Why doesn't the most qualified person on the shortlist automatically get the senior role? Because senior roles are rarely decided on knowledge alone, but on something that becomes visible in the first few minutes of an interview: executive presence.

In this episode, Jan Nordh, founder of Nordh Executive Search, takes the topic to where it really counts for you: the interview room for a senior sales role. Drawing on 19 years in executive search and countless interview debriefs, he explains why the verdict is often set after just a few minutes, and why technically excellent candidates fail exactly here. Using the example of Kai, who loses the same role and then wins it on the second attempt, he shows what can actually change in the first three minutes.

What you'll learn:

Why hiring managers file you as a peer or an applicant in the first few minutes, and filter everything afterward through that lens.

Where technically strong candidates really lose in the executive interview, and what the line "I couldn't see a CISO taking him seriously" means.

What presence looks like in concrete terms: pace, pauses, clear positions, naming a weakness without your voice cracking.

Three concrete levers to deliberately shape how you come across in an interview.

For IT sales professionals, enterprise account executives, cybersecurity and sales leaders across the DACH region and the Nordics who don't want to lose their next senior role on first impression.

Topics: executive presence, cybersecurity, enterprise software, IT sales, career strategy, executive search, DACH, Nordics.

Since 7 June 2026, an EU deadline has redrawn the balance of power in salary negotiations. Most people talk about compliance. The real question is: what does it mean for your next salary conversation, whether you sit in Stockholm, Paris or London?

Jan Nordh breaks down the EU Pay Transparency Directive from a market perspective, practical, not legal. Why it shifts negotiating power toward the candidate, and how the picture differs across the Nordics, France and the UK. Sweden is pushing back and wants to renegotiate, France is moving toward salary ranges in adverts and a salary-history ban, and the UK sits outside the directive entirely after Brexit, with its own rules. At the center is the part rarely addressed concretely in sales: variable pay. Commission, bonus and OTE are explicitly covered by the rule, and the fixed and variable parts must be reported separately. The real lever is not the base, but where inequality actually sits in sales: territory, accounts, quota and ramp.

What you'll learn:

• The five core points of the directive, in plain terms, and what they mean in practice
• Where the Nordics, France and the UK really stand, and why Sweden is the outlier
• Why in sales the inequality sits in the variable part, not the base
• The right question in the room: is that base or on-target earnings?

For IT sales professionals, enterprise account executives and sales leaders in cybersecurity, enterprise software and AI across the Nordics, the UK, France and the wider EU. Snapshot June 2026.

Most candidates rehearse their answers. But they never understand the questions. And that is exactly what decides an interview between an offer and a rejection.

Jan Nordh has spent years in debrief meetings, hearing what hiring managers say about candidates the moment they leave the room. In this episode he turns the table around and shows the interview from the other side. What is really being evaluated behind questions like tell me about yourself, what is your biggest weakness, or why are you leaving your role? The lens is enterprise sales: the hiring manager is the economic buyer, and you are selling exactly one product, yourself, as the solution to their problem. Plus a timely note on the new EU Pay Transparency Directive and what it means for your next negotiation.

What you'll learn:

• Why tell me about yourself is not a warm-up, but the first question you are scored on
• The line hiring managers think in the debrief when you trash your old employer
• The clean salary strategy: research, anchor, and turn the question back
• Why the offer almost never goes to the best CV, but to the best fit

For IT sales professionals, enterprise account executives, sales leaders and anyone making their next career move in cybersecurity, enterprise software and AI across Europe and the Nordics.

Why does a recruiter go completely silent after a good conversation? Most people blame the system, the market, or the ATS. The honest answer is more uncomfortable — and it almost always has something to do with you.

In this episode I explain what really happens when a recruiter ghosts you: usually, something in your story didn't add up — and it wasn't worth their time to challenge it. I break down why reliability is the most underrated career strategy in enterprise sales, why trust is the only currency that counts, and how to get your credibility account back into the black.

What you'll learn:

• The real reason recruiters ghost — and why almost nobody says it out loud
• Why being flaky is more dangerous than lying — and works exactly the same way
• Why hiring managers pick the reliable eight over the unpredictable ten
• A 4-level model to build your credibility systematically

For IT sales professionals, enterprise account executives, sales leaders and anyone steering their career strategically in cybersecurity, enterprise software and AI across the DACH region and the Nordics.

Why do qualified candidates miss out on offers — even when they’re a strong fit on paper?

