Key Takeaways for True Executive Search
- Executive search focuses on passive talent who aren’t actively looking.
- It’s a careful and confidential process.
- Quality of candidate is prioritised over quantity.
- It provides deeper market insight to help you make better hiring decisions.
- Executive search can deliver the right leader faster and more efficiently.
- Niche middle management roles can also benefit from the executive search process.
The Hidden Crisis in Leadership Hiring
Your Commercial Director has just resigned, and the clock is ticking to find the right replacement. Many businesses start by posting the role on LinkedIn, hoping the right candidate will apply.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: the best candidate for your role probably isn’t scrolling through job boards.
LinkedIn research shows that 70% of the global workforce are passive candidates, meaning professionals not actively seeking a new role but open to the right opportunity. While you wait for applications, competitors may already be having confidential conversations with these hidden gems.
Traditional recruitment often falls short for senior or niche roles. You may receive hundreds of CVs, many appearing suitable but lacking the strategic ability to drive results. Sifting through them consumes time, delays decision-making, and risks settling for a candidate who isn’t the best fit.
Executive Search: The Strategic Alternative
On the other hand, executive search works differently. Instead of waiting for candidates to find you, it proactively identifies and approaches leaders who are succeeding in their current roles but may consider the right opportunity.
Key advantages:
- Access to the “Invisible” Majority – Reach high performers who would never see a job advert.
- Market Insight Before Action – Understand your competitive landscape and the motivations of potential candidates before making contact.
- Confidential Process – Keep your plans private and avoid market speculation.
- Quality Over Quantity – Interview 3 to 4 carefully assessed candidates instead of hundreds of unsuitable applicants.
True Vs Fake Executive Search
Not every firm that calls itself “executive search” actually works that way. Some operate on a contingent model but use the label because it sounds more strategic. For clients, this can be confusing and lead to the wrong expectations.
Here's how you can tell the difference:
Key takeaway: If a firm is only paid on success and relies heavily on job boards, it is not true executive search. Real executive search is about quality over quantity, deep understanding of your business, and discreetly approaching the leaders you actually need.
Real Success Stories
🍋 Strengthening Commercial Leadership
A fresh produce company needed a Senior Commercial Manager after the challenges of COVID-19. Job boards brought in candidates from general FMCG backgrounds, but few understood the complexities of perishable goods. Through executive search, the company hired a leader with direct fresh produce experience, strong buyer relationships, and a track record in crisis management. Within a year, they had stabilised operations and developed three new revenue streams worth £2.3M.
🍋 Raising Quality Standards
A growing business was looking for a Director of Quality Insights. They needed someone with both strong qualifications and practical market experience. Executive search found a leader who had successfully transformed quality systems at a competitor. Within six months, customer complaints fell by 47%.
Common Misconceptions About Executive Search
- “It’s too expensive.” A failed senior hire can cost three to five times their annual salary. Executive search fees are far less than the cost of getting it wrong.
- “Executive search is just recruitment with a higher fee." Unlike traditional recruitment, executive search is a research-led process that maps the market, approaches passive talent, and carefully assesses cultural fit, delivering quality over volume.
- “Executive search is slow.” Larger firms may take longer, but boutique search firms like LCR move quickly and adapt to your needs. A shortlist is often delivered within 2–4 weeks, far faster than waiting months for the right candidate to appear through adverts.
- “Executive search only works for top executives.” Not always! The executive search process can also be applied to middle management roles that require niche skills or specialist market knowledge.
- “We’re not big enough.” It’s about the impact of the role, not company size. For smaller businesses, every senior hire matters even more.
- “Job adverts reach everyone.” Only 15% of senior executives engage with job postings. The other 85% won’t see them.
How the Process Works
- Strategic Planning – Understand your business needs, challenges, and culture.
- Market Mapping – Thoroughly explore the market to identify the strongest candidates and understand what motivates them.
- Direct Engagement – Approach selected individuals with a professional, confidential pitch.
- Detailed Assessment – Evaluate skills, experience, and cultural fit.
- Weekly Progress Update – Regular check-ins to provide market insights and, if needed, adjust the search strategy. These updates keep your team informed, involved, and aligned throughout the process.
- Shortlist Presentation – Present only the most suitable candidates, with full background briefings.
- Support Through to Appointment – Guide interviews, offer negotiations, and transition.
Typical timeframe: 2 to 4 weeks to a shortlist, with the whole process taking around 6–8 weeks.
Rethinking How You Find Leaders
When a senior role becomes vacant, it’s tempting to rely on the traditional route of posting and waiting. But the best leaders often aren’t looking, they’re delivering results somewhere else.
By taking a more targeted and discreet approach, you open your business to talent that can bring not only skills but also new thinking, stronger networks, and long-term stability.
Whether your goal is to fill a gap quickly, enter a new market, or build resilience. The way you search for leadership will shape the future of your business.
Get in touch for a no-obligation consultation about your executive search requirements.
Sources
- LinkedIn. "Did you know that 70% of the global workforce is made up of passive talent and that only 30% are active job seekers?"
- Zippia. "The Cost Of A Bad Hire [2023]: How Bad Hires Impact Business." June 28, 2023.
- Visier. "6 Reasons Recruiting Doesn't Measure New Hire Failure Rates."
- Top Gun Ventures. "We All Worry About Making a Bad Hire." September 5, 2024.
