The roles you see on LinkedIn or job boards are often the leftovers, not the first choices.
In my own work, I know that most retained searches for top executive positions never reach a job board at all.
The shortlist is built, approached, and often closed before anything goes public.
You hear the “85 percent hidden market” claim everywhere. The exact number does not matter. What matters is this.
If you rely only on applications, you are competing in the most crowded and least effective part of the market.
Three ways the real hiring market actually works
- Retained search, not job ads
Boards hire search firms. The firm maps 30 to 50 target executives. They approach them directly. No posting. No applicants. Just selection. - Network-driven hiring
CEOs and board members call people they trust. “Who should we speak to?” That question fills more senior roles than any job board ever will. - Direct investor or competitor outreach
Private equity firms, shareholders, or competitors quietly approach proven operators. These conversations start months before any formal process.
If your strategy is to apply, you are competing for roles that others have already declined or where a shortlist already exists.
Your title won’t save you; your business and community network will
Most executives spend years building a title and almost no time building a market presence.
Then they lose their role and expect the market to notice. It does not.
It’s too late to seek advice and comfort from Thailand’s leading executive search firms.
The irony? Recruiters do remember that you ignored our calls and emails when we wanted to talk to you.
What you should do instead
Build relationships before you need them. Speak with peers, investors, and headhunters while you are still employed.
Make your expertise visible. Your LinkedIn is your shop window, not your archive.
Stay close to decision makers, not only recruiters. Many roles never reach recruiters either.
Stop measuring success by the applications you have sent. Measure it by the conversations you started.
Last month, I worked on a country leadership role
It was only last month that I worked on a country leadership role. We identified 28 candidates. We approached 11. We interviewed 5. Executive search in a nutshell.
The role was filled. It was never advertised.
- Most senior roles are filled before you ever see them.
- If you rely on job boards, you are late.
- If you rely on your Resume/CV, you are invisible.
- If the top of your LinkedIn profile is attractive, best of class, you have a chance.
- If you rely on your network, you are in the game.
