Previosly held an executive role but now getting approached about Manager level gigs?
I was previously on the executive team for a well known company going through hyper-growth and stepped away a couple years ago to take a job as the first FT employee at a pre-product startup. The purpose of taking the risk was it provided me a different type of work experience and a completely new type of industry experience. I have since left the startup and now that I am back on the market feel like I’m getting lowballed by recruiters and my peers who claim to want to help. Mostly people are coming to me with independent contributor or manager level roles. Which while they’re good jobs, I know I have more to offer. I can’t tell if its because I am female, look young, or if its the conpetitive nature of VPs and Senior Directors to block peers out from achieving similar level career success. Its discouraging since I worked incredibly hard to move past the Director level, and held Manager level jobs at a major tech company almost a decade ago. I’m wondering how do I get past the current roles I am being approached about, and expose myself to the types of roles I’m really after. Does anyone at a similar point in their career (15-20 years) have experience dealing with this type of bias? Suggestions are welcome. #executivejobs #jobhunt #seniorleader
I guess the higher you go on the ladder, the fewer jobs there are for those kinds of positions, so it's less likely to get those offers.
I’m sorry to hear that, this sucks. DM me if you’re open to working in NYC or Chicago, we have a few senior roles open across disciplines, I’d be happy to refer you.
I think you need some perspective, it’s unlikely that this is because of your gender. I feel under leveled and underpaid; I’m a male crawling through the ranks though I have much more to offer. Ironically the last two roles I was offered leadership roles as an incentive to stay but at lower compensation than I had already negotiated for my new role (wtf) We’re all in the same boat, be nothing but grateful to your peers who are actually trying to help. It’s just that you walked backwards career wise and don’t have much leverage. Consider taking a role and keep looking anyway or moving to a less competitive location. Your competition are the people who continued to grow into their executive tenure while you joined a startup as IC
I attended a talk by a female VC years ago who wanted to have a seat as a board member at a major company. Her approach was to network with people who had board seats, be friends with them, ask them valid questions, etc. It’s all about timing and who you know for these types of positions. So having a warm introduction from someone respected makes you an easier sell for the role you’re trying to get.
See if you can go back to the company where you used to work and held an executive position.
Yes I am in a similar boat. I am also trying to get out of it and now lining up interviews.
Consider also that "executive" and most other rank/title stuff is meaningless and very, very contextual (see: anyone working in a traditional bank). Not trying to put you down, I myself was a director and then a VP within first 10 years of my career and where I stand today 10 years later I would need two promotions to be a director again... But I have definitely, no doubt about it moved much higher on the chain than where I was as a director 10 years ago. Tbh looking at my job titles going back to the start of my career it reads like I started at the top and have continuously backslid with nearly every position since. My point is, look at the careers of some of the people who hold the position you're dismissing... You may be surprised just how "senior" they are.
Everyone claims a FANG manager role is like a director or higher elsewhere. Thats what those employees tell themselves to compensate for the lower title but stellar pay. Find me an example where a Google Manager is recruited as a VP at a high growth company.
I am an example of someone who left FANG to be an executive at a "high growth" company that you have certainly heard of... That is a common pattern, take a few minutes to browse LinkedIn. I work with several people who were executives (e.g. CTO) at high growth startups acquired by Google who are now a level or two below director and don't seem salty or unhappy with their level.
If one is an executive at a FAANG what does that translate to at "high growth" company, C*suite?
MS execs seem to land as Venture Capital partner, CEO and board members usually. Some Amazon folks are starting as CEO. Smartsheets for instance.
Jobs at Director and Above are limited, you need to have good connections to be successful when you move out, what I have seen is the VP hiring his/her folks when they move out and boils down to managers as well, I have rarely seen Director and above make same role or above jump without any connections
Is this applicable to FANG companies ?
If you’re rejecting manager level roles, please send the recruiters my way. I am a manager and the roles I am getting are entry level :) !!!! Sorry I didn’t answer ur question cuz I am in a similar boat. 14 YOE.