60-minute call
The Career Strategy Diagnostic
Where you stand, what is holding your search back, and what to do next.
₹10,000$440 for visitors outside IndiaDetails
Career transition coaching for senior Indian professionals, in India and abroad
Don't just return to India. Return ready.
I coach senior Indian professionals moving into leadership roles in India: those already working here who want a deliberate next move, and those abroad planning a return. Thirty-four years in executive search taught me how those hiring decisions are made.
Coach, not recruiter
Recruiters find people for jobs. Coaches find the job-readiness in people.
I do not circulate CVs, arrange interviews or promise a job.
4.9 / 5 average client rating227 client bookings34 years in executive search
Recognised in 2026
SHRM Top HR Voices India
ETHRWorld HR InfluencersThree ways to work with me
One starting point and two programmes. The Diagnostic comes first, and the programmes are built on what it finds.
Programme, 4 to 6 weeks
The Executive Transition Sprint
Take a defined next role from intention to real conversations.
Customised to youDetails
Premium programme, 6 to 8 weeks
The Leadership Move Advisory
A senior move, planned and negotiated from start to finish.
Customised to youDetails
Returning from abroad? Once you book, you can take the India Comeback Check, a three-minute readiness snapshot built for returning professionals.
About the CheckThe AIM method
Three stages, in this order
A
Assess opportunities
Review your options and design a strategy before you approach anyone.
I
Implement the search
Map your target market, build your network, and prepare for interviews.
M
Manage the transition
Negotiate the offer and plan the move, including the joining date and relocation terms.
This is for you if
- You are at Director level or above.
- You work in India and plan a senior move, or you live abroad and plan a return.
- You are aiming at leadership roles in India, often at GCCs, GBS units or MNCs.
- You want to work out how you are positioned, not only where to apply.
This is not for you if
- You want referrals, introductions or your CV circulated.
- You want a guaranteed offer. Offers depend on the market, timing, employer decisions and your own execution.
- You want a CV rewrite on its own. A senior move is rarely a CV problem. The question is whether your target and positioning are right.
FAQ
Coaching or recruitment: what is the difference?
What is the difference between a career coach and an executive recruiter?
An executive recruiter is hired and paid by an employer to fill a specific role, so the recruiter works for the company. A career coach is hired and paid by you, and works on your decisions: which roles to aim for, how you are positioned, and how you approach the market. AskMenon is coaching, not recruitment.
Will AskMenon find me a job or place me with an employer?
No. AskMenon does not circulate CVs, arrange interviews, make referrals or place candidates. The coaching improves your target, your positioning and your market approach, so that the conversations you start yourself go further.
Why would an executive search professional coach candidates?
Achyut Menon has spent 34 years in executive search, mostly on the employer's side, deciding who fits a leadership role and why. That view of how hiring decisions are made in India is what the coaching puts at the candidate's service.
Do recruiters in India charge candidates a fee?
A legitimate executive search firm is paid by the employer and never charges candidates for placement. A request for a registration or placement fee is a warning sign. Coaching is different: it is an independent service that you pay for, with nothing owed to anyone else for the outcome.
What happens if Achyut is running a search that I am part of?
He will tell you. His recruitment work serves employers and his coaching work serves professionals. They are separate services with separate agreements and confidentiality, and he will not coach you into a search he is running for a fee.
Where are coaching sessions held?
AskMenon coaching sessions are held online by video call, so senior professionals in India and abroad can take part. Each session is booked at a set time, and the joining link is sent after booking.