Before You Make Another Executive Career Move, Get Clear on What You Actually Want

If your next executive career move feels harder than your early career moves ... you're on to something.

And if you've been in medical device, diagnostics, pharma, healthcare sales, biotech, or commercial healthcare leadership for 10, 15, 20 years, you also know it's not because you're less capable.

Or because you don't have options.

Or because your resume is a mess. (I mean, if it's not doing its job, happy to help, of course: Career Clarity)

But the harder part is usually this:

You can't make a strong move when you don't fully believe in the direction yet.

And when you're known for bootstrapping territories and teams with a 'we'll do whatever it takes to win' attitude (which we pride ourselves on in sales leadership, right) - it can feel almost wrong to be picky.

We should take what we can, right? Don't look that "gift horse" in the mouth, right?

If this is a thought that's rolled around in your mind, too, just know you're not alone. A LOT of my clients have felt this way -- and that's why I created the 10Q Executive Career Direction Worksheet.

It's a short, blunt decision-making tool for experienced professionals who need clarity before action.

Because sending more messages, polishing another version of your resume, or taking another coffee chat won't fix a direction problem.

Your Resistance Is Data

The thing is, when a seasoned leader hesitates, they often treat the hesitation like a character flaw.

(Gift horse in the mouth, remember?)

They tell themselves they should be grateful.

They should already know what they want (as we're used to coming up with the gameplan, eh?)

So, just pick a lane and go (already!).

But resistance is not always avoidance, imho.

Sometimes it's data.

Maybe you can do the bigger job, but you don't want the cost that comes with it anymore.

And this is okay. (More than okay!)

Maybe you're still good at the work, but the work no longer sharpens you.

Maybe the title looks impressive from the outside, but your actual day-to-day has become a slow leak.

Maybe you're not burned out because you worked too hard.

Maybe your wife is looking at you after 12 years of suffering your 'on call lifestyle' like, can we stop now?

Maybe you're burned out because you've been running hard in a direction you don't even want to keep defending.

That's the kind of thing a resume can't solve by itself.

Why Clarity Has To Come Before Positioning

I love a strong resume. Obviously. ;)

But a resume is not a compass.

It's a positioning tool.

It's literally designed to hit a target. (at least, the exceptional ones are!)

It can help the market understand where you belong next, but there is one thing it can't do.

It can't decide that direction for you.

And I say this with a huge helping of understanding -- yes, this IS the hardest part. The deciding on a direction.

If you're unclear, the resume usually becomes either too broad or too reactive.

And what's worse -- it doesn't work in the way it should.

Too broad sounds like:

• "I'm open to anything."
• "I just want the right fit."
• "I could do commercial leadership, training, strategy, consulting, operations, or something adjacent."

Reactive sounds like:

• "I just need something (or 'out')."
• "I don't want another company like that one."
• "I hate spine. It doesn't feel special anymore."
• "I just want the complete opposite of what I have now."

Both are understandable.

Neither is enough to MOVE you, though.

"Okay, Claire, so NOW what?"

Now, we talk constraints.

We build the 'box' or the guardrails.

That's where some of the strongest positioning comes from. You've probably seen we ONLY help medical sales and commercial health executives with their personal branding.

There's a reason for that.

In no world would you likely ask me, "Hey Claire, is your specialty building professional brands for tech bros? For groundhog hunters? For Fintech wizards?"

I mean, maybe if you're razzing me about how I "passed" my second round of economics in college.

But no, you likely wouldn't -- and why?

For the SAME reason you're not going to 'take anything' or market yourself 'to anyone, for anything'.

It doesn't get anyone closer to seeing YOU as their solution.

As my friend Virginia Franco says, it's like walking onto a car lot to buy your next ride and saying you'll take anything.

No you wouldn't.

So, let's try on some constraints, eh?

1. What kind of problems do you still want to solve?
2. What kind of decisions do you want to own?
3. What kind of chaos can you tolerate?
4. What kind of personal cost are you no longer willing to pay for success?

Those answers give your resume, LinkedIn profile, networking conversations, and interview strategy -- heck even your elevator chit chat -- somewhere to point.

If you need the resume side after that, read how senior medical sales reps and sales leaders position for the next tier. BUT do the clarity work first.

The 10 Questions I Want You To Answer Before You Run Harder

The worksheet is built around 10 executive career-direction questions.

They're not fluffy.

They're not "dream job" prompts.

They're designed to make you choose.

You'll look at:

• the problem you're actually best at solving,
• what has drained or sharpened you across your last three roles,
• your trade-off between status, money, and control,
• the decisions you want to own five years from now,
• whether you're built right now to build, fix, scale, or defend,
• how much chaos you can tolerate for upside,
• what advantage you'd carry into a different field,
• how your ambition has changed,
• which personal costs are no longer worth it,
• and what you'll regret if nothing changes for the next three years.

That's the work.

Not forever.

Not for six months.

One sitting. No editing. Real answers.

This Is Especially Useful If Your Career Is Starting To Look Nonlinear

If your path has started to zigzag, you're not automatically behind.

You may be collecting a more interesting set of proof than a straight-line resume can show.

But you have to know what the throughline is.

Otherwise, every move looks like a separate explanation.

That's why this worksheet pairs well with Your Nonlinear Medical Sales Career Is Not the Problem. A nonlinear career can be powerful when you know how to translate it.

The worksheet helps you find the translation before you start explaining yourself.

Don't Start With "What Jobs Are Open?"

This is where many experienced professionals accidentally make the search harder.

They start with the market.

What's posted?

Who's hiring?

What are recruiters sending?

Where could I apply this week?

That can be useful later, but it's a terrible first filter when you're trying to reset direction.

Start with the work.

Start with the problem.

Start with the trade-offs.

Start with what you don't want to pay for anymore.

Then go look at the market with better eyes.

If you're employed and need to explore quietly, this also pairs with The Quiet Job Search, because the strongest moves often happen before the public search begins.

Download The Worksheet

Use the 10Q Executive Career Direction Worksheet before you rewrite your resume, before you say yes to another version of the same job, and before you start networking your way into a direction you don't actually want.

Give yourself one uninterrupted sitting.

Do not optimize for polish.

Don't write what sounds reasonable.

Write what is true.

That's where the next right move starts.

(Psst -- and hey, once you do, happy to hear what you find out! DM me at linkedin.com/in/clairemdavis)

Related Resources

• The Executive Medical Sales Resume: How senior reps and sales leaders position for the next tier.
• Your Nonlinear Medical Sales Career Is Not the Problem: How to turn a winding background into a clearer career story.
• The Quiet Job Search: How to explore better opportunities without broadcasting your search.
• Career positioning services: Private support if you want help translating the direction into your resume, LinkedIn, and interview strategy.