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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.