Can’t Find It If
You Don’t Define It:
A Smarter Way for Leaders to Navigate Career Moves
Leaders in Transition
Most people spend more time planning a vacation than planning their next career move. But when it comes to making a change, especially as a leader, clarity is everything.
At Hiregy, we work with professionals in transition every day. Some are high-performing call center supervisors looking to level up. Others are seasoned directors ready for a new challenge. What they all have in common? The most successful ones don’t just start applying. They pause, reflect, and plan.
They define what they want. They map out where to find it. And they lean on real relationships to open doors.
This is a topic our CEO, Bill Fries, is deeply passionate about. As someone who’s helped thousands of people grow their careers, he reminds us that no algorithm can replace the power of a clear vision and a meaningful conversation.
If you’re a leader ready for what’s next, but not sure where to start, this framework is for you.
Define What “Right” Looks Like
Before you send another resume or click “Easy Apply,” pause. What does your ideal next role look like? You don’t typically get into a car and start driving without having a destination in mind. You shouldn’t start a career search without doing the same.
Begin with the career destination in mind. We’re not just talking about salary, though that matters. Think broader. Open up a notebook and write down specifically what your next role would look like?
- What roles and responsibilities best suit you?
- What would you want to spend most of your time doing? For example, do you enjoy training or managing more? Do you like one to one coaching or prefer planning strategy?
- What kind of culture suits you best? More corporate with structure or do you prefer to get in there and build your own culture?
- What kind of work arrangement is ideal? Remote, hybrid, or in-office?
- What size company and team would you like?
- Industries: Are there industries you’re excited to break into or return to?
- New challenges – what would you like to learn and how would you like to grow in your next role?
- What does an ideal compensation package look like for you? Work through the ranges and trade-offs. Write it out for yourself.
This kind of clarity helps you quickly assess new roles and avoid jumping into situations that don’t serve your goals. In fact, this is one of the biggest drivers of leadership turnover, according to a 2025 LinkedIn Workforce Report. Leaders who lack alignment with company values or expectations are 2.4x more likely to leave within the first year.
That’s why we encourage every candidate we support to literally write it down. Creating a living document of your must-haves vs. nice-to-haves gives you a reference point when opportunities arise. Once you get into the thick of a job search, the view of the road ahead often gets blurry. This document helps you stay focused with the clarity you need to help you navigate towards your next career adventure.
Map Out Where You Want to Be
Next, create a short list of companies, organizations, or even industries where you could see yourself thriving.
- Who’s doing work that excites you?
- Where have former coworkers or mentors landed?
- What companies have cultures you admire?
This is where we bring in the Hiregy human touch, not just chasing job boards, but building a thoughtful list of targets and actively exploring how to connect with decision-makers inside.
Activate Your Network
In a 2024 Forbes Coaches Council article, experts agree that the best leadership roles often never make it to public job boards. Instead, they’re filled through referrals, professional networks, and direct outreach. If you’re only applying online, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle.
Now’s the time to reconnect. That colleague you worked with five years ago. The friend-of-a-friend in a different department? Reach out. Let them know what you’re exploring next and ask for their perspective.
This isn’t about mass-messaging your contacts. It’s about having real conversations with people who can share insight, open doors, or help you think strategically. As our CEO Bill Fries says, “LinkedIn is a great tool, but the real magic happens when you take the conversation beyond the screen.”
Need help getting started? That’s what we do. We talk to leaders every day who aren’t sure where to begin. The first step is often a conversation.
Case Study Spotlight: Overcoming Seasonal Staffing Challenges in Healthcare Call Centers
- A healthcare client revamped job posts using Hiregy’s template
- 3x more qualified applicants in two weeks
- A pipeline of candidates already aligned with their mission
Think About Who You Don’t Know Yet
Once you’ve worked your known network, take inventory of who you don’t know — yet.
If you were to describe your dream role, who would be the person to hire you? A Director of Operations? VP of Customer Success? Then ask yourself: where do they work, and how can you build a bridge?
Hint: it’s not just hitting “connect.” A genuine conversation starter would be something like:
“I’m doing some strategic thinking about my next move and your name came up. I’d love to get your perspective.”
Not a sales pitch. A curiosity-driven connection.
How Hiregy Supports Leaders in Transition
At Hiregy, we don’t just fill seats, we help leaders step into roles that match their talent, ambition, and goals. And it works.
The leaders we place not only stay longer, they build stronger teams, create better onboarding experiences, and raise performance benchmarks. We’ve seen it in call centers across industries and it always comes back to this: clarity + connection.
A Proven Tool for Mapping Your Next Move
Our CEO, Bill Fries, has been using a version of this worksheet with leaders since 2008, long before it lived in Excel. Over the years, he’s helped hundreds of professionals get clear on their next step by putting pen to paper (or cursor to cell) and laying it all out.
This isn’t just a worksheet. It’s a framework that works.
We’ve formalized it into a downloadable Leadership Career Strategy Workbook. It’s the same tool Bill uses with clients and candidates when they’re feeling stuck, unsure, or just need to reconnect with their goals.
Inside the spreadsheet, you’ll find:
- Tab 1: Define your ideal role, responsibilities, salary, flexibility, work environment.
- Tab 2: List the companies, industries, and teams you want to be a part of.
- Tab 3: Map your current network, who you know, and who can help you move forward.
- Tab 4: Identify the contacts you don’t know yet but need to and how to reach them.
When you write it down, you can act on it. And when you act on it with intention, the right role becomes more than a possibility, it becomes a plan.
Hundreds of leaders nation wide have used this workbook to plan out their next career move.
This free workbook has already helped hundreds of leaders get clear on what they want and how to go after it.
✅ Define your ideal role
✅ Map your network
✅ Track real opportunities
Download your copy and start building a smarter job search today.
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