I will put my onboarding studies to practical use soon. I am pleased to announce that I am going to be the CEO of the American Physiological Society starting on March 9. I know that many of my readers are on the job market, so I thought I would share my job search stats and some of what I learned along the way.

My search stats

• Applications submitted: 13 CEO roles
• Recruiter conversations: 11
• First-round interviews: 6
• Second-round invitations: 5
• Second-round interviews completed: 4 (I withdrew from one process)
• Offers: 1

In the end, I found the perfect job for me. That outcome can look simple from the outside. The reality is a funnel, a lot of waiting, and a lot of preparation.

What I learned from the process

1) Being picky is a strategy

I was very selective about what I applied for. I only pursued organizations I could feel passionate about, because that is the only way I knew I would be successful in the role.

That selectivity helped in two ways. It kept my energy up during a long process because I was excited about the opportunities in front of me. It also made my interviews stronger, because I never had to manufacture enthusiasm. I could speak honestly about why the mission mattered to me and how I would lead.

2) If you are picky, plan for time

Because there were few positions open that fit my criteria, I assumed the search would take up to 18 months. I treated that as a planning problem, not a stressor. I built a consulting portfolio alongside the search so I could stay financially steady, keep my skills sharp, and remain confident in my day-to-day work. I can share more on that path another time.

3) Recruiters are your allies

At this level, recruiters are the gatekeepers. In my search, there were ten different recruiting firms across the roles I pursued, and I worked especially closely with three firms.

The recruiters were incredibly helpful to me. My interactions with recruiters improved:

• my resume
• my cover letter
• my interview performance, especially first round interviews

The best recruiters were candid about what boards wanted, clear about where I stood in the process, and generous with feedback when I asked for it. They also helped me understand how to translate my experience into the language a search committee can quickly absorb.

4) Executive interview prep takes a lot of time

I didn’t believe it at first, but then I started to track my effort. The time commitment is significant, and it ramps up fast between rounds.

• Cover letters: All of my letters were personalized to the job description. I got faster at them because I could start reusing sections. At first, they took 2-3 hours; by the end, I could write one in under an hour.
• First-round interviews: I typically spent 2–3 hours preparing.
• Second-round interviews: I spent 10–30 hours preparing. Yes, really.

Second rounds are not just “more questions.” They include deep prep on the org, articulating your leadership approach, scenario thinking, and a presentation. They require sustained attention over days, not hours.

A note for job seekers

If you are in the middle of a search right now, I want to highlight something that is easy to forget (and trust me, there were moments during my search when I despaired).

A long search does not mean you are doing it wrong, but can be a sign of intention.

Keep focusing on the roles you care about. Keep learning from each conversation. Keep building stability around the process so you can show up strong.

It only takes one. And the right one is worth the time.