When it’s time to onboard a new executive or member of the C-suite, organizations turn to executive search firms for good reasons. Chief among their reasons is to avoid the cost of a delayed hire, or worse, the risk of hiring the wrong person. Both can take a lasting toll on operations and business continuity.    

Mission-driven organizations also understand that experience and accomplishments alone are not enough in choosing to hire an executive or C-level candidate. An organization and its mission are unique, and so the cultural fit of a new, high-level leader must also be spot on to ensure their effectiveness in setting strategic direction, growing a great company culture, inspiring teams, outwitting challenges, and driving stability and growth.    

Partnering with the right executive search firm is just as essential as hiring the right leader.    

If you’re preparing to fill a critical leadership role, you will make the best decision for the success of your talent search and your business by looking for these key attributes in an executive search firm.  

1. Deep Experience and Cultural Intellect 

Choosing a recruiting firm with long-term, proven experience in the executive search space is a game changer. You want to partner with a firm that understands the high-stakes differences in sourcing talent for executive-level roles versus lower-level positions of leadership – a targeted recruitment process that is far more strategic, calculated, and purposeful.  

The right firm will be deliberate in collaborating with you to not only understand the caliber of leader you need, but just as important, they will seek a thorough understanding of your goals, company culture, and values. This complete understanding is what equips a firm to strike alignments with candidates who have the working style and leadership traits that will be most effective for your unique organization, teams, mission, and vision. 

2. Access to Passive Job Candidates

If you have conducted executive searches in the past, you already know how common it is that the accomplished professionals you’re looking for are not actively looking for you. In fact, they’re not looking at all. Instead, they’re gainfully employed, happy where they are, and deeply engaged within their industries and professional networks. This makes it difficult if not impossible to identify who and where these professionals are – unless you have the right connections.  

Recruiting firms that have been in the executive search space for years have built a proprietary network of passive job candidates who will consider a change if the right opportunities are presented to them. Approaching these potential candidates requires trust and the assurance of confidentiality that an experienced executive recruiter has already established with them. These relationships are your golden ticket to connecting with and attracting passive candidates. 

3. Open, Transparent Communication

Transparency is invaluable in the executive search process. To ensure accuracy and success in your talent search, it’s important to be fully transparent with your recruiting partner in what you need and the challenges you face – and that you expect the same level of upfront openness and transparency in return. 

Are other companies offering more competitive salaries? Is your interview process too lengthy or complex, or are there other roadblocks to timely communication that could cause you to lose a solid candidate to another job offer? Did a candidate share feedback during the interview process with the recruiter that would be helpful for your team to know?  

These are among the many insights a trusted recruiting partner will transparently share with you during the executive search process. And if they recommend the retained search method, which is common in executive talent acquisition, they’re making this recommendation for a good reason. Retained search elevates your search to a top priority at the firm, affording you a high-touch/high-service experience in receiving data, intelligence, and an elite group of qualified candidates through the firm.

4. Positive Reputation in the Executive Recruiting Industry 

Partnering with a recognized and reputable executive search firm is essential because it ensures your access to top-tier talent, a well-structured and efficient search process, and expert vetting and evaluation of candidates. Reputable firms bring you specific industry expertise, an extensive talent network, a proven track record, and credibility that immediately establishes confidentiality and trust.   

Research the top executive search firms and review what others have to say about the firms you’re considering. Check out the firms’ Google Reviews, ask them for client references, see if they’re ranked among the best executive search firms, and if they’re included on the annual Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms list. In the process, you’ll discover each firm’s areas of specialization, how long they’ve been in business, and why they rank so highly in the industry. 

5. Confidentiality 

When you’re preparing to onboard a new executive or C-suite member, you need a recruiting partner that will keep every aspect of your search confidential. Since executive searches are closely tailored to an organization’s unique and specific needs, they’re usually conducted confidentially to protect not only the company and its employees, but also the candidates they choose to engage.  

Get more insights from this Harvard Business Review article, which outlines How Executive Recruiters Maintain Secrecy throughout the executive search and hiring process.     

Ask the important questions  

With the above attributes in mind and once you have your list of executive search firms narrowed down, here are some good, solid questions to ask potential search partners to make sure you’re selecting the right firm for the executive role you need to fill and for your business:   

• How long has your firm been in the executive recruiting space? 

• Do you have specific experience in placing candidates in the role for which I’m hiring, and what success have you and your clients found in those placements? 

• Are you a Forbes Best Executive Search firm? And if so, for how many years?  

• How extensive is your network of executive candidates, and what percent are passive candidates? 

• What talent acquisition strategies do you use to attract a diverse slate of candidates?  

• How often will you update my team on your progress with our search? 

• Do you offer contingency and retained search options? What method would you recommend for my company’s search?  

• What are the terms of your contract? 

• What client references can you share?  

• How do you maintain confidentiality throughout the search process?  

• What are your firm’s core values? 

Include us on your short list   

Goodwin Recruiting is a standout executive search firm that understands the challenge of finding highly skilled, right-fit leaders. Our longstanding expertise and vast top talent network, including passive candidates, gives us – and you – the edge in identifying and onboarding the right leader for your organization.  

Connect with us today and let’s start a conversation. You’ll be glad you did.