Most candidates apply too broadly because they don't know their actual floor. Here's the 4-question test.
1. What's the smallest team you've directly managed in the last 5 years? This sets your management floor. If you've managed 6+, you don't apply to first-line manager roles. If you've managed 0, you don't apply to Director-level "manager of managers."
2. What's the highest comp band you've been in? Look at total comp from your last role. Senior hiring expects you've been close to (within 15%) of the band you're applying to. Big jumps need a clear narrative.
3. What's the largest scope you've owned end-to-end? Revenue, headcount, geography, products. Use the upper number. Roles requiring 2-3x your scope are stretches; 5x is unrealistic without a story.
4. Who interviewed you in your last 2 jobs? If your last interview loop was VPs and C-suite, you're at Director+ level even if your title says otherwise. If your loop was peers and managers, you're at Senior IC / Manager.
These four answers give you a tight band, usually a 1.5-level range. Apply within that band, plus one stretch level if the case is strong. Below the band wastes applications. Far above the band wastes more.
— Dr. Hosney Adel