Revealed: what clients look for in executive search firms

An independent survey of leading CEOs, Directors and Managers reveals what they consider the most important factors when finding the right senior talent in volatile times.

A new qualitative survey by Executive Grapevine called ‘The Client Perspective’ shed new light on how 200+ directors in the HR and talent acquisition functions hire senior leadership talent.

Key findings

1. Using an external search firm remains the preferred way of accessing senior talent

In-house teams continue to rely on the brand, leverage and networks that search firms can provide.

2. In times of unrest, companies are still looking for new leadership

Despite a very changeable political and economic landscape, the search market is proving to be extremely active.

3. The big brands are the most trusted when making senior hires

The biggest executive search brands are the most attractive when it comes to making senior hires, especially when the economy is at its most challenging. And this is borne out by the growth of the top brands outstripping the growth of the market itself reported in this Executive Search Market Report.

4. Complex hiring demands require specialist search and assessment input

For board hires or other highly-remunerated roles, or in roles affected by governance and compliance in highly-regulated industries, businesses continue to put their trust in search firms.

Discover how Odgers Berndtson executive search can help your company with senior hires:

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Odgers Berndtson provides executive search and leadership assessment services from 61 offices in 29 countries.