If you’ve spent any time exploring a career move in MedTech, this will sound familiar.
You update your CV.
You apply for a role that looks close enough.
You speak to a recruiter who hints that “something might be coming.”
You wait.
Sometimes you hear nothing back.
Sometimes the role changes.
Sometimes it’s paused, re-scoped, or quietly filled internally.
Sometimes it was never fully committed in the first place.
None of this means you’re doing anything wrong.
It means the way MedTech hiring actually works is very different from how it’s presented to candidates.
The uncomfortable truth about MedTech hiring
Most senior and commercially meaningful MedTech hires don’t start with job ads.
They start with internal debate.
Leadership teams weighing risk.
Budgets being tested.
Role scope drifting.
Timing being questioned.
By the time a role reaches the open market, one of two things is usually true:
it’s already late, or
it’s already compromised.
That’s why so many high-quality candidates feel stuck in limbo — not rejected, just invisible.
And it’s also why “apply and wait” is a poor strategy for anyone thinking beyond their next job.
Why great candidates don’t sit in databases
There’s a popular myth in recruitment that good candidates sit neatly in talent pools, waiting to be matched.
In reality, strong MedTech professionals:
are employed
are selective
are thinking in terms of trajectory, not titles
are open to the right move — not any move
They don’t want their CV circulated without context.
They don’t want their name floated against half-formed opportunities.
And they don’t want to be contacted about roles that evaporate before they’re approved.
Being “visible” in that environment isn’t helpful — it’s risky.
Why most recruiters can’t offer clarity (even if they want to)
This is the part candidates rarely see.
Many recruiters operate in models that reward speed and volume:
more CVs
more outreach
more “maybes”
more parallel conversations
That doesn’t make them bad people. It makes the system noisy.
From a candidate perspective, it creates confusion:
Is this role real?
Is it approved?
Am I being seriously considered?
Or am I just one of many names being tested?
When everything is speculative, nothing feels solid.
A different starting point: context, not conversion
At DukeMed, we don’t start with jobs.
We start with context.
That means understanding:
where you are in your career
what would genuinely move the needle for you
what you would and wouldn’t consider
what markets and leadership styles you’re aligned to
what timing actually makes sense
This isn’t a screening call.
It’s not a pitch.
And it’s definitely not a promise of roles. It’s about clarity — for you, and for us.
Because when a committed, search-led opportunity does emerge, alignment matters more than speed.
What happens when a real search exists
When DukeMed engages candidates around a role, it’s because:
the role is approved
the scope has been pressure-tested
the market has been mapped
leadership expectations are clear
the search is being executed with intent
That’s the difference candidates feel immediately.
The conversation shifts from:
“This might be interesting…”
to:
“Here’s what the organisation is building, why the role exists, and what success looks like.”
That’s when career conversations become productive — not draining.
Why this approach filters people (by design)
Not everyone wants this level of selectivity.
Some candidates prefer:
frequent recruiter calls
multiple speculative roles
broad exposure
That’s fine — but it’s not how we work.
Our approach suits candidates who:
value discretion
care about long-term fit
want fewer, better conversations
understand that not moving is sometimes the smartest decision
If that sounds restrictive, it probably is.
But it’s also why, when we do engage candidates in search processes, they tend to convert.
You don’t need to be “on the market” to be prepared
One of the biggest mistakes candidates make is waiting until frustration peaks before getting clarity.
By then:
timelines are compressed
decision-making is reactive
leverage is reduced
Preparation doesn’t mean applying early.
It means understanding:
your readiness
your non-negotiables
your blind spots
how your profile lands in the current market
That’s why we encourage candidates to start with insight — not outreach.
If this reflects how you’re thinking about your next move, there are two sensible ways to engage — without committing to a job search.
Check Your Career Move Readiness
A short, self-guided diagnostic to sense-check timing, positioning, and market alignment before making any decisions.
Request a Candidate Context Call
For professionals open to confidential, search-led conversations — not job pitching, CV circulation, or speculative roles.
Update: This article was refreshed in 2026 to reflect DukeMed’s current search-led approach to career conversations and confidential hiring.