Confidential Executive Searches:
3 Very Good Reasons Why
A confidential executive search is a search that needs to be conducted without:
• The company staff being aware of it (outside of the select few “in the know”)
• The general public to be alerted (especially not competitors and industry partners).
In our experience as headhunters conducting these “secret missions” on a regular basis, there are 3 very good (and usual) reasons to keep these on the down-low.
#1: POOR PERFORMANCE OF A KEY EXECUTIVE
Say, the board is displeased with the performance of your CFO. This person will be replaced. As the HR Manager, you need to find a suitable candidate before breaking the news.
Posting ads on job boards and having your teammates work their referral networks are surefire ways for word to get back immediately to the person. Is it wise? Not so much.
Best way to go: Call a headhunter to perform a confidential search. A seasoned headhunter or executive search firm has discreet methods to set the wheels in motion, tap their own networks without anyone knowing it, and reaching out farther than typical corporate recruiters can.
