Executive search: Why it needs a different recruitment approach

For a more detailed explanation of what executive search is and how it supports boards in hiring a CEO, or what an executive search firm actually does, we’ve covered those topics separately.

In this article, we’re focusing on what makes executive search a different recruitment process in the first place. We spoke with our General Manager here at Becks Wiggins Stokes, Adrian Roberts, who offered insights into this unique recruitment process.

The best candidates for C-suite roles are often not looking for a new role

Adrian delineates the executive search process from standard contingent recruitment as a “typically retained assignment and a strategic, research-driven, proactive sourcing approach. It focuses on identifying, engaging and securing exceptional leadership talent for critical senior positions.”

He continues: “Unlike traditional recruitment – which typically hopes to attract active job seekers through advertising and candidate databases – executive search proactively targets high-performing executives who are often not actively seeking a new role.”

One of the biggest differences between executive search and other forms of recruitment is the candidate market itself. For many roles, a job advertisement can generate a useful pool of active candidates. At the executive level, some of the strongest potential candidates may never see the ad because they are not actively searching.

They may already be performing well in another organisation, leading a successful team or progressing towards their own long-term goals. Moving roles may not have crossed their mind at all. That changes the job of – and the challenges for – the recruiter.

Executive search requires extensive research to identify who is operating successfully in the relevant market, where the strongest transferable experience might sit and which people could realistically be suited to the opportunity.

Then comes the harder part: starting a conversation. A candidate who has actively applied for a role has already decided they are interested. An executive who receives an unexpected approach has not. The recruiter needs enough understanding of the role, the organisation and the candidate’s career to explain why a conversation may be worth their time. And if there’s one thing we understand deeply, it’s that this takes more than a well-written LinkedIn DM.

For Adrian, the recruiting process is so much more than filling a vacancy. The consultants at BWS Recruitment “also act as trusted career advisors to their candidates. At the same time, they are providing market intelligence, succession planning insights and strategic hiring guidance to their clients.”

Why a recruiter’s network is so important in executive search

A strong network is particularly valuable in executive search, but not simply because it gives a recruiter a longer list of people to call.

Good networks give recruiters a holistic view of the market. Networks with breadth provide insight into who is respected, who has worked where, who may have relevant experience that is not immediately obvious from a job title, and who may be worth approaching even if they are not overtly considering a move.

The development and maintenance of professional relationships also create pathways into conversations. A senior candidate is more likely to engage with an approach when it comes from someone they know, have dealt with before, or recognise as credible within their field or market. Even in cases where the recruiter does not know the candidate directly, a well-established network with mutuals of the candidate or other respected individuals can help create trusted introductions and referrals.

Over time, those relationships also help a recruiter understand what motivates different people. That matters when the opportunity needs to appeal to someone who is already doing well in the role or industry they’re currently in.

In executive search recruitment, a network is not just a database. It is an essential part of the recruiter’s market knowledge and their ability to engage people who may otherwise remain outside the process. On this, Adrian says, “Our recruiters’ networks provide access to a broader and higher-quality talent pool, significantly increasing the likelihood of securing the right leadership candidate for an organisation who wouldn’t typically apply directly for a role.”

In senior management recruitment, the stakes are higher

Our experience across permanent and temporary recruitment and executive search in Melbourne has affirmed that every hiring decision matters. In the case of senior leadership appointments, the consequences can extend much further through an organisation.

An executive may influence strategic direction, culture, financial performance, stakeholder relationships and the way teams are led. They may also be responsible for making decisions that shape the organisation for years. That means the recruitment process needs to go beyond asking whether a candidate can technically perform the role.

The search needs to consider the environment they are entering, what the organisation is trying to achieve, the challenges they will inherit and the leadership style required to succeed within that context.

This is also why executive search generally involves a deeper level of consultation with the client. The recruiter needs enough understanding of the organisation to represent the opportunity accurately in the market and assess candidates against what the business actually needs.

