The Best Candidates Aren't Always Looking. So How Do You Find Them?
The strongest person for a senior appointment may not be applying for jobs at all. Finding them starts with knowing the market, earning trust and understanding when a conversation is worth having.
There is a question worth asking at the start of any important executive search: are we looking for the best person for this role, or the best person who happens to be looking for a role?
They are not necessarily the same thing.
Many capable senior leaders are busy doing the jobs they were hired to do. They are building teams, managing difficult decisions and delivering programmes that may take years to complete. They have little reason to keep a CV circulating or respond to every approach. Some would not describe themselves as candidates at all.
That does not make them inaccessible. It means the search has to begin somewhere other than an application.
The visible market is only part of the market
Advertising a senior role can generate interest. It can also create the illusion that the people who respond represent the full range of available talent.
In specialist markets such as Cyber Security, Operational Resilience, Non-Financial Risk and Technology, the right experience is often difficult to describe in a few keywords. A leader may have delivered precisely the change an organisation needs, but under a different job title or in an adjacent sector.
Searching only for familiar titles and people who are visibly open to a move risks missing them altogether.
Research matters, of course. So does knowing which questions to ask of that research: who has actually dealt with a comparable challenge, where might that experience sit, and whose career is worth understanding more closely?
A relationship is not a contact list
MERCERBRIDGE was founded in 2006, building on Sean Farrell's experience in specialist Executive Search. Over that time, the firm has developed relationships with senior professionals across organisations, disciplines and markets.
Those relationships are not valuable simply because they provide access. They create context. A conversation can begin with an understanding of someone's work, interests and professional direction rather than an anonymous job description.
And a good conversation need not lead to an appointment. Sometimes the timing is wrong. Sometimes the brief is not right. Treating that as part of a continuing professional relationship, rather than a failed transaction, matters.
Why the brief has to come before the shortlist
Approaching people who are not actively seeking a move demands a compelling and accurate reason to talk.
That starts with the client. What is the organisation really trying to change? What decisions will this leader own? Which relationships will they need to build? What would success look like in two years?
A role that sounds attractive on paper may be much less interesting once its constraints become clear. Equally, an assignment that appears conventional may offer the kind of influence or challenge that makes an established leader willing to listen.
Executive Search should uncover that distinction before asking someone to consider a move. A well-understood brief respects the candidate's time as well as the client's.
What a clearly defined brief can achieve
One MERCERBRIDGE assignment for a European bank involved building a team for a significant risk reduction programme. The search required an understanding of the programme itself, the specialist capabilities needed and how those appointments would work together.
The outcome was 13 appointments from 34 people assessed, with every first-choice candidate accepting the offer.
Those figures do not tell us whether the individuals were actively seeking new roles. They do, however, illustrate the value of a focused brief, careful assessment and conversations with the right people, rather than relying on the size of a candidate list.
Discretion is part of the value
Senior appointments are rarely straightforward. A prospective candidate may have responsibilities to their present organisation, a team relying on them or work they want to see through.
An exploratory discussion therefore needs to be just that: a discussion, not a presumption that someone wants to leave.
Clarity about the opportunity, discretion and an honest assessment of fit make it possible to explore the idea without forcing a decision before either side is ready.
It is also why a good search cannot be judged by the number of messages sent. The quality and relevance of the conversations matter more.
The best shortlist may start with people who were never on one
The purpose of Executive Search is not simply to find people who meet a specification. It is to identify the leaders who could make a meaningful difference, understand whether the opportunity is right for them and bring both sides into an informed conversation.
That takes market research, professional judgement and relationships developed over time.
So before asking how many candidates a search can produce, perhaps the more useful question is: who would we never meet if we only spoke to people already looking?
For organisations planning a senior or specialist appointment, that is where the value of a relationship-led search begins.
Sean Farrell
Founder, MERCERBRIDGE
Sean founded MERCERBRIDGE in 2006 and brings more than three decades of specialist Executive Search experience. His approach combines research, market knowledge and long-standing professional relationships.
Looking beyond the obvious shortlist?
MERCERBRIDGE helps organisations identify senior and specialist leaders across Cyber Security, Technology, Risk, Resilience and Data & AI Governance.