Closing the Market Perception Gap

When you leave a role, one of the biggest risks is not what actually happened. It is the assumptions others might make about it. This is where market perception gaps form. If they are left unaddressed, they can quietly undermine your reputation. The first step is to recognise that a story is already being written about your exit, whether you have shaped it or not.

By asking what story people might be telling, you can start to take control of it. From there, your job is to provide evidence that updates and corrects that story. This could be as simple as refreshing your LinkedIn profile so your departure looks intentional rather than uncertain. It could be aligning your CV with a forward-looking narrative that highlights your value rather than just your last title. It also means being deliberate with the language you use in conversation, keeping it short, positive, and consistent.

People rarely ask directly what happened. They fill in the gaps themselves. When your messaging is clear and aligned across your CV, LinkedIn, and conversations, you remove room for doubt. In doing so, you are not just managing perception. You are building confidence, and in the executive market, confidence in your story is everything.

Practical tip
Write one clear sentence that explains your transition in a positive, forward-looking way. Use that same sentence across your LinkedIn profile, CV, and conversations so every signal you send reinforces the same story.