3 Reasons You Get Contacted For Junior Jobs — And How To Change That

My official title is CFO of my business unit, but my scope of responsibility actually includes three different jobs – CFO of my business unit, CFO for several regions in addition to my business unit, and CEO for a new division we successfully launched last year. I get a lot of recruiter calls for other CFO jobs, but the pay is less and the scope is smaller. I don’t hear about CEO opportunities or even CFO openings at comparable pay and responsibility. How do I get in play for the bigger jobs? – Finance Executive

This finance executive has some good career momentum, with a broad mandate and the chance to lead a new initiative for the company. However, even though his current employer seems to recognize he’s doing a great job, it doesn’t mean that outsiders (e.g., executive recruiters, prospective hiring managers) have any idea of his accomplishments or market value. Doing a great job doesn’t ensure that other people know about it. (This is why remote work can slow your career!)

If you are getting noticed by recruiters, but for jobs at the wrong level or pay, here are three potential reasons:

1 – You look junior when prospective employers research you

Put a Google Alert on your name so you are notified when you’re mentioned online. Look objectively at what you find. For this finance executive, does he see mentions of leading a new business initiative? Or being responsible for multiple regions, rather than just one? How recent are these mentions, or are the prominent ones from his distant, more junior past?

Online research will likely pick up your LinkedIn profile as one of the top search results. Does your profile showcase you at the right level? Do you mention your current size of team and budget, your impact on the company or your insights and strategic vision for where your industry is headed? Beyond LinkedIn, check to see if your thought leadership visible online. Are you giving talks on your expertise? Are your insights published? Are you mentioned in the media?

2 – You sound junior when other people talk about you

Online research is just one way that prospective employers and recruiters find candidates. Referrals from other people are a key source of candidates, especially for senior jobs that companies may not want to advertise are open. Do you have a network that hears about senior level jobs, thinks about you for these jobs, AND refers you in a way that makes decision-makers want to meet you? If you aren’t actively curating and maintaining your network, you’re leaving your access to job opportunities up to chance.

Another way people talk about you is during reference checks. References are not just checked once an offer is made. For senior level jobs, it’s common for companies to conduct backdoor reference checks on a candidate who hasn’t even been interviewed yet. For example, there is a CFO opening, and this finance executive’s name gets teed up as a potential fit. The recruiter looks up his background (typically on LinkedIn) and notices one of his previous employers is someone the recruiter (or someone at the company) knows very well. That person contacts that previous employer, not to conduct an official reference check, but with a casual probe: “Hi [Previous Employer Contact] , hope you’re doing well. I’m working on a search, and someone mentioned [Finance Executive] as a potential match. Do you remember him? This would be C-level for [describe size of company, industry or whatever qualifiers are key to the role]. Do you think he’s someone I should contact?” Depending on how that person responds, it could make or break whether the recruiter moves forward.

3 – You sound junior when you talk about yourself

In the case of this finance executive, if his network hasn’t been updated that he has multiple regions, not just one business unit, under his mandate, then they might not think of him for CFO jobs with a broad mandate. If he hasn’t told people that he’s running a new division – not just CFO responsibilities, but top job responsibilities – then they won’t think of him for CEO roles. If recruiters call and your response to the “Tell me about yourself” question is all about your official CFO title and not the other items on your plate, then how are recruiters supposed to remember you for the right jobs later on?

You don’t have to wait for recruiters to call. Proactively put yourself out there

Many senior roles, especially C-level roles, are filled by executive recruiters, but not all of them. You don’t have to wait for recruiters to reach out. Nurture relationships with recruiters you know from before, with recruiters who have worked with people in your network (and get an introduction from your network!), and with companies of interest directly. Make it a priority to know the leadership teams of companies you’re interested in. Board members and investors are other influencers and decision-makers to add to your network. Stay visible by proactively putting yourself out there at industry conferences, in the media and even on social media, curating relevant articles in your field, posting insights or producing original content.