The Strategic Exit: Making An Urgent Move
Invest in your next move before you’re forced to make one
A few days ago, I got a call from a subscriber who made me realize that I can’t write fast enough. After completing the Career Context Audit, he realized he was in a “dicey” situation. The audit showed that his current role was not sustainable.
His question showed the sense of urgency: “You talked about using the current paycheck to prepare an exit plan, but how do I actually prepare one? I’ve been in my current job for ten years, and I don’t even have an updated résumé.”
It’s easy to stay in a comfortable role for many years and forget how to find a new job. We discussed a framework I’ve been developing to provide a comprehensive approach to boosting market value and preparing for career transitions.
After the call, I realized our discussion could be immediately useful to many others as well. So, in this edition, I’ll use the conversation I had with my friend as a starting point for the more comprehensive approach I’ll share.
If you feel stuck or sense that the career context is not in your favor, don’t wait for a crisis to hit before securing your next job.
Here are the steps to prepare a strategic exit plan.
Step 1. Define the Destination (The Awareness Phase)
The most common mistake people make is “flooding the market.” They send their résumé to every available portal and tell their network, “I just need a job.”
If you tell someone, “Any job will do,” they won’t know how to position you. Without a destination, your network can’t help you. You need to start with introspection—becoming clear about what an ideal role looks like.
Ask yourself: What is the destination? Here are some questions to get you started.
What specific technologies are you interested in? For example: Are you interested in pivoting to AI agents or sustainable energy?
What scale are you looking for? Are you seeking a nimble startup or a public company?
What scope are you looking for? Is this about a leadership role, or are you interested in an individual contributor role?
What locations are of interest to you? Do you prefer to stay in your current location or are you open to relocating?
Don’t worry about your current qualifications at this stage. This stage is about defining an “ideal.” Once you have identified an initial destination, you can say, “I am looking for X,” which makes it much easier for others to say, “I know exactly who you should talk to.”
Step 2. Activate your Network (Leverage your Connections)
Networking isn’t just about the number of LinkedIn connections; it’s about meaningful connections that matter. Divide your network into two tiers:
The Active Tier: These are people you communicate with regularly. Reach out immediately. Share your “Destination” and request help getting there.
The Dormant Tier: These are people you haven’t spoken to in many years. Don’t start by asking for a job. You need to “warm up” these connections first. Share an interesting article, a podcast, or a copy of this newsletter to rekindle the spark. Develop the relationship over several months before asking for a referral or opportunities.
Step 3. Use AI as Your Research Partner
You don’t need to manually search for every company in your metro area for your next role. Use an AI assistant as your research partner. Provide it with your destination—interests, preferred technologies, and company sizes—and ask it to generate a list of target companies and internal roles at your company that match your criteria. You can refer to my previous blog, Partner with AI on Your Career, for this step and the next.
Step 4. Use AI to Close Skills Gaps
Once you have target job descriptions, the real work begins.
Use an AI assistant to craft a version of your résumé that resonates with the language of your new destination.
Ask the AI assistant to compare your updated résumé with your target job descriptions. What’s missing?
If any skills are missing, ask the AI assistant to provide a list of resources. Use these resources to bridge the gaps.
Now you know how to plan your strategic (and urgent) exit from a “dicey situation.”
So, When Do You Start?
You don’t need to be “100% ready” to begin the exit process.
Once you have an initial idea about your destination, activate your active connections. Use Steps 2, 3, and 4 to refine your destination, targets, and résumé while you warm up your dormant connections. As you gain confidence in addressing your skills gaps, you’ll be ready to apply and interview for jobs.
The road ahead is yours to shape!
Suresh 😊
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