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Questions to Ask an Executive Search Firm Before You Engage
A short, direct set of questions can reveal more about a search firm than a polished pitch deck. Here is what is worth asking.
Delkarra Executive
Before engaging a search firm, a short set of direct questions can reveal far more about how the engagement will actually go than a general capabilities presentation.
About the process
Ask exactly how the firm approaches market mapping for a role like this one, how many candidates they typically expect to identify and approach, and what the assessment process actually involves beyond conversations. A firm with a clear, specific answer has likely run this process many times. A vague answer is worth probing further.
About the team
Ask specifically who will be doing the work: the senior partner in the pitch meeting, or a more junior team once the engagement begins. Ask how much direct time that person will spend on your search specifically, particularly if the firm is running multiple engagements at once.
About track record
Ask for examples of comparable searches, ideally in your industry or function, and what happened with those placements over time, not just whether the initial hire was made. A firm confident in its work should be comfortable discussing both successes and situations where a placement did not work out as expected.
About commercial terms
Ask directly about the fee structure, payment milestones, expected timeline, and what happens if the search runs longer than expected or the first hire does not work out. Clear, direct answers on commercial terms are a reasonable proxy for how the firm will communicate throughout the engagement itself.