The Unseen Network: How Senior IT Roles Are Really Filled, According to Ehsan Ali

In a recent LinkedIn post, Ehsan Ali, a seasoned professional with 12 years of experience in Australian enterprise IT, offers a candid look at the hidden dynamics behind filling senior technology roles. Ali challenges the conventional job application process, arguing that for positions commanding salaries upwards of $280,000, the path to securing a role often bypasses traditional methods like online applications and interviews.

Ali’s central thesis is that these high-level positions are primarily decided through personal networks and trusted relationships, long before a job description is formally drafted or advertised. He highlights a common scenario where a hiring manager or CTO, upon identifying a need, first reaches out to a trusted recruiter and a peer in their network. The crucial first step, according to Ali, is often a peer referral.

“That second call? That’s where most $280K–$380K+ roles are decided. Not interviews. Not applications. A name.”

The Power of Pre-Vetting and Personal Networks

According to Ehsan Ali, the formalization of a job role, including drafting a job description and involving HR, typically occurs only after these initial, informal conversations have taken place. The recruiter then works with candidates who are already known and trusted, often through their existing professional connections. Ali points out that by the time a role appears on job boards like LinkedIn or SEEK, it has already undergone multiple layers of filtering.

“You’re not competing with applicants. You’re competing with: The GM’s personal referrals, The recruiter’s private network, Conversations that started weeks earlier,” Ali writes, emphasizing the significant head start that candidates within these established networks possess.

A Relationship Market, Not a Meritocracy

Ali argues that the senior IT job market operates more as a relationship-driven economy than a pure meritocracy. He observes that many senior IT professionals mistakenly focus on optimizing their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, believing these efforts will lead to success. While these are not inherently wrong, Ali contends they are misaligned with how the market for senior roles actually functions.

“The professionals landing these roles aren’t always better. They’re just: Already known. Already trusted. Already in the conversation before the role exists.”

To illustrate his point, Ali shares an anecdote about a professional named Shalin, who experienced little success with months of online applications. However, a single, targeted conversation led to an offer for a role that was never formally advertised. Ali attributes this outcome not to luck, but to understanding and leveraging the specific dynamics of this high-level market.

Reframing Your Market Positioning

Ehsan Ali concludes by urging senior IT professionals to re-evaluate their job-seeking strategies. He suggests that the key to landing these coveted roles lies not in applying when a position is advertised, but in building and maintaining a strong professional network that ensures they are considered and known before opportunities even arise.

“The market isn’t broken. Your positioning is just built for the wrong layer of it.”

In Ali’s view, the focus should shift from optimizing application materials to cultivating relationships and ensuring one’s name is part of the early, informal discussions that often predetermine hiring outcomes for senior technology leadership positions. This proactive, network-centric approach, he suggests, is what truly differentiates successful candidates at this level.