Some of the most rewarding career turns start with a simple truth: “I wasn’t looking.”
There’s a common assumption that you need to be job hunting to consider something new. But the reality is, some of the smartest moves happen when you’re not searching, when you’re doing well, engaged, and something unexpected piques your interest or makes you rethink what’s next. When there’s no pressure to make a change, you make clearer, more deliberate decisions. You’re not reacting to burnout or urgency – you’re assessing fit, leadership, and alignment on your own terms. That’s a strong position to be in. If something checks the right boxes, work you want to be doing, people you want to build with, it’s worth hearing out. No need to decide on the spot. Just staying open means you won’t miss something great simply because you weren’t planning for it.
We see this all the time. The best opportunities show up when you’re not chasing them. The best candidates? They’re the ones willing to take a thoughtful look, even when they don’t need to.
The best time to explore? When you don’t have to.