What to expect when searching for your next C-Level role
Thinking of making your next C- level move? Or looking for your first step up into the C-suite?
Making sure you land at the right kind of company is key. You'll have different experiences depending on what stage of growth your employer is at, so it pays to be prepared before you go on your job search. Here’s what being hired at Executive level can often look like at different organisations:
What to expect if you're joining a start-up
What's the hiring process like?
The first thing you'll notice is you'll meet the founders early. Interviews for true start-ups are usually done by the directors and founders themselves, with input from early investors or members of the board. What we typically see is a few stages over a short time frame - most of the time you're looking at less than 4 weeks. Usually this starts with an informal chat with the founders to see if you're a fit, and is followed up by a small scale panel interview to really dig into your experience.
What'll your role be like?
You'll be shaping the DNA of the business, so your impact in a start-up is huge. If you're someone who values contact time with founders, high levels of visibility, and knowing your work is having a huge impact on the future, then a start-up might be right for you.
You'll be more hands-on too. And whilst it's a bit of a cliché now, you'll likely feel like you're wearing many hats and doing it all with limited resources. Some people love this, but some people prefer to specialise in one area. If you're the latter you might want to steer away from start-ups, but if you're happy being a generalist and getting stuck in building from the ground up, then this could be the perfect environment for you.
Essentially, start-ups are perfect for leaders who like to be strategic, but also like to be doing some of the doing too.
What's the compensation package like?
Realistically, your basic salary is going to look a bit lower at a start-up compared to a more established organisation. Budgets are often tighter, particularly pre-funding. But, this is usually offset by a solid equity package which could ultimately prove to be lucrative if the company goes on to successes. Only you know what your risk appetite is like!
Because of the lower base salary, start-ups often try and appeal to candidates in other areas. Think things like flexible working (location and hours), wellness and health stipends, or even something as simple as dog friendly offices. You might find some non-standard things on offer here!
What to expect if you're joining a company in growth phase
What's the hiring process like?
Founders may still be involved here, but processes can often get a bit more structured when companies are trying to scale fast. Timelines are extended slightly, but aren't too lengthy, with processes often taking around 1-3 months to complete.
Expect to see more structure from an interview process here. You'll likely start with an interview with the CEO or founders to figure out if you're well aligned, followed by a functional skills interview and presentation (think a 30-60-90 if you're in sales), and capped off with a panel interview - or two - with more of the leadership team, particularly those from other functions. What they're really looking for across all of these stages are evidence that you can both do and scale in your area of expertise. It can feel quite rigorous, but it's for good reason!
What'll your role be like?
You'll still be shaping the business if you join a company in a growth phase, but it's less about the company DNA and more about the systems and processes to help them hit that next stage of growth. Think things like lead and demand gen engines, sales playbooks, or operational workflows that make everything more efficient. Stability, repeatability, and efficiency is really what you're aiming for. You'll also likely have a bigger budget and more resources to work with. It does get a bit less hands-on at this stage, as often you'll have (or be building) a team underneath you to start to take on more of the doing side of things.
What your day to day looks like will depend on what stage of growth and funding the company is at, so the later stage the company is at the more resources you'll have and the more managerial and strategic you'll get in your role.
This kind of company is great if you're still looking to have an impact on the core of the business, but also want to build and manage a team for the future.
What's the compensation package like?
You'll get a far more competitive basic salary at a company that's already been through some funding compared to a start-up. Plus bonus schemes tend to get a bit stronger at this stage - you can typically see them falling in the range of 20% - 40% and they're usually tied to revenue or growth targets. You'll start to see a more all-encompassing benefits package too which can typically include healthcare provisions, 401k and budgets for professional and leadership development. As companies get to the later stages of growth, too, you'll start to see more 'perks' popping up, like enhanced leave and wellness stipends.
We think this is the sweet spot for equity. Because you're still an early(ish) hire, you'll get access to solid stock options, without quite the level of risk that comes with a start-up.
What to expect if you're joining an established company
What's the hiring process like?
At this stage in a company's growth, they're likely to have a robust talent team, so your first interaction may well be with them. This often comes in the form of a pre-screen phone call. After that, the process really does vary company to company. Some of the typical interview formats we see are: a CEO interview (sometimes accompanied by other execs), investor or board level interviews, cross-functional panel interviews, and presentation stages.
The timeline is often longer and it may feel like there are more hoops to jump through here, as established companies often have a more rigorous, structured hiring process. This is because they're looking to ensure a complete fit, and board/investor approval at times too.
What'll your role be like?
Here you're well past finding market fit, and into delivering repeatability, predictability, and long-term growth. This kind of role can often feel more like a 'traditional' corporate role - think fully funded global operations, decision making at board level, and large team beneath you to support the day-to-day execution of your strategies. At C-Suite level in these companies your work will be less 'doing' and more strategising, operating at board level and being ultimately accountable to them and investors. You're more likely to be measured on how well you orchestrate solid performance, rather than by how you do the tasks yourself. This is why it often appeals to people who are strong, experienced people managers too.
What's the compensation package like?
Here's where you'll get access to the highest basic salaries and the most structured performance-based commission. This can be particularly lucrative if you're in a sales leadership role, where bonus can sometimes hit more than 100% of base. Purse-strings for benefits are less tight so on top of the things we've mentioned at other company types, you can also access things like extended health insurance, retirement plans, more generous learning budgets, and relocation support if you're moving for the role.
You'll still have access to equity at these kinds of companies, but this is often a much smaller percentage or vests differently.
Approaching your C-Level job search
If you're thinking of making a move, then we hope this can help frame your thinking about what type of organisation might suit you best. We're always happy to have a non-committal chat with anyone who's considering exploring their options, so feel free to get in touch on info@fmctalent.com.
And in the words of a recently placed VP of Sales… ' I highly recommend FMC to any executive-level professional looking for their next big opportunity'.