So…You’re an SE / SC Leader Looking for a New Job

Mattie Stremic
22 hours ago
3 min read

First of all, welcome to the club. A lot of SE/SC (PreSales) leaders are exploring what’s next right now.

If you’re in that boat, it’s usually some mix of:

RIFs and reorgs
Poor product-market fit (or the company just can’t get out of its own way)
You want a new challenge
You’re tired of the politics

And here’s a reality check I wish more people said out loud:

Your network isn’t going to pay off as quickly (or as much) as you think.

Why?

Because everyone is making asks.

But also… your network (and your ability to grow it) matters more than ever.

So if you’re job searching, here’s what I recommend.

1) Expect this to take longer than you want

Not because you’re not good. Because the market is weird.

SE leader roles are fewer and farther between.
By the time a role is posted, there’s often already a “preferred” candidate in the mix.
Even when you’re clearly qualified, companies will move slow, pause headcount, or keep “re-evaluating” the scope.

Practical mindset shift: treat this like a pipeline problem, not a single opportunity problem.

2) Explain your scope on your resume (like you’re talking to a normal human)

Please, I’m begging you: ditch the “accomplished” and “driven” adjectives. Show them you’re both.

Instead, make it painfully obvious:

Are you a 1st line or 2nd line leader?
How big is your team?
What segments/regions do you own?
What does “good” look like in your world (enablement, hiring, deal support, GTM strategy, product feedback loop, etc.)?
What revenue has your team influenced?

And yes, I know “influenced revenue” is messy.

But if you can’t talk about it, you’re forcing the recruiter/hiring manager to guess… and they won’t.

3) Get more visible (you can’t be a hidden gem)

LinkedIn is your friend.

Community is your best friend.

Here’s what “more visible” can look like without turning into a full-time influencer:

Comment on posts from leaders you respect (with actual thoughts, not “great post!”)
Share a quick win from your last org (hiring, enablement, process, a play that worked)
Write about what you’re seeing in presales right now (buyers, AI, discovery, demos, team structure)
Volunteer for webinars / panels
Show up to in-person events

Side note: we host SE leader dinners around the globe, and they’re always a good time!

4) Dial in your AI strategy (yes, this matters now)

If you’re going for leadership roles, you need concrete stories about how you’re using AI at scale to impact the GTM org.

Not “we’re exploring tools.” Real examples.

A few prompts to pressure-test yourself:

Where does AI actually save time for your team? (pre-call, account research, proposal/delivery, follow-ups, enablement)
How are you measuring impact?
How do you prevent “random tool chaos” across the team?
What’s your stance on data/privacy/customer content?
How do you coach reps so it’s better work, not just faster work?

Also: you need to be AI fluent.

Not “I’m interested in it.” Fluent.

Learn the relevant tools, be hands-on, and reward your team for AI fluency.

When you’re interviewing, you NEED these stories.

Without them, you’re going to come across as a little… behind. (Even if you’re not.)

5) If you’re going for IC roles, address the elephant in the room

If you’re applying to IC roles as a former leader, expect to get rejected without a conversation.

A lot of hiring teams assume you’ll bounce the second a leadership role opens up.

So you have to control that narrative upfront:

Explain why you’re choosing IC right now (and what “success” looks like for you).
Show you’ve stayed involved in deals (you’re a contributor, not just a people manager).
Give examples of the work you still love: discovery, exec storytelling, demos, building champions, running POVs, etc.

These are just some of the strategies that can make all the difference in your search.

A quick reminder before you go doom-scroll LinkedIn again

You’re not “behind.”

You’re not “too expensive.”

You’re not “unhireable.”

The market is tight, the roles are competitive, and the process is messier than it should be.

But if you treat this like a real GTM motion (positioning + visibility + pipeline + stories), you’ll land! Be patient and be persistent.