When Your D-Level Well-Paid Director Is Open to "New Opportunities"
The Company
The story is about a European Voice provider. Big company. Not huge, but seriously big.
20+ years in the industry, international exposure, and more than 150 employees worldwide. They thought that this was the proper time to go SMS. A team contacted us for consultation. They paid for the consultation and business plan, and we worked together for about six months until they decided to make it happen.
The Decision
The decision was to start with an SMS Senior Sales Director. Someone who knows the work already, has the leads and holds interconnections, and he is ready to start the business development. We were searching to find the proper candidate, and we rejected lots of candidates while we were looking for a super-star! It was obvious that we were looking for the best candidate because the whole business development of the company would be in his hands.
How can you avoid searching for the best?
The Interview That Changed Everything
In our new interview, we realized that rejecting the candidate wasn't a mistake but a wise decision to protect our customers. In the question, "You just started with a great company; why do you want to leave?" the answer was clear and direct: "I am always open to new opportunities."
Open to opportunities one month after you have been hired in a serious, senior, and responsible position with an excellent and oversized compensation package?
If a Senior Professional is "always open to new opportunities," he will never find time to be "dedicated to the assigned work." It's not science! It's common sense!
The Client Took Over
Within the third week, the customer informed us that he had found the right person and kindly asked us to quit searching... And we did.
It didn't take a long time to see the announcement on LinkedIn. Celebrations, Likes, Wishes, Congratulations, and all the well-known LinkedIn emotions were there!
Big time! The candidate was a guy from those we had rejected. No matter the reason(s).
Well, it felt that we were mistaken! Big time!
Two Years Later
Almost two years later, the customer complained about the significantly low business development of the new SMS department. In the 3rd year and after investing 1 million euros, the company quit trying. No matter the effort, the investment, the try, the personnel, the SMS didn't make it, and no one can explain why!
Full Circle
One month later, we announced another Senior Sales Director vacancy, and surprisingly, we received the CV of the same candidate. Once more!
We leave you to your conclusions.
Best regards, Donald Drunk
About Donald Drunk A long-time telecom observer who has survived multiple hype cycles, volume bubbles, and "growth" charts that aged badly. Known as well for asking inconvenient questions. Writes to expose what the industry whispers about but never puts on slides. Yet!
Are you a Telco Cannibal as well? If you are one of us, we are waiting for your article. No exposure, no names, no judgment! Send it or contact us!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did rejecting the "best" candidate turn out to be the right call? The candidate said he was "always open to new opportunities" only one month into a senior position. A senior professional with that mindset is unlikely to stay fully dedicated to the role, which made him a hiring risk despite looking strong on paper.
What happened after the client hired the rejected candidate? The client hired the candidate directly. Almost two years later, the company reported significantly low business development from the new SMS department, and by the third year, after investing 1 million euros, the company abandoned the initiative entirely.
Did the same candidate apply again afterward? Yes. One month after the company shut down the failed SMS department, the same candidate submitted his CV again for a new Senior Sales Director vacancy.
What's the underlying lesson of this story? A candidate's openness about constantly seeking "new opportunities," even soon after starting a new senior role, can be a meaningful warning sign rather than something to overlook for the sake of an otherwise impressive resume.
Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.
