Executive Search and Leadership

In contingency recruitment an agency is paid only if its candidate is hired, often in competition with other agencies, which rewards speed. In a retained search one firm is engaged exclusively, part of the fee is typically committed at the start and the rest is paid in stages, and in return the firm researches the whole market and approaches people who are not looking. Retained search suits senior, confidential or very scarce appointments. We set out fee stages, timetable and reporting in writing before work begins.

There is no reliable average we can point to, so we do not quote one. A search typically runs through briefing, market research, approaches, interviews and offer, and senior notice periods then add to the wait. What we can do is agree a timetable with you at the start, with dates for the longlist, shortlist and final interviews, and report against it. We aim to tell you early if the brief, the package or the market means the timetable has to change.

Use search when the field is small, when the appointment is confidential, or when the people you want are in post and not reading adverts. Leadership is a known pressure point: 22% of organisations named it as an area affected by skills shortages in CIPD Ireland's HR Practices in Ireland 2026 report, published in May 2026. Advertising still has a place for roles with a wide field or a public appointment process. We tell you honestly if an advert would do the job.

Make it easy to see what you have led. Keep a current profile that states the size of the team, budget and business you were responsible for, with a few results you can evidence. Tell a small number of search consultants, in confidence, what would make you move and what would not. Take calls about roles that are not for you and suggest someone better, because researchers remember it. We never share your details with a client without your agreement.