appear
- your network is large but conversations stay polite and general
- you want to explore without signalling that you are 'looking'
A common pitfall
Treating every conversation as an application rather than an exchange.
- 01
Which organisations face the challenges you are best placed to address?
Start from their situation, not from available roles.
- 02
Who are the people close to those decisions?
Owners, chairs, board members, investors, trusted advisors.
- 03
What could you offer in a first conversation?
A perspective or question that is useful to them, not a request.
- 04
Which relationships deserve renewal rather than a new start?
Former colleagues and peers often open the most relevant doors.
- 05
How will you keep the process deliberate?
Decide what you will and will not pursue before opportunities arrive.