Signal · Job changes
Job change signals in sales: new leaders and moved champions.
When someone starts a new job, they inherit a set of problems, a budget and a stack of tools they did not choose. For a few months, they are more open to change than they will be for years.
On this page 8 sections
- A new role means new problems, a new budget and a review of the stack.
- There are three kinds of job change, and one is worth far more than the others.
- Where to find job changes.
- Timing a job change is different from timing other signals.
- Qualify the role, not just the company.
- The new job is public. Mention it, then move on fast.
- The common mistakes.
- Job changes are the best base layer for stacking.
The short answer
Job change signals in sales are trigger events where a relevant person starts a new role: a new leader joining a target account, or a past customer or champion moving to a new company. They are a medium-strength signal with a long window, roughly the first 90 days in role. The new job is public, so you can mention it, but lead with their new problems, not congratulations.
A new role means new problems, a new budget and a review of the stack.
New leaders are measured on what they change. A new VP of Sales is expected to have a plan within a quarter, and the plan usually involves people, process and tools. As a rule of thumb, they review the tools they inherited in roughly their first 90 days. After that, the stack becomes theirs, and they defend it.
That is why job changes sit in the middle of the signals ranking: medium strength, but a far longer window than first-party signals. A profile view is cold in days. A new leader stays open for months.
There are three kinds of job change, and one is worth far more than the others.
| Type | Example | Why it matters | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past champion moves company | A happy user of your product becomes Head of Sales somewhere new | They already trust you and know how to buy you | Highest |
| New leader at a target account | Fernway hires a new VP of Revenue | Stack review, fresh budget, pressure to show results | High |
| Promotion inside a target account | A team lead becomes Director | New scope and authority, but they know the current setup | Medium |
Moved champions are the warmest lead in B2B. If you only track one job change signal, track the people who already use and like your product.
Where to find job changes.
- LinkedIn, free. People announce new roles. Your feed and notifications show you some of them, mostly from your own network.
- Sales Navigator. Filters for people who changed jobs recently, and alerts when saved leads change roles. The most practical source for target accounts.
- Your own customer list. Check your champions' LinkedIn profiles regularly, or use a tool that watches them, so you know when one moves.
- Company announcements and news. Senior hires are often announced. Google Alerts on your target accounts catches some.
Timing a job change is different from timing other signals.
Do not message on day one. A person in their first week is flooded with congratulations and vendor pitches, and has not yet worked out what is broken.
| Time in role | What they are doing | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Meeting the team, drowning in messages | Connect, maybe. Do not pitch. |
| Week 3-8 | Diagnosing: what works, what doesn't | Best window. Ask about what they are finding. |
| Month 2-3 | Presenting a plan, picking changes | Still good, especially with a second signal. |
| After ~90 days | Executing their plan | Treat as a normal account again. |
A moved champion is the exception: reach out within the first couple of weeks, because they already know what they want to bring with them.
Qualify the role, not just the company.
- Does the new role own the problem you solve? A new CFO is a job change; for a sales tool, it is not your job change.
- Does the new company fit your ICP? A champion moving to a company too small to buy is a friendship, not a lead.
- Is it a real move? Title edits and "open to work" changes are not new jobs.
The new job is public. Mention it, then move on fast.
Unlike a profile view, a job change is something they announced. Referring to it is natural. What fails is a message that is only congratulations plus a pitch.
Don't
Every vendor sends this exact message in her first week. It says nothing about her.
Do (new leader, week four)
The role is mentioned in passing. The question is about what she is likely diagnosing right now.
Do (moved champion)
She already knows the product. Make it easy and make it honest.
The common mistakes.
- Pitching in week one. You become one of forty messages.
- Losing track of champions. The most valuable job change signal is the one teams forget to watch.
- Assuming every new leader wants change. Some are hired to keep a working machine running. Ask before you assume.
Job changes are the best base layer for stacking.
- New leader + views your profile: they are researching vendors. Best lead of the month.
- New leader + company hiring for their team: they are building, and need what the team needs.
- New leader + recent funding: a mandate to grow, and money to do it.
When should I reach out after someone changes jobs?
Usually between week three and week eight in the new role, once they have worked out what needs fixing. Reach a moved champion sooner.
Should I congratulate them on the new job?
A brief mention is fine because it is public, but the message must be about their new problems, not about the congratulations.
What is a champion job change?
A person who used and liked your product at one company moving to another. It is the warmest trigger event in B2B.
Next: hiring signals, or how sales teams stack signals to prioritize accounts.