The cost of getting a senior appointment wrong can be significant for organisations, but so can the cost of narrowing the search too early or selecting from only the people who happened to apply.

Discretion matters more in high-stakes recruitment

Executive recruitment can involve sensitivities that are less common in other hiring processes. The organisation may be planning a confidential leadership change. The incumbent may still be in the role. A candidate may be willing to explore an opportunity but cannot risk their current employer becoming aware of it.

In those circumstances, discretion is not simply good etiquette. It is part of running the search properly. Recruiters need to know what can be shared, when it can be shared and with whom. They also need to be able to approach senior candidates without unnecessarily exposing either the candidate or the organisation.

At Becks Wiggins Stokes, this process is treated with a high level of care fit for the unique requirements of the process. Adrian says: “Our process involves extensive market mapping, confidential candidate approaches, rigorous assessment of leadership capability, cultural fit and detailed due diligence.”

That trust is particularly important with passive candidates. Someone who was not actively seeking a new role may only be willing to enter the process if they are confident the conversation will be handled professionally and confidentially.

Executive search requires a proactive recruitment approach

The clearest difference between executive search and other recruitment methods is that it does not begin with the assumption that the right person will come to you.

It begins by defining what the organisation needs, understanding where that capability might exist in the market and then going out to find it. That may include people who are actively considering a move, but it also includes those who need to be identified, approached and given a compelling reason to consider something new.

The process relies heavily on research, market knowledge, relationships and careful candidate engagement. It also requires the recruiter to understand the organisation well enough to represent the opportunity credibly.

For business-critical leadership appointments, that more deliberate approach can open the search to a much broader and stronger candidate market.

Engaging passive executive candidates takes more than a job pitch

Identifying a strong executive candidate is only part of the challenge. When someone is already successful in their current role and has not been considering a move, simply presenting them with another job is unlikely to be enough.

The conversation needs to start with an understanding of what matters to that individual: their career ambitions, current circumstances, motivations and what might make a move genuinely worthwhile for them. From there, the opportunity can be positioned in terms of what it could offer professionally, whether that is the chance to influence strategy, lead transformation, build a high-performing team or make a meaningful impact on an organisation.

As Adrian explains, “Attracting passive executive talent is about creating a compelling value proposition that aligns with the candidate’s personal and professional ambitions. You need to understand what would make the opportunity significant enough for them to seriously consider a change.”

That also requires credibility and trust. Senior candidates need an honest picture of the organisation’s direction, culture, leadership challenges and opportunities before they will invest time in a conversation they were not seeking out in the first place.

And sometimes, the timing simply is not right. Maintaining trusted relationships over time means a conversation that starts today may become relevant months or even years later.

When might executive search be the right approach?

Executive search is particularly useful when:

• the role is senior or business-critical
• the potential candidate pool is narrow
• strong candidates are unlikely to be actively applying
• confidentiality is important
• the organisation needs a thorough view of the market rather than relying on applicants alone

For organisations facing that kind of appointment, the question is often less about how many candidates are available and more about whether the right people can be found, engaged and assessed properly.

BWS Recruitment works with organisations on executive search assignments where market knowledge, trusted relationships and a considered approach are essential.

Executive search recruitment specialists in Melbourne

Senior appointments need more than a shortlist of available candidates. They need a search process that reaches the right people, handles sensitive conversations carefully and gives the organisation confidence in who is being considered.

BWS Recruitment works with Melbourne organisations on executive search assignments where the role is business-critical, the candidate market is limited, or the strongest people are unlikely to be actively looking.

We take the time to understand the organisation, the leadership brief and the market around it, then use targeted research, established networks and direct candidate engagement to build a stronger field of potential candidates.

As Adrian notes, “Ultimately, while standard recruitment is primarily concerned with filling vacancies, executive search is focused on securing leaders who can drive long-term organisational success and create significant impact.”

If you’re preparing for a senior leadership appointment and want a more considered approach to the search, speak with the BWS Recruitment team. You can get in touch with us at careers@bwsrecruitment.com.