Executive Search
As an Executive Search Firm, we empower businesses to find, attract, and secure talented leaders with the skills to drive success. How does Executive Search work and what benefits do hiring an executive firm offer? Find out more.
Recruitment Service
Executive Search helps businesses across private, public, and non-profit sectors find the best leaders with specialized skills and experiences.
Key Leadership Positions
Executive Search teams locate and build connections with business leaders in various positions, including Sales Directors and VPs, and C-Suite execs (e.g., CTOs, CMOs, and CFOs).
Find exceptional Leaders
Businesses rely on Executive Search agencies to access exceptional candidates, ensuring the hiring of talented leaders with vital skills, innovative ideas, and expert insights.
When a company is growing or changing, it needs Executive Search to find top leaders.
Positions we hire
Positions We Hire
Operations & general Management
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operations Officer
General Manager
President
VP Operations
Marketing
Chief Marketing Officer
Chief Communications Officer
VP Marketing
Growth Director
Marketing Director
Head of Marketing
Head of Growth
People & Culture
Chief HR Officer
VP People
Director of Human Resources
Director Talent Acquisition
Head of HR
Head of People & Culture
Strategy
Chief of Staff
Chief Strategy Officer
VP Strategy
Head of Strategy
Technology
Chief Technology Officer
VP Engineering
Director of Engineering
Head of Engineering
Finance & Legal
Chief Finance Officer
General Counsel
VP Finance
Head of Finance
Head of Finance and Legal
Product
Chief Product Officer
VP Product
Director, Product Management
Head of Product
Sales
Chief Sales Officer
Chief Revenue Officer
VP Sales
VP EMEA
Commercial Director
Country Manager
Board
Board Member
Non-Executive Director (NED)
Independent Advisory Boards
Board Representative
Why Hire An Executive Search Firm?
Executive search is a recruitment service that helps businesses across private, public, and non-profit sectors find the best leaders with specialized skills and experience.
- Access to Top Talent: Executive Search firms provide access to highly skilled and experienced candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities.
- Time and Resource Efficiency: Hiring an Executive Search firm saves organizations time and effort by handling candidate sourcing, screening, and initial interviews.
- Expertise in Leadership Recruitment: Executive Search firms specialize in finding candidates with the right qualities and skills for successful leadership positions.
- Confidentiality and Discretion: Executive Search firms maintain confidentiality throughout the process, protecting the organization’s reputation and minimizing disruption.
- Market Insights and Industry Knowledge: Executive Search firms offer valuable insights and industry knowledge to inform the organization’s search strategy.
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Higher Success Rate: Executive Search firms increase the chances of making successful hires for leadership positions, reducing the risk of costly bad hires.
You find more information in our article What Is Executive Search – Strategy, Process & Definition.
How we run Executive Search at Key Search?
- Kick-Off: We will guide you through an in-depth briefing to ensure clear expectations. A detailed candidate briefing document is designed to increase response rates and interest in the role.
- Market Mapping: We follow a complete and highly transparent research methodology. Regular calls help to advise on potential adjustments at any moment.
- Outreach: We proactively reach out to the best candidates and share the status 24/7 with our own proprietary insights tool.
- The Big 5 Psychometric Assessment: We interview all candidates and assess suitability, motivation and affordability. Part of the interview phase is a test to ensure that candidates are behaviourally and cognitively suited for the role.
- Offer Management: We assist during the offer phase by taking references, making salary recommendations, and strategising on closing candidates. We share salary bands according to our own market data.
- Pre-onboarding We continue to foster our relationship with the employed candidate by celebrating the next step in their career and making the transition as smooth as possible.
Which companies benefit from Executive Search?
Executive Search benefits companies across various industries, sizes, and growth stages. Scaling businesses, in particular, stand to gain significantly from expert Executive Search services. In-house HR departments, often burdened with other responsibilities, may struggle to develop a comprehensive leadership hiring plan, especially in organizations with complex HR processes. Founders and start-up investors rely on Executive Search to assemble high-performing teams swiftly.
Similarly, organizations seeking to fill crucial C-Suite roles quickly can rely on dedicated firms to find exceptional replacements. Key Search caters to diverse sectors such as Digital Health, Consumer, Fintech, Hospitality Tech, eCommerce, and Enterprise, recognizing the industry-specific skills and soft leadership qualities required. Marketing, legal, financial, retail, and life science sectors are among those that frequently engage Executive Search firms.
3 tips when choosing an Executive Search firm
So you’ve chosen to commission a leadership search consultant. Great move. But how do you choose which is the right provider for you?
1. Consider what makes a firm special and a fantastic fit for your organization
Pricing: Especially important for start-ups, determine the cost of finding a candidate and how fees are paid.
Contracting: Assess the firm’s contract terms and conditions. Targeted niches: Evaluate the specific industries or areas the firm specializes in.
Geographical activity: Understand the firm’s geographical reach and whether it aligns with your needs.
2. Check their Reputation
Don’t rush into a deal with the first Executive Search firm you find. Instead, research their background and reputation before you even approach them. Pay attention to reviews from previous or existing clients to learn more about their services and results.
Checking a firm’s client list will also offer an insight into the types of companies they work with. A team that performs Executive Search for clients spanning various sectors will have a strong blend of skills and contacts that you can benefit from.
3. Know who and what you're looking for
Do you have a clear vision of the leader you’re looking to hire? The more information you can provide a consultant, the more precisely they can tailor their search.
A detailed briefing and/or written document will help both parties better understand the parameters for success.
The Best Executive Search Experience.
Key Search is a boutique Executive Search firm with a unique track record in hiring top executives for well-known brands and start-ups in the digital space.
2020
+60.000
30 days
100%
16
Unique
FAQ
This timeline varies depending on the criteria involved, the number of viable candidates, and other key factors. From starting the search to successful completion Key Search aims to complete the hire within 12 weeks. Bear in mind, though, that it can take several weeks to build an impressive shortlist for a leadership position. You don’t want to rush such high-profile decisions. Key Search achieves more than 80+ high-profile leadership placements per year.
Executive Search, despite its boom, remains a fragmented market. With many thousands of providers, it is hard to choose the right one. Large multinationals usually work with the five giants: Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Russell Reynolds Associates, Egon Zehnder, and Korn Ferry. This quintet, known as the “Shrek” firm are specialized in hiring for large corporate conglomerates.
Boutique firms like Key Search with deep expertise in specific industries are thriving within their sectors with a dedicated focus. There are also a huge amount of individual consultants sometimes known as cowboy’s since, as one puts it, “anyone can buy a computer, get a LinkedIn license and call themselves a search expert”.
Yes. Applicants must come with a specific track record, continuous career growth, and specific key hiring criteria as per the agreement with the client to ensure they’re suitable for the position in question. Furthermore, Key Search validates each selected candidate with a psychometric assessment that gives additional insight into the candidate’s behavioral and also cognitive skillset. It is an additional step the candidate takes in parallel to the interviews and helps to evaluate the job fit in much more depth, especially in times of remote hiring.
Key Search conducts in-depth market mapping to identify candidates with the right track record, skills, and qualifications for a leadership position from a specific sector. Thanks to their domain expertise and deep network, the consultant reaches out to those who normally would not actively seek a position but are high potential leaders. Through a deep understanding of their client’s needs, Key Search is able to attract candidates the client would normally not be able to hire with their own efforts.
If you are still not sure which hiring solution is the best fit for your company, please contact one of our Directors. We will be happy to assist you.