Applying for executive positions: structure, discretion, negotiation

For management positions the process rarely runs through a job ad. Executive search consultancies receive a mandate, define a requirement profile and search actively – 60 to 80 percent of candidates come from direct approaches.

For you this means:

• The CV is a document for consultants, not for parsing software. Result figures and areas of responsibility beat keyword density.
• A short version (2 pages) and a long version (4 to 6 pages) are customary; the short version goes into the mandate, the long version into the detailed review.
• Discretion is part of the offer: your current employment must not become known in the market.

The order differs clearly from a standard CV:

1. Executive summary (5 to 7 lines): function, industries, span of control, two evidenced results.
2. Core competencies: P&L responsibility, restructuring, M&A, supply chain – each with an order of magnitude.
3. Positions with result lines: position, company (industry, size), period, span of control, budget, three results.
4. Education, board mandates, further education – compact.
5. Languages and international experience – often decisive for Swiss executives.

What may be missing: hobbies, photo, marital status. What must not be missing: orders of magnitude – employees, revenue, budget, number of locations.

Anyone applying from an ongoing employment faces three risks: the current employer finds out, customers or suppliers find out, or the process becomes public before it is decided.

• No company name in the profile: on portals and networks, "Executive in mechanical engineering, corporate group, 1,200 employees" is enough.
• Confidentiality note: one sentence in the CV ("Confidential application – forwarding only with express consent") is customary and respected.
• References only at the end: contact details of references do not belong in the CV but are provided on request in the final step of the process – after consulting the reference persons.
• Check the non-compete agreement: an existing prohibition (Art. 340 CO) can block a move to a competitor – clarify before the process, not after.

At executive level an executive brief replaces the classic cover letter: one page at most, four paragraphs.

1. Hook: why this function, why now – with reference to the company's situation.
2. Fit: two to three evidenced results that address exactly the challenges named.
3. Approach: how would you tackle the first 100 days? Three concrete points are enough.
4. Framework: availability, mobility, willingness to travel – factually, without negotiation details.

Dispensable: platitudes about an "exciting challenge" and a "dynamic environment". At this level every statement is read as a signal of judgement.

For executive positions, compensation is rarely a single figure. It typically consists of a base salary, a variable component (bonus or commission), sometimes equity (shares, options) and fringe benefits (company car, expense rules, pension).

• Variable components need a clear basis: revenue, EBITDA, project milestones – and a rule for what applies on termination or if targets change.
• Equity is widespread in Switzerland mainly at start-ups; vesting, valuation and tax consequences should be in writing.
• Pension: for high salaries the insured share is limited – an executive benefit can lie in a supplementary pension solution.

Always negotiate the total package, not just the base salary. And get the offer in writing before you accept.

In the final third of the process come references and increasingly also structured background checks (employment screening: education, employment data, in some cases a criminal record extract).

• Select references: a former supervisor, a peer, a direct report – each with a link to the target role.
• Give advance notice: reference persons should know which position they are speaking for and which two points to highlight.
• Check consistency: dates in the CV, in the reference letter and in the reference must match. Discrepancies are the most frequent reason for follow-up questions.

After the offer: have it confirmed in writing, coordinate the notice period and start date and – if necessary – settle the reference letter for your current position before you leave.