Careers in Executive Search

I come from an Executive Search background, where a big part of my previous role was to advise Researchers/Associates on their next job move. A good percentage of my counselling clients come via my network in search and recruitment. 

I have helped over a hundred search professionals over the last 10 years. You might be struggling on how to approach a work problem, need help in getting promoted, or want to transfer to a more welcoming culture. And when all these options are exhausted, it may be time to move out of search to completely new pastures. 

My phone advice is free to all those in search, and totally confidential. Get in touch if you have something you want to talk over - anything at all, big or small.

Need more in-depth career advice but worried about cost? I offer a special mini-package of 3 sessions for £295 to researchers earning <40k, with a free Intro session. Saves £140! Typically includes a Strengths Profile, psychometric testing, career direction exercises, CV rewrite, and 'hidden job market' attack strategy. 

On this page

Latest news & events

  • The search landscape: July/Aug 2024
  • Benchmark your salary online
  • The ERA: conference highlights, events, and how to join
  • Company coaching for search firms

Your first role in Executive Search

  • An introduction to the industry
  • Career pathways in search
  • A CV template for your first search position

 

Role models tell us how they got promoted

2 Minute Expert Interviews, 'How to become a...'

  • Fee-earner - Francesca Lahiguera
  • Head of Research - Ella Milward Hamylton

Moving up

  • 2 Minute Expert: Alison Hughes - Nail that Job Interview
  • Interview guidance for researchers - downloadable pdf
  • How to ask for a pay rise 

Career moves

2 Minute Expert Interview:

  • Talent Intelligence Officer at PayPal - Erin Page

Time to leave search?

Latest news & events

The Executive Search landscape, July/August 2024

Martin Gooden, Partner at Careers In Search, finds jobs for researchers

Executive search is currently still very quiet, with some staff being laid off. Sectors still doing well include Banking, Real Estate, Public Sector, Board/NED. Oil and Gas, Infrastructure and Industrials. Tech and Life Sciences still seem to be struggling.

Benchmark your salary online immediately using ChatGPT: Type into the search box: "what is the salary of an executive search researcher in [location] UK, with [no. of] years experience?" It's pretty accurate!

The Executive Research Association

The ERA conference was in May this year at Sadler's Wells and featured a stellar line-up including:

For forthcoming events and to join the ERA visit www.theera.org

Company coaching for seach firms

I run workshops, training and coaching for research and delivery teams in executive search. All packages are individually tailored, popular examples include:

  • Team strengths: team profiling with both group and individual coaching feedback
  • Team values: crafting a group strategy together
  • Work/life harmony: look out for each other and put boundaries in place to bring your best selves to work

Your first role

An introduction to search

Downloadable pdf giving a comprehensive overview of the industry, from past to present, including salary expectations

Career Pathways in search

An overview of some of the career paths that research can lead you to (note: job titles are slightly different across the industry)

Sample entry-level researcher CV

On the left is a sample entry-level CV template for getting your first role in executive search.

 

ChatGPT can give you a pretty good initial layout and ideas to follow (just input 'sample executive search researchers cv'), but it absolutely can't personalise this. And personalisation is KEY to a good CV. It also has to match the job description as closely as possible, including repeating key/buzzwords. So your CV should be slightly different for each job applied for.

 

If you need specialist help to write your CV, get in touch. 

Role models - 2-minute interviews

How to become a fee-earning Consultant

with Francesca Lahiguera of Lancor

Francesca has held both fee-earning and non-fee earning roles during her search career, and has trained hundreds of researchers (including me at one point!)

Download the PDF below for more information, and to read the story of how Francesca came up with a cunning plan (& a fair bit of nerve!) which got her her first fee-earning role.

How to become a Head of Research

with Ella Milward Hamylton of Milestone Research & Operations

Download the PDF below for more information, and to find out how Ella managed to convince an interviewer to invent a Head of Research role just for her.

Ella is a highly experienced search and research professional. She currently runs Milestone Research & Operations, and is a previous Head of Research, including at GatenbySanderson, where she was responsible for a team of 59.

Career moves - 2-minute expert interview

Working in Talent Intelligence

with Erin Page, Talent Intelligence Partner at PayPal

Erin started as Researcher then became a fee-earner placing leaders at tech start-ups/scale-ups. She also managed a team of Associates. 

1. What is Talent Intelligence?

My job is to analyse external market data eg about competitors, about talent pools/skills, economic trends or labour markest, globally. I then collate and report the data back to stakeholders in the business – eg recruiters, HR business partners, hiring managers, in order to influence their strategy.

2. Why did you move from search into Talent Intelligence?

I enjoyed the research, using the analytical side of my brain, learning about different topics and market intelligence. I found this fascinating rather than filling roles. TI is much less pressurized than search, all clients are internal, so understand what to expect. There are far fewer calls.

3. What does a typical day look like for you?

I usually work on 2-3 projects concurrently. I investigate different data platforms, pull out relevant figures, analyse them, conclude, and write reports for stakeholders. I have meetings with clients and take briefings from them too. Some projects are more human-insights led, on these I will interview sources in the market to gain intelligence - currently I'm doing quite a bit of this. It’s when stakeholders ask a question about a market that is unknown - they have numbers but no qualitative information.

4. The favourite/most exciting part of my job is..

Probably the breadth/depth of the assignments. They are global and across all business functions, so in all geographies and using all skillsets. No two are ever the same. Can get good depth into each area eg become an expert on customer success managers in Mexico!

5. What does the future hold?

PayPal encourage sideways moves and mobility. I could move to DE&I or L&D within Talent. Or I could stay in Insights/TA and move into Marketing and Business Analysis. Or I could focus more on People Analytics – similar to my current role but uses internal people data instead of market external data. 

Moving up

How to nail that job interview

Two Minute Expert Interview with Alison Hughes of Dynami Careers

Ali started her career in recruitment, before moving into career coaching and leadership consulting. She is an industry legend - and was the reason that I became a career counsellor! 

"My top tip is to compile an achievements database. Use a spreadsheet to log the 10 things in your career that you are most proud of. Next to each one, list the strengths, skills and competencies that you used in completing them. Now look at each using either the CAR or STAR framework [see the pdf download below left for more on both of these] and write down an example for each one. Then when you are asked a question about your strengths, skills or past experiences you will have a ready example at your fingertips.

 

Don’t feel that you always have to list a catalogue of successes. It’s fine to talk about a time when things went wrong, as long as you demonstrate that it was a learning experience. People quite like hearing about these, and it makes you sound humble.

 

Make sure that what you put in the personal profile at the top of your CV is correct and you have evidence for it. If your profile says you are highly organised, then prepare an example of how this is true. If it’s not true, take it off your CV!"

Interview guide for researchers

Download our pdf (below) for some more practical advice about how to approach a job interview in executive search

How to ask for a pay rise

Feel that you're being short-changed? Our pdf (below) gives some guidance about how to successfully ask for more

Let's talk

Two heads are better than one. Whatever's bothering you, get in touch. Message me now to book your free 30 minute intro call or Zoom.

+44 (0)7477 875764    WhatsApp / text

Or simply book your free intro call or Zoom directly into my calendar:
Calendly - Carolyn Howitt

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