How Do Executive Recruiting Firms Help Senior Executives

The old adage ‘It’s lonely at the top’ holds true for senior executives who find that their world becomes smaller as they climb the corporate ladder. After all, a Vice President or other senior staff looking to recruit for a top management position in another company cannot go about knocking on people’s door asking for the job. That’s Hara-kiri! The same goes for a President or a CEO of a large company looking to fill some senior management position in his company. He cannot go about moving in his professional and social circle looking to poach candidates from competitor companies. This is where executive search companies come into the scene. “Headhunters”- as they are popularly called help companies find the right candidates with the right professional qualifications and experience to fill up senior managerial positions.

The recession has forced top notch companies to look for resources outside their company with the hope that a different thought process and a different work culture would perhaps ensure the much needed breath of fresh air. But moves such as these shouldn’t be discussed in public view, lest they raise concerns about the health of the company, or demoralize the staff within their own ranks. Executives search companies work in complete secrecy ensuring that they do not divulge details about their client. Of course, at the end of the day, it is stealing a resource from some other company. But, rather than the company doing it directly, they employ headhunters to do so.

These executive recruitment firms or headhunters do not typically work for executives, but for companies. The firm’s fees are paid by the company that recruits them. But, there are some that act as specialized coaches for these senior executives. Just as a sportsperson would have an agent to represent his best interests, career coaches help executives to chart out a career plan that is in the best interest of the person. They can also be used by senior executives to negotiate a better deal within their own company.

But don’t mistake them for placement and employment agencies. There are probably a few hundred true executive search companies, as opposed to the thousands of placement agencies that go about calling themselves executive search companies. The major difference between the two is in the way in which money is made. Placement agencies typically operate by placing ads in newspapers on behalf of the employer and then collecting their fees from the client (the company). However, executive search firms are paid upfront money on a contractual basis from the client (the company) to look for executives.

Headhunters are adamant about their attention to detail thereby helping companies finds the right talent, and hence, are worth the costs incurred on them.