For Senior Leaders
Your Executive Career,
Decoded
We partner with senior leaders (15+ years) through career transitions, executive job searches, and CXO placements. We work for you, not the company hiring you.
What is an executive career partner? An executive career partner is a service paid by a senior leader, not the hiring company, to manage their entire career trajectory. Unlike retained search firms or recruiters who work for the employer, an executive career partner works exclusively for the candidate. Services typically include career strategy, role targeting, personal brand and LinkedIn rebuild, resume and narrative positioning, hidden market access through employer networks, interview coaching, and offer negotiation. In India, this model is emerging for senior leaders with 15 or more years of experience targeting CXO, VP, and SVP roles. Engagements typically run 3 to 6 months and cost between Rs.1.5 lakh and Rs.5 lakh. The candidate pays for the service, which removes the conflict of interest inherent in employer-paid recruitment. At Decoding Work, we are this partner for senior leaders in India.
Is This For You?
Who We Partner With
We work with a focused group of senior leaders. If this sounds like you, we should talk.
- 15+ years of professional experience
- Director, VP, SVP, or CXO level (or functional equivalent)
- Currently employed and exploring, OR in active transition
- Targeting roles with Rs.50L+ CTC in India or international markets
- Open to startup, growth-stage, or large enterprise leadership
- Wants a trusted partner, not a generic recruiter
The Service
What We Actually Do
Four structured modules. You can engage one, two, or all four depending on where you are in your search.
Career Strategy Intensive 2 weeks
Deep-dive positioning session. We map your market value, identify target roles and companies, and build a prioritised search strategy. Deliverables: positioning statement, target list, gap analysis.
Executive Brand Architecture 4 weeks
Narrative design, LinkedIn optimisation, and visual identity rebuild. We write for the executive who searches, the CEO who Googles you, and the board that evaluates you.
Active Search Support 3–6 months
Hidden market access through our 200+ employer relationships, role introductions, weekly search reviews, interview preparation for every round, and full offer negotiation support.
Post-Landing 90-Day Partner Optional add-on
The first 90 days in a new CXO role are the highest-risk period. We stay with you: stakeholder mapping, quick-win prioritisation, and weekly coaching through your first quarter.
Engagement Model
Transparent Pricing
One package, three components. No hidden fees. No surprise retainers.
Engagement Fee
Custom retainer, scoped to your situation and engagement length. Written proposal before any payment. Specifics shared on the first call.
Success Component (Optional)
For placements sourced directly through our employer network: one month CTC as a success fee. Agreed upfront, in writing. Only applies if we make the introduction.
Free Discovery Call
30 minutes, no commitment. We assess fit honestly — if we're not the right service for your situation, we'll tell you. Book the call before anything else.
Why Decoding Work
What Makes Us Different
- We work for you, not the employer. Our fiduciary duty is to you. No competing interests.
- Partner-led service. You will speak with our founding partners directly — not a junior associate.
- 200+ employer relationships in India. Access to roles before they're posted.
- Transparent process. Written proposals, clear deliverables, no information asymmetry.
- Senior-leader specialists. We only work with 15+ year executives. Not a general coaching service.
What Clients Say
Senior Leaders We've Partnered With
I had been a VP Finance for six years and knew I was ready for a CFO role, but every recruiter I spoke to kept presenting me to the same tier of company. Decoding Work reframed my story and went directly to boards and promoters I would never have reached on my own. I had three CFO conversations within 10 weeks and accepted an offer that was 40% above what I was targeting.
What I valued most was the honesty. In the first call they told me my LinkedIn was doing me active harm and that two of the companies I was targeting were wrong for where I wanted to go next. That directness saved months of wasted effort. I landed a CMO role in four months, at a company I had not considered before they suggested it.
I was skeptical about paying for career help. Felt like something you could figure out yourself. I was wrong. They had direct relationships with the right people, and I got conversations that would have taken me a year to get on my own. The offer negotiation alone was worth the engagement fee several times over.
FAQ
Questions Senior Leaders Ask Before Engaging
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Yes. Decoding Work is the candidate-paid executive career partner for senior leaders in India. We are retained by you. We are not paid by hiring companies. Our advice, the roles we surface, and how we negotiate are all aligned with your interests.
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Recruiters and search firms are paid by the hiring company. Their client is the company, not you. We invert that model. You retain us. We work only for you.
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Senior leaders with 10+ years of experience, typically Director level and above, based in or targeting roles in India. Mostly in technology, financial services, consumer, and consulting.
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A typical engagement includes career strategy, executive brand architecture (LinkedIn, narrative, visual identity), market mapping, hidden role access through our employer network, outreach management, interview coaching, and offer negotiation. Engagements are scoped per leader, not packaged.
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Engagements are custom retainers, scoped to your situation. We share specifics on our first call.
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No. We are an executive career advisory and representation service. We do not place candidates with companies on a contingency basis. We do not collect placement fees. We are retained by senior leaders to manage their career trajectory.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Start with a conversation. No commitment, no pressure. Tell us where you are and where you want to go.
Start the Conversation