The argument: keep your search active even when you're employed; you never know what might come up.
The reality at senior level:
It dilutes your current performance. You can't run a senior role and an active search well at the same time. One degrades.
It makes you a worse candidate when you actually need to search. "Always-on" searches produce stale resumes, generic outreach, and applications you don't really want. Hiring managers can tell.
It erodes your relationship with your current company. Even confidential searches leak signals. Recruiters mention your name. LinkedIn activity changes. Colleagues notice.
The better pattern: deliberate seasonality.
Two modes, used intentionally:
Active mode (3-6 months): When you've decided to leave, you commit. Daily sourcing, focused outreach, structured tracker, 5-10 hours/week minimum.
Passive mode (most of the time): Strong LinkedIn, occasional content, casual relationship-building with recruiters in your space. No active applications. No daily searching.
The transition between modes is conscious. You decide to enter active mode based on real signals (role saturated, manager exit, comp ceiling, life change). Not based on "I should always be looking."
The candidates who land good roles are usually in active mode for 3-4 months, not perpetually skimming the surface.
— Dr. Hosney Adel