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.

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.

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 the best people are rarely ‘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.