In executive search, it’s about the Why, not the What.
Most mid-career recruiters struggle to break into executive search. The skillset, mindset, and presence required are different. This article outlines 8 essentials for making the shift - from finding mentors and building executive presence, to sharpening storytelling and focusing on the Why over the What.
Yesterday I posted about the “Barbell Effect” reshaping our industry. Michael J. Case left a comment that hit home: many (most) mid-career recruiters are unable to transition into executive recruitment.
It got me thinking: what does it take to make that transition? The mindset is different and here are a few thoughts.
Caveat: If mid-career is where you want to stay, that’s great. This is for those considering the shift and want to know how.
So here goes...
1️⃣ Find a mentor with a track record - someone who’s placed country managers or run retained searches. You’ll learn more in six months under them than years on your own. Every successful person I know had a mentor, whether they realised it or not.
2️⃣ Develop intellectual curiosity - you don’t need to be an engineer or an expert. But you do need to understand an executive role’s opportunities, challenges, and mission. It’s about the Why more than the What. Clients and candidates will expect you to articulate this and they’ll test you.
3️⃣ Commit to continuous education - formal education helps, but continuous learning matters more. Read HBR or Fortune, listen to serious business podcasts, pay attention to keynote speakers. Staying sharp is what keeps you credible.
4️⃣ Build executive presence - not the “shiny suit” type, but presence built on substance, preparation, and asking the right questions. It ties closely to continuous education. Presence helps credibility.
5️⃣ Choose environments where you are not always the best player in the game - just being in a room full of sharp, talented people makes you better. You learn by osmosis.
6️⃣ Build your network - because your business depends on it. Senior management are either your clients or your candidates - or both. Either way, build relationships before you need them. They grow just as you grow. (Many of my earliest candidates and clients are now senior executives. They become friends!)
7️⃣ Sharpen your storytelling - Executives don’t respond to a laundry list of responsibilities. They want to hear the story: why this role, why this company, why now, and why them. If you can frame that narrative credibly, you’ll win their attention. Why!!
8️⃣ Don’t wait until you feel ‘ready’. Ask for the business. Once you’ve done one search, you can do two. That’s how you build references. That’s how credibility is built.
Most of the complaints I hear about the industry being “difficult” is from those squeezed in the red ocean by the Barbell Effect. Only you can change that - so long as you know what you’re about.
The What is in the job description. Start by changing focus to the Why, and looking at the bigger, more strategic roles.
But that’s just me - and I don’t claim to have all the answers. What else would you add for young recruiters considering their future?