In many cases, it’s not the resume. It’s not the experience.

It’s something more subtle.

After 19 years in Executive Search, I’ve seen a recurring pattern: candidates who try too hard to be liked often reduce their chances of getting hired.

In this episode, I explain why experienced hiring managers react negatively to what is often called Pick-Me Energy — and why the opposite isn’t confidence or arrogance.

It’s alignment.

You’ll learn:

• What Pick-Me Energy looks like in senior-level interviews
• Why over-explaining, excessive agreement and approval-seeking create doubt
• How hiring managers and internal recruiters actually assess risk
• Why alignment is more persuasive than self-promotion
• Three practical ways to improve your interview positioning immediately

This episode is particularly relevant for:

• Enterprise Account Executives
• Sales Leaders
• Cybersecurity Professionals
• SaaS and AI Professionals
• Candidates pursuing senior roles in DACH, the Nordics and international markets

Because a job interview is not a popularity contest.

It’s a mutual evaluation process.

And the candidates who get the offer are rarely the ones trying hardest to be chosen.

They are the ones who clearly demonstrate alignment.

"What makes you different from other candidates?"

This question comes up in almost every serious job interview — and most candidates answer it wrong. Not because they're unprepared. Because they do exactly what they've always been taught: deliver a pitch.

In this episode, Jan Nordh — founder of Nordh Executive Search and executive headhunter with 19 years of experience in cybersecurity, enterprise software, and AI infrastructure — explains why the polished elevator pitch backfires in interviews, and what successful candidates do instead.

You'll learn:

– The three most common mistakes candidates make when answering this question, and why experienced sales professionals are especially prone to mistake number three

– Why pitching in an interview creates the same reaction as an aggressive software demo — and how top candidates avoid it

– A concrete technique to take control of the conversation without coming across as arrogant

– How consultative selling — something you already use every day — becomes the most powerful interview method

For IT sales professionals, enterprise account executives, sales leaders, and anyone in cybersecurity, enterprise software, or AI infrastructure who is looking for their next role or wants to position themselves strategically.

The 4 traits that separate top candidates from everyone else.

Why do some candidates land multiple interviews and strong offers within weeks — while others spend months applying without traction?

After nearly 19 years in Executive Search across Cybersecurity, Enterprise Software and AI, I’ve noticed a clear pattern:

The difference is rarely the CV.

It’s usually four specific traits.

In this episode, I break down the four characteristics I consistently see in candidates who move faster, interview better, and position themselves more effectively in today’s market.

You’ll learn:

• Why “open to anything” is not a strategy
• Why 150 applications often create less momentum than 10 focused conversations
• The importance of relationship intelligence in senior-level hiring
• Why courage is often the hidden driver behind career acceleration
• How top candidates create clarity, focus, trust and momentum

This episode is especially relevant for:

• Enterprise Account Executives
• Sales Leaders & VP-level professionals
• Cybersecurity, SaaS and AI professionals
• Candidates navigating senior-level career moves in DACH, Nordics and international markets

Based on real-world Executive Search experience from the technology industry.

Your resume determines whether you get invited to an interview or end up being rejected immediately. Yet, many job seekers make crucial mistakes that significantly reduce their chances. In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ The 12 most common mistakes and how to avoid them

✅ How to optimize your resume to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers

✅ Why a strong LinkedIn profile is essential for your job search

✅ The power of a professional headshot – and when it really makes a difference

With years of experience as a headhunter, I share practical insights and real-world examples to help you refine your application strategy and boost your chances of landing your next job.

💡 This podcast is created with NotebookLM, featuring AI-generated voices for an engaging listening experience.The insights, strategies, and content are 100% based on my expertise.

In this episode, I dive into the key moments when bringing in a professional headhunter can transform your hiring strategy. With over 17 years in the industry and a 97% candidate retention rate, I share insights on minimizing the cost of vacancies, managing confidential transitions, and elevating your talent acquisition beyond the limits of internal teams. Whether you’re hiring for a critical role, top-grading your team, or seeking long-term partnerships in fast-moving industries like cybersecurity, AI, Cloud, and SaaS, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you secure game-changing talent.

Tune in to learn how to align your hiring process with your business goals and set your organization up for success!

In today's episode, it is a deep dive about an important topic: ghost job. How can you tell if a job ad is genuine or if you're just wasting your time? it is a conversation about this very topic.

Stay tuned and let's find out together how you can protect yourself from ghost jobs!