Reading Between the Lines of a C-Suite Job Description

Executive recruiters write lengthy job descriptions when filling C-suite roles. Candidates need to recognize that these are marketing documents, aimed at getting them excited about the job, and they aren’t necessarily accurate reflections of the responsibilities and performance measures they will encounter if they accept the position. To overcome the mismatch between the written description and the actual reality of the role, candidates need to start from scratch, using interviews as an opportunity to understand the real parameters of the work, writing their own understanding of the job, and getting executive buy-in to that understanding before accepting an offer.