By Max Diamond, Director, Accounting & Finance
Prioritizing what matters most in your job search can be the difference between feeling confident in your next move and feeling stuck waiting for the “perfect” opportunity. In today’s competitive hiring market, candidates are often evaluating multiple factors at once: compensation, growth trajectory, flexibility, and company culture. The challenge isn’t identifying what you want, but determining what truly matters most right now.
Many professionals enter a job search believing every factor carries equal weight. But as interviews progress and offers come into view, trade-offs inevitably surface. Without a clear sense of priorities, decision-making can become overwhelming. This is where intentional reflection becomes critical.
In this video, Max Diamond, Director on Landing Point’s Accounting & Finance team, explains why prioritization is one of the most important steps in the job search process and how identifying what matters most to you can bring clarity, focus, and confidence from the very first conversation through the final offer decision.
[Max Diamond, Director at Landing Point, discusses how job seekers can prioritize compensation, growth, flexibility, and culture when navigating the job search process.]
Key Takeaways
- Every candidate values compensation, growth, flexibility, and culture differently.
- Identifying priorities early creates a clearer, more focused job search.
- Not every role will check every box (and that’s OK!)
- Knowing your non-negotiables makes final decisions more confident and strategic.
Once priorities are clearly defined, the job search becomes far more structured. Rather than chasing every opportunity or waiting indefinitely for a flawless role, candidates can evaluate each conversation through a consistent lens. This approach helps eliminate noise and keeps the process aligned with long-term goals.
Related Reading: https://landingpoint.com/blog/managing-job-search-fatigue/
How Landing Point Can Help
At Landing Point, these conversations happen early—often during the first in-person meeting with a candidate. Our recruiters work closely with professionals to break priorities down into four core categories: the role itself, work-life balance, compensation, and company culture. Additional considerations, such as days in the office, frequently come into play, particularly for working parents or those navigating changing life circumstances.
Ultimately, prioritization gives candidates a reliable point of reference at the offer stage. Instead of asking whether a role is perfect, the focus shifts to whether it aligns with the guiding factors that matter most right now. That clarity often leads to stronger decisions, better long-term outcomes, and greater satisfaction in the next chapter of a career.
Transcript
Max Diamond:
Everyone wants to be paid well. Everybody wants to be treated well. They want a career where they’re growing and able to take on more. But the weight of each of those things is different for every individual.
Some people may be really focused on making as much money as they can today, while someone else may be more focused on what their long-term career path looks like.
Identifying what is most important to candidates during a search is a big part of the first meeting we have. Ideally, we meet in person and talk through the things that matter most. We typically break this down into the job itself, work-life balance, compensation, and company culture.
Days in the office also come into play, especially for many working parents. Figuring out these factors gives us a clear path forward and helps prioritize what is most important to you.
A lot of people wonder whether the perfect opportunity is out there and if they should wait for it. The answer depends on each person’s situation. If you’re passively looking and don’t need to leave, waiting for something that feels like a nine or ten out of ten could be the right move.
Ultimately, it’s a moment of reflection—identifying what your North Star is and what’s truly non-negotiable. That clarity becomes a key point of reference when it’s time to make a final decision.
About Max Diamond
Max Diamond is a Director at Landing Point, specializing in Accounting & Finance executive search for asset management, private equity, hedge funds, and real estate investment platforms across the Tri‑State area. Max specializes in connecting growth‑minded finance professionals with respected investment firms. Notable searches include Senior Vice President of Fund Accounting for a global credit fund, Fund Controller for a real estate investment platform, and Management Company Controller for a hedge fund manager.
Prior to joining Landing Point, Max spent two years in PwC’s Financial Services Audit Practice and two and a half years at Fortress Investment Group in fund accounting. He holds a master’s in forensic accounting and a bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Albany. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants, and cheering for the Yankees, Jets, and Arsenal.