Many SEOs believe that experience automatically qualifies them for leadership roles. However, leading a department requires more than SEO expertise. In an article for Moz on retention strategies, Jon Martins, the Operations Director at Hallam, said that not every SEO is suitable for leadership positions and that sometimes there are alternative responsibilities they might be suited for.
He is correct.
Leadership is about running an entire service line—a business within a business. To stand out as a candidate, you must demonstrate leadership experience, such as managing teams, guiding strategy, or owning business outcomes, not just time spent in SEO.
Lawrence Hitches, General Manager at Studio Hawk in Melbourne, puts it well: “The disparity in experience levels can be stark—someone with four years in SEO might have never touched on-page SEO, while another with just a year’s experience could have managed a major migration for a big brand.”