What is executive search?
Executive search is a specialised type of recruitment aimed at attracting highly skilled senior management talent to an organisation. It is typically used to fill strategically important roles, including CEO, CFO, COO, HRD, and CIO.
In this client guide to executive search, we explore how the search process works, the benefits of using executive search to make the right leadership hire and what a good executive search firm looks like.
Executive search differs from the recruitment of more junior talent. When recruiting for more junior roles, an organisation will usually work with a recruitment consultancy on a contingency basis to find suitable candidates. The candidate who is successful in securing the position will usually be an active job seeker who applies for the role.
Contingent search works on a fee-for-win basis, meaning the agency gets paid only after finding the right candidate for the job. By contrast, in retained search, the executive recruitment firm is paid an upfront or scheduled fee, and works exclusively on the search.
And while contingency recruitment works for filling many roles in an organisation, your senior leadership team needs to be made up of the best people - and these people can be ‘passive candidates’ – in other words, open to discussing a new opportunity but not actively looking for a job. This is why executive search exists.
Executive search seeks out the perfect match for both the role and the company - whether the candidate is actively looking for a new position or not. An organisation will develop a long-term partnership with an executive search firm, who acts as an extension of their business identifying and engaging suitable candidates on their behalf.
