Insights — Executive Recruitment — 3 min read
What Should a Company Look for in an Executive Recruiter?
Choosing a firm is one decision. Judging the actual person who will run the search is a separate one, and it matters just as much.
In short
Look for a recruiter who questions the brief rather than accepting it at face value, can speak specifically about the commercial context of the role rather than in generic leadership language, is candid about what is difficult about the assignment, has a clear and explainable assessment method, is transparent about timeline and likely candidate availability, and is honest early if the brief is not realistic rather than agreeing to run a search anyway.
Choosing a firm and judging the individual who will actually run the search are related but different exercises. A strong firm brand can still hand an assignment to someone learning on the job.
The signals worth watching are mostly visible in the first meeting, before any fee has been discussed — in how the recruiter questions the brief, not in how confidently they present the firm.
Does the recruiter question the brief, or just accept it?
A recruiter who asks for the job description and confirms they can start is not adding much. One worth engaging asks what the business actually needs the appointment to change, what has gone wrong with this role before, and where the brief itself might be wrong. That resistance, done well, is a good sign rather than a difficult one.
Specific questions worth asking in the first meeting
- How would you assess whether a candidate can actually do this, rather than just talk convincingly about it?
- What is the hardest part of filling this specific role, in this specific market, right now?
- Who typically turns this role down, and why?
- How will you keep me informed during the quiet weeks when nothing visible is happening?
- What happens if the shortlist you produce is not strong enough — what is the next step?
- Can you describe, without naming anyone, a similar assignment that did not go well and what you changed as a result?
Judge the answers, not just the confidence
A recruiter with genuine commercial depth in the relevant function answers these questions with specifics — a description of how they would test a claim on a CV, an honest view on likely salary expectations, a named reason candidates decline similar roles. Vague, reassuring answers to specific questions are themselves informative.
Red flags worth taking seriously
| What you see | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| Agrees to every timeline and salary figure without challenge | May be optimising for winning the instruction, not the outcome |
| Cannot describe how they assess candidates beyond 'experience and interview' | Limited or informal assessment method |
| Presents a long client list but cannot discuss a comparable assignment in any depth | Breadth without depth in this specific role |
| Avoids discussing confidentiality practice when asked directly | Weak process controls, a real risk for a sensitive appointment |
| Will not say what could go wrong with the assignment | Reluctance to manage expectations honestly |
Sector expertise matters, but less than it first appears
Familiarity with your sector helps a recruiter speak credibly to candidates and interpret a brief faster. It is a lower-order criterion than the quality of their questioning and assessment method, because a recruiter without sector depth who investigates properly will usually outperform one with sector familiarity who runs a shallow process on autopilot.
How to judge them once the search is underway
- Do updates contain substance — who was approached, who declined and why — or just reassurance that things are 'progressing'?
- Are candidates presented with a written case for why they fit, or just a CV forwarded with a covering line?
- Does the recruiter push back if the internal panel is being inconsistent between candidates?
Considering an executive appointment?
Evans Sales Consultancy recruits eleven executive roles across permanent, interim and fractional engagement models — starting with what the appointment has to deliver.
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