Recruiters are ambitious people, but executive search recruitment can be demanding even for the go-getters. For those consultants that want to work with “high roller” candidates, we’ve got you covered with this guide.
With the right tools and approach, you can take on those hard-to-place top roles. Here we’ll go over everything you need to master the executive search process, from screening to placement.
We’ve also got some other tips and best practices to help guide you along the way. If you’re keen to work with top talent from the C-suite, read on.
Table of Contents
What is executive search?
Many things about executive search recruitment might be familiar, but here we’ll go over what makes it different.
What makes an executive search recruiter different?
An executive search recruiter focuses on placements at the senior or executive level. It’s not work for your average entry-level consultant: this is a specialism that requires in-depth understanding of your industry niche, a strong network, and the skills to sell clients on high-value, high-risk candidates.
In executive search recruitment, a consultant has the same goal as in any other specialism: to place the best possible candidate quickly. Exec search takes a special focus on quality over quantity, since there are fewer roles at this level and the stakes are higher. It takes an experienced recruiter to source and identify exec talent.
Exec search recruiters also need to be relationship-focused. Trust and time are required to bring a senior executive over to a new company. To work well with executive talent, recruiters need to understand the individual’s career goals and target job titles. They can also coach executives on how to be a top choice for a new company.
In executive search recruitment, a consultant has the same goal as in any other specialism: to place the best possible candidate quickly. Exec search takes a special focus on quality over quantity, since there are fewer roles at this level and the stakes are higher. It takes an experienced recruiter to source and identify exec talent.
Exec search recruiters also need to be relationship-focused. Trust and time are required to bring a senior executive over to a new company. To work well with executive talent, recruiters need to understand the individual’s career goals and target job titles. They can also coach executives on how to be a top choice for a new company.
Retained, contingent, and hybrid executive search models
There are a few different methods to approach the exec search process.
Most recruiters will use three search models: retained, contingent, and hybrid.
- Retained executive search means the client will pay an upfront fee to the agency for their services. A recruiter who works this way is contracted to provide a certain level of service. They’re responsible for the entire recruitment process – and for getting it done on time.
- Contingent executive search lets the client pay after the placement’s made. Recruiters using this model have a little more flexibility to work on a project-by-project basis.
- Hybrid executive search involves a combo of the above two models. This means an upfront fee plus a bonus for the recruiter once the candidate’s been hired.
6 steps to the executive search process
Most exec search recruiters can hone in on senior talent by following a process like this.
Client research and consultation
First, you’ll need to get clear on where to start. Talking through requirements and objectives with your client to set off on the right path.
Research your client thoroughly: company news, the nature of the role, and whatever else you can find. A little extra info can come in handy during negotiations with the client or candidates later.
You’ll also want to book in meetings with hiring managers or company representatives to talk about the search process. Here you can decide hiring timelines, organizational strategy, and see where this role will fit into the company structure.
Once you’ve got a plan of action that meets the client’s expectations, you’re ready to go.
Sourcing executive candidates
Research done? Time to get to work.
Sourcing qualified executive candidates isn’t easy, but you can start with networking with industry contacts and leveraging social media.
For more sourcing tips, try reading up on our guide to Top Sourcing Tools for Recruitment Agencies.
Outreach to executive candidates
Being intentional about how you do outreach is important for good candidate experience. Once you’ve started a conversation with an executive candidate, be upfront about the role’s expectations and benefits, and take your time going over the candidate’s qualifications.
This is also an opportunity to gauge a candidate’s interest and enthusiasm for the role. Leave plenty of time for questions and feedback at this stage.
Evaluating executive candidates
When you’ve built up a talent pool and have a list of candidates at the ready, you’ll be able to dig a little deeper into which ones could be a good choice.
Take some time to look over candidates’ career histories, as well as how their skills and attitudes match up with the role. The top choices should have not just relevant experience, but also values that match up with your client’s vision.
If needed, you can also consider personality tests or assessments that can offer more metrics for candidates’ profiles.
Interviewing executive candidates
High-level candidates need the assurance of a professional interviewing process. From your side as a recruiter, that starts with questions that are tailored to the candidate and the role.
It might take time to vet executive candidates, but it’s time well spent. Don’t be afraid to ask deeper questions about their skills, experience, work ethic, and character.
And it helps to have detailed records of these conversations on hand. Referencing these notes will guide you towards finding the best candidate.
Read more: Candidate Evaluation for Recruiters: Overview, Guides & Tips
Creating a candidate shortlist
Evaluation and interviewing lead naturally to the next step: creating a shortlist.
To help your clients, make sure to include as much background information on the candidates as possible. Get detailed about their skills, experience, and your judgment on how they’d do well in the role.
The shortlist should also include notes from any test results or assessments. The more candidate data, the better chance of your client making a great hire.
Read more: An Agency Recruiter's Candidate Shortlisting Guide
Offer and acceptance
With everything lined up, it’s time to get to the final stage. Before making an offer, it helps to let the top candidates know about any extra incentives or benefits that might help their decision.
Think about both the client’s and candidate’s expectations to make a competitive offer. Compensation, goal alignment, and culture match are all key factors to getting that all-important “yes.”
Once the offer’s in, don’t celebrate so much that you forget onboarding and paperwork.
Tips to make the most of your executive search process
It can take a lot of dedication and research to make a successful exec search placement. But there are some tips that can help you along the way:
- Be clear on the job scope from the start – consider your client’s objectives and team dynamics
- Do extensive research on candidates before interviewing them
- Keep an open mind during the interview process, as people are different from how they present on paper
- Take as much time as you need to go through reference checks before recommending a candidate
Using Vincere’s recruitment software for executive search
Vincere's executive search software streamlines and automates the recruitment process, helping recruiters save time and focus on more important tasks. The software is designed to facilitate every step of an executive search process, from creating a candidate shortlist to managing offers.
Features like AI search and automatching let you source and build candidate shortlists faster. From managing retainers with our invoice scheduler to presenting senior-level candidates with the LiveList™️, Vinny’s tech works with you every step of the way.
By leveraging these features, executive search professionals can ensure that their processes are efficient and organized. We want recruiters can focus on what matters most: finding the right candidate for the job.
Final thoughts
Executive recruiters need to be both diligent and creative. It isn’t always easy, but by using the right executive search strategies, you can maximize your success rate.
Basically: the more effective your search strategies are, the faster you can complete the job. So if you want to take your recruitment efforts to the next level, make sure you invest time in evaluating your strategy.