There comes a stage in everyone’s career when they reach a certain level of seniority and begin to question their future. Is this really what you want to do for the next 20 or 30 years? We often see this with Senior Recruiters working in contingent agencies.

Often, Senior Recruiters working in contingent agencies have been through their top billing phase, find themselves promoted to a manager and then maybe even a director. These recruiters head into the office each day, managing a team of grads, feel tied into the high pace of the sales floor but struggle to invest themselves in the role like they used to.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with this. Some even look to move agencies but this doesn’t solve the problem. If you’re looking for a change, want to progress your career and face a new challenge, Executive Search may be the answer. Here’s how to transition from Senior Recruiter to Executive Search.

What is Executive Search?

Executive Search is a far more consultative approach to recruitment where an agency is guaranteed exclusivity on the sourcing of high profile and C-suite candidates. Typically, a Partner will go to market, pitching for the role. Once this is won, they will work with a team of internal researchers to map the market and discover the very best candidates.

Executive Search is often highly focused on a niche, with true experts on their sector. Recruiters are expected to have a vast network to pull from with deep industry knowledge. The pace is far slower than contingent and candidates are a lot more thoroughly vetted before being shortlisted.

What does it take to work in Executive Search?

To work in Executive Search, you need to be polished in your presentation, attitude and way of working. You need to be comfortable speaking and working with C-Suite individuals and highly regarded people in your sector. The Del Boy sales patter that worked for years on the phones isn’t going to help you here.

Consider Executive Search as a research and consultant role first and foremost. To succeed here, you need to have exemplary knowledge of your niche and market. You’ll need to be able to hold your own in conversations with industry experts and represent some of the biggest agencies in the country. Above all, this is a serious and highly professional role. This may be daunting for some, but if you think you have what it takes to hold your own, the rewards could be huge.

What can you earn working in Executive Search?

If you’re a Senior Recruiter looking to make the move to Executive Search, there may be a side step or even a slight backward step in regards to pay. The salary you get will likely be comparable to what you’re on at the moment, however you might take a dip in commission while you’re setting yourself up in your new role. This is a very different approach to recruiting, so you need to view this as starting over again in regards to billings.

Often, the best firms will offer pay guarantees as part of their packages for the first six months for the right candidates. Don’t let the initial drop concern you though, Executive Search can be a huge step up for Senior Recruiters and can line your pockets for a very long time.

Most Executive Search firms will pay a third of what you bill and as you’re dealing with a high calibre of candidate, your billings can be massive. It’s common for those working in Executive Search to bill two or three million a year, comfortably taking home six figures.

Taking the jump into Executive Search

Moving to Executive Search can feel like a leap of faith, especially to those who have gone through the work of establishing their careers in contingent recruitment. However, if you’re starting to find the industry drain you and you’re struggling to find inspiration while managing a team of grads, it can be a rewarding path to travel down.

The SHREKS (essentially the Big 5 in Executive Search) aren’t easy companies to get a job with. You need to be the best of the best. Often, we’ve seen some of the sector’s most successful, high billing recruiters turned away – with those agencies preferring to pick from the pool of candidates with a search background.

This can make the situation even more daunting. Don’t fret though, these agencies may only be two or three steps away in your career. We work with some well regarded boutique Executive Search firms who will consider contingent recruitment candidates with the right background. By moving to an agency with 10 – 100 people, you’ll be able to dip your toe in the water, set up your stall and give yourself the experience required to be noticed by one of the Big 5. This segue into the world of search can be all that’s required to develop your future career.

If you’re looking to take this step, ensure your sector knowledge is second-to-none, be polished and professional at all times, and come equipped with a stellar network. If you’ve got what it takes, the leap of faith will pay off and your future may look very bright indeed.

If you’re considering taking a move into Executive Search, we want to hear from you. Reach out today for a confidential conversation about your ambitions and we can advise you on the best option to take.