The Cognitive
The Move Calendar
Good people move after specific moments. Find the people whose moment is this month, and message them in the right window.
01The 8 move moments
Each moment removes a reason to stay or adds a reason to look. Open a tile for how to spot it, how long the window stays open, and a first message you can copy.
The windows below are rules of thumb. People and companies differ, so treat them as a starting point and adjust to what you see in your own replies.
MOVE01Bonus paidThe money that kept them waiting is now in the bank.+
- How to spot it
- Find the company's bonus month. Check its careers page, annual report, or ask candidates you already know there. Many pay annual bonuses in Q1; plenty do not, so confirm per company.
- Window
- Starts the week after payout. Stays open for about two months, before the next year's targets feel worth waiting for.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm filling a Senior Product Designer role at a 60-person health-tech company in Leeds. You'd own the design system and report to the CPO. Hybrid, two days in the office. If you're open to a new role this spring, I can send the full brief. If not, no problem at all.
MOVE02Stock vests or the cliff passesLeaving no longer means walking away from shares.+
- How to spot it
- Take the start date on their profile. A one-year cliff lands 12 months later; a four-year grant ends 48 months later. Public companies often vest quarterly; the vest dates are in their filings or easy to learn from people who work there.
- Window
- The weeks right after the cliff or the final vest. A refresh grant can close it again, so move early.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm hiring a Site Reliability Engineer for a payments team in Dublin. Small on-call rota, Kubernetes and Terraform, a real say in the incident process. Your time on the platform team at [Company] lines up well with what they need. Open to a 15-minute call to hear the details?
MOVE03The 2-year (and 4-year) markTwo years in, people know whether the role will grow.+
- How to spot it
- Read the start date of the current role, not the company. A person can be four years at a company and two months in a new role. Four years in one role is a second, stronger mark.
- Window
- From about 22 to 28 months in the role. At four years, the window is wider, often most of that year.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm recruiting an Enterprise Account Executive for a logistics software company. Territory is the Nordics, deals are six figures, and the team is four people today. Two years running a region at [Company] is the kind of background they want. Worth a short call?
MOVE04A new boss arrivesThe person who hired them and backed them may be gone.+
- How to spot it
- Watch for leadership announcements at your target companies. Check the leader's own profile for a recent start date. Then search the people who report into that function.
- Window
- Opens about a month after the new leader starts, once first changes land. Stays open for roughly the first six months.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm hiring an FP&A Manager for a consumer brand in Manchester. You'd run the forecast end to end and partner directly with the CFO, who has been there five years. If a steady team and a clear remit sound good right now, I can send the details.
MOVE05Return-to-office date announcedThe deal they signed up for has changed.+
- How to spot it
- Company news and employee posts about an office date or a new days-per-week rule. Note the effective date. Focus on people who live far from the office, based on the location on their profile.
- Window
- Between the announcement and a couple of months after the effective date. Only useful if your role offers something better on location.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm hiring a Mobile iOS Engineer for a fintech team that is remote-first across the UK, with one team week in London each quarter. Swift, SwiftUI, a shipped app with real users. If the remote setup is of interest, happy to share more.
MOVE06An acquisition or merger closesRoles, managers and plans are all up for change.+
- How to spot it
- Press releases say when a deal is "expected to close". Track that date. Then look for duplicate functions: two finance teams, two legal teams, two sales leaders.
- Window
- Opens at close and runs through integration, often six to twelve months. Retention bonuses can delay moves until they pay out.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm hiring Corporate Counsel for a 300-person software company in Amsterdam. Commercial contracts and some M&A, reporting to the General Counsel, in-house team of three. If you're weighing options this year, I'd be glad to share the brief.
MOVE07Review cycle ends without a promotionThey hoped for a step up and were told to wait another year.+
- How to spot it
- Know the company's review months. After results, check whether the title stayed the same while peers who joined at the same time moved up.
- Window
- The four to eight weeks after results are shared. After that, people settle in for the next cycle.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm hiring a Lead Supply Chain Planner for a food manufacturer near Birmingham. It's the step up from senior planner: two direct reports and the S&OP meeting is yours. Your planning work at [Company] fits well. Would a quick call be useful?
MOVE08Reorg or layoff newsThe people who stay start asking if they are next.+
- How to spot it
- News coverage, company posts, and team pages that change shape. Search the people still in the affected teams, and the people who just left.
- Window
- Opens a week or two after the news. For people still there, it stays open for a few months.
- First message
- Hi [Name], I'm hiring an ICU Nurse Manager for a private hospital in Bristol. 18 beds, a full team, and a director who has been in post four years. If a conversation would help with your plans, I'm happy to talk whenever suits.
In The Cognitive
- Type the brief, then the timing signal in plain words:Senior Product Designer, design systems, Leeds or within an hour, hybrid. Has been in the current role about 2 years.
- Open the strong matches first. Each one says why it fits.
- Shortlist the ones you want, then get their email and phone.
02The 12-month view
Some moments cluster in certain months in many companies. Use this as a starting map, then check each target company's own cycle. A company with an April fiscal year runs on a different calendar from one with a January year.
Click a month to see the moments that are common then and who to search.
In The Cognitive
- At the start of each month, search your open roles again with that month's signal added, for example:FP&A Manager, Manchester, consumer goods. Works at a company that announced a return-to-office date.
- Change the brief by typing the change, such as "also include people within an hour of Manchester", and search again.
- Ask for more people for the same role when the first set runs thin.
03The 20-minute weekly routine
Same day, same time, every week. Keep a list of 15 to 30 target companies per open role. Tick as you go.
In The Cognitive
- Type the role plus the week's signal:Lead Supply Chain Planner, West Midlands, food or drink manufacturing. Works at a company that announced a reorganization this year.
- Shortlist or pass on each person. Get email and phone only for the shortlist.
04Timing traps
A note two weeks before a bonus asks them to give up money. Wait until after the payout, then send.
Never open with their layoffs, their reorg or their missed promotion. Talk about your role. They know their own news.
Never refer to their bonus, shares or vest date. Use the timing to choose when to send, and keep it out of the words.
Many people live close to the office or prefer it. Target the ones far away, and only if your role is more flexible.
A recent internal move resets the clock. Read the current role's start date.
People with a retention bonus may stay until it pays. Ask on the first call when it pays out, and plan around it.
A moment opens a window. It does not mean they want to move. The role still has to be better.
One generic note during the right month wastes it. Lead with the role, the team and the location.
In The Cognitive
- Put what to avoid in the brief, in plain words:Corporate Counsel, Amsterdam, commercial contracts. Not people who started their current role in the last year.
- Read the reason on each strong match before you message, and use it to make your first line specific.
Search by timing this week
Describe one open role, add this month's timing signal, and open the strong matches. 7 days, 100 credits, no card. 1 credit per person shown.