Executive Search and Your Career

Is Executive Search Relevant to You?

Do you hold an executive-level position?Includes Director-level through C-suite: CEO, CFO, COO, CMO, CTO, VP, Managing Director, Director, etc.

Do you earn a minimum salary of $150,000 USD or regional equivalent?Most executive searches occur for senior positions with a minimum salary of at least $150,000 USD and typically much greater. The average salary of BlueSteps members is $250,000 USD.

Do you want to be discreetly considered for new executive job or board positions?Your career goals change over time. Executive recruiters develop relationships with both passive candidates and those actively seeking new opportunities.

If you answered yes to these questions, connecting with executive recruiters is a critical component to your long-term career success. BlueSteps can help you navigate executive search, map a career plan that works, and develop a job search strategy for when you need it.

BECOME A MEMBER

BlueSteps Increases Your Visibility to Executive Recruiters By:

Sharing your BlueSteps career profile with 16,000+ AESC vetted executive recruiters who fill 100,000+ job and board positions each year.

Featuring hundreds of executive-level job and board positions, all in one place, many shared exclusively with BlueSteps by AESC vetted executive search firms. Search job and board positions by industry, function and geographic region.

Helping you identify the recruiters who matter, all vetted to quality and ethical standards by AESC. Search recruiters who specialize in your industry, function and geographic location.

What is Executive Search?

Executive search consulting is a specialized form of management consulting that organizations use to find talented executives to fill their most critical senior positions. Executive search consultants, sometimes known as recruiters or "headhunters," save organizations time and money by ensuring the right fit the first time. Forging strong relationships with them gives candidates access to a “hidden job market” of high-level, challenging, rarely advertised positions.

Why Do Organizations use Executive Search?

Executive search firms help organizations worldwide find top talent to fill executive management positions. An executive search consultant is a specialized recruiter and management consultant who can offer industry-specific knowledge and expertise, conduct talent assessments, expand talent diversity and more to ensure the best candidate is selected for an executive role or open seat on a board of directors.

Often, the roles executive search firms are looking to fill are confidential and therefore not publicly advertised. To be considered for these opportunities, relationships with executive search consultants should be established before you need them as part of your career management strategy.

How Do You Build Relationships with Search Consultants?

Search consultants are busy people like you and first and foremost they work on behalf of hiring organizations (their clients), not candidates seeking jobs. However, much of their value involves knowing specific industries and markets deeply and getting to know diverse and talented executives in those industries and markets, as well as the next generation up and coming talent. Understanding how to be a source of industry information can help you establish mutually beneficial relationships with executive recruiters.

AESC vetted recruiters search BlueSteps member profiles every day to find potential new talent for their open searches. For a more proactive approach, we also provide BlueSteps members with our AESC Search Firm Directory to identify search consultants who specialize in their industry, function and geographic location, and guide them through crafting an effective communication that resonates with recruiters.

Want more information on Executive Search and managing your career?

Download a complimentary copy of the BlueSteps Ultimate Executive Career Guide

What is AESC?

Since 1959, AESC has set the standard for quality and ethics in executive search and leadership consulting worldwide. Because AESC members must commit and adhere to AESC's industry and government recognized Code of Professional Practice, organizations worldwide can be assured that AESC members are able to serve as trusted advisors for their most important engagements.

The unique connection between BlueSteps and AESC helps executives enhance their visibility to 16,000+ AESC vetted executive search professionals in more than 75 countries. Executive recruiters at AESC member search firms use BlueSteps as a resource in their candidate referral and identification process.

AESC Code of Professional Practice

Members of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants are committed to the highest professional practices through the AESC member Code of Professional Practice, acting in the best interests of their clients, candidates, the community-at-large, and the profession. To learn more, read the AESC Candidate Bill of Rights to see how they protect you as a candidate.