Is It Better to Look for a Role While Still Employed?
(Why leverage, timing, and perception matter more than most people realise)
Many senior leaders only begin actively looking for a new role once something has already changed — a restructure, a stalled trajectory, a shift in leadership, or an unexpected exit.
At that point, the search feels necessary rather than optional. Urgency replaces choice.
This page explores whether it is actually better to look for a senior role while still employed — and why timing often determines outcomes more than capability.
The Leverage Difference Most People Underestimate
At senior level, hiring is as much about risk management as it is about competence.
Leaders who are still employed tend to be perceived as:
- selective rather than desperate
- in demand rather than available
- able to wait rather than needing a decision
- confident enough to walk away
This perceived leverage quietly shapes how conversations unfold — often before terms are even discussed.
Why Urgency Repels Senior Opportunities
Urgency is not a moral failing — it is a situational one. But at senior level, it changes how risk is perceived.
When a leader appears to need a role quickly, decision-makers may (often unconsciously) infer:
- reduced optionality
- pressure to compromise on fit
- short-term motivation rather than long-term alignment
- increased risk if things do not work out
None of this reflects true capability — but senior hiring decisions are rarely purely rational.
Timing Shapes the Roles You Are Offered
Leaders who begin exploring opportunities while still employed tend to encounter different types of roles.
They are more likely to be considered for:
- roles created around a person
- broader or evolving mandates
- positions with greater influence and scope
- opportunities that are not yet formalised
By contrast, leaders searching under pressure are often channelled toward visible, fixed-scope vacancies.
The Impact on Compensation and Terms
Compensation discussions are also shaped by timing.
Leaders who do not need to move immediately are better positioned to:
- negotiate scope as well as salary
- push back on misaligned expectations
- wait for the right combination of role and reward
- avoid accepting “good enough” offers
This often results in better long-term outcomes, even if the process takes longer.
Why Many Senior Leaders Still Wait
Despite these advantages, many leaders delay starting a search.
Common reasons include loyalty, optimism that things will improve internally, discomfort with ambiguity, or a belief that opportunities will appear when needed.
These instincts are human — but they do not align particularly well with how senior hiring actually works.
This is explored in more detail here: How Senior Leadership Roles Are Actually Secured.
A More Intentional Way to Explore While Employed
Looking while employed does not mean applying indiscriminately or signalling dissatisfaction.
Many senior leaders instead focus on controlled exploration — understanding market demand, clarifying positioning, and building familiarity ahead of need.
