Confessions of a Headhunter series: Lesson #2 — The Da Vinci Test

Written by Raj Tulsiani

A cover letter isn’t admin - it’s an early piece of leadership. Make it about their problem, not your biography.

Lesson #2 — The Da Vinci Test

20 years. Countless conversations. A few hard truths.
From boardroom dramas to career-defining decisions, Raj Tulsiani has seen it all.
Now, he’s turning those moments into a series of short, animated stories - honest, insightful, and occasionally uncomfortable.

Because the best lessons in leadership rarely come from textbooks.

A Nomination Committee at a large, values-led organisation was split. Green Park had two finalists. Both credible. Both “appointable”. Neither was fully landing in the room.

The Chair’s feedback was blunt:

“I still don’t know why they want this job - or what problem they’ll solve in the first 90 days.”

So we tried something slightly left field.

We challenged each finalist to put together a personal one-page prompt we call The Da Vinci Test:

Write your ‘cover letter’ like Leonardo applying to Milan - lead with what the hiring manager needs most, list what you can deliver, and end with a simple offer to demonstrate it. BUT don’t be boring - you’re both good. What we are interested in is how you could help them be great.

One candidate replied with a warm, generic story about their career.

The other led with the organisation’s immediate pain point, gave five specific deliverables, and offered a clear “park demo”: a short working session with the Chair and CEO to pressure-test priorities before interview two.

The difference was instant. The committee stopped debating “fit” and started discussing impact.

They appointed the second candidate.

The learning: at senior level, a cover letter isn’t admin - it’s an early piece of leadership. Make it about their problem, not your biography.

👉 If you’d like to learn more about Green Park and what we can do for you, we would be delighted to make time for you. Get in touch.