- Executive hiring is getting harder, as more CEOs leave and companies look outside for replacements globally.
- Retained search can help you fill critical leadership roles by reducing time-to-hire, improving candidate fit, and minimizing costly mis-hires.
- The 8-step retained search process includes consultation, role scoping, market research, outreach, assessment, interview coordination, offer negotiation, and onboarding support.
- Four common delays in the process include misalignment among decision-makers, role complexity, candidate availability, and compensation or relocation mismatches.
Leadership roles are getting harder to fill. In early 2025, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) turnover among S&P 500 companies hit a record high of 14.8%, with nearly 44% of the replacements hired externally.
This isn’t just a Western trend. In India, C-suite leaders are increasingly being poached by competitors, intensifying the talent war.
The Philippines is also feeling the pressure. With voluntary turnover rising to 15.9% last year, retaining top-tier talent has become a growing concern for many Filipino employers.
To stay competitive, employers need to look beyond internal promotions and adopt more strategic approaches to executive hiring, like retained search. This recruitment method helps you identify, engage, and secure top-tier leadership talent.
In this article, we break down the retained search process step by step, so you know exactly what to expect and how to get the most value from your search partner.
The Retained Search Process Explained
According to a Gartner 2025 survey, more than half of C-suite leaders are likely to leave within the next two years, while 27% may exit in just six months. Yet despite the urgency, organizations struggle to fill these roles, as 25% of executive roles stay vacant for over six months.
Prolonged vacancies at the top can stall decision-making, weaken team morale, and slow down long-term growth. That’s why embracing retained search can be a game-changer for your company.
Unlike other recruitment models, retained search involves a retainer fee, typically paid upfront or in installments. This early commitment often raises questions for first-time users. Still, this investment ensures your role is prioritized, the search is comprehensive, and the outcome is aligned with long-term success.
Here’s a step-by-step look at how the process works:
Step 1: Initial Consultation and Agreement
The process begins with a detailed consultation to understand your hiring objectives, organizational needs, and expectations. During this stage, the recruitment agency also outlines the terms of the partnership. Once both parties are aligned, the engagement is formalized through a signed contract.
This Step Includes:
- Defining the scope of the search (e.g., role level, location, industry focus)
- Clarifying your preferred timelines and communication channels
- Signing a formal retained search agreement
How Long Does It Typically Take?
1 to 3 business days
Step 2: Role Scoping and Company Profiling
A CareerBuilder survey revealed that 74% of small business employers claimed they hired the wrong person for a position, leading to lower productivity (36%) and compromised work quality (30%). To avoid costly mis-hires, the recruitment agency profiles your company’s culture and leadership style for better candidate alignment.
This Step Includes:
- Conducting in-depth discussions with hiring stakeholders
- Outlining success metrics, leadership expectations, and diversity goals
- Developing a clear candidate persona tailored to the company’s environment
How Long Does It Typically Take?
3 to 5 business days
Step 3: Market Research and Talent Mapping
With the role clearly defined, the recruitment agency conducts extensive market research to identify where ideal candidates are most likely to be found. This groundwork goes beyond active job seekers to include passive candidates. From there, they will create a longlist of high-potential candidates who fit your defined criteria and cultural fit.
This Step Includes:
- Identifying target industries, competitor companies, and relevant talent pools
- Creating an ideal candidate profile based on both hard and soft skills
- Compiling a list of competent candidates for outreach
How Long Does It Typically Take?
5 to 7 business days
Step 4: Outreach and Engagement
With the longlist finalized, the recruitment agency begins discreet and confidential outreach to engage potential candidates, especially those not actively seeking new roles. These early conversations are critical for positioning your employer brand, setting the job opportunity’s tone, and evaluating initial fit.
This Step Includes:
- Presenting the role in a compelling, brand-aligned manner
- Gauging interest, motivation, and openness to explore the opportunity
- Handling early-stage questions about the company, role, and culture
How Long Does It Typically Take?
2 to 3 weeks, often overlapping with the final stages of talent mapping
Step 5: Candidate Assessment and Shortlisting
As per SHRM’s 2024 Talent Trends Report, 78% of organizations that used pre-employment assessments saw improved hiring outcomes. At this stage, the recruitment agency conducts structured evaluations to ensure an objective and data-informed selection process.
This Step Includes:
- Conducting skills testing, psychometric evaluations, and behavioral interviews
- Delivering a refined shortlist with comparative insights and recommendations
- Presenting a refined shortlist with detailed profiles and insights
How Long Does It Typically Take?
1 to 2 weeks
Step 6: Interview Coordination and Feedback Management
Delays are one of the top reasons for dropout, with 58% of candidates losing interest if they don’t hear back within two weeks. In retained search, agencies manage the entire scheduling process, prepare both sides, and facilitate two-way feedback to maintain momentum and clarity.
This Step Includes:
- Coordinating interview schedules across candidates and client stakeholders
- Preparing candidates with insights into the company, interview structure, and expectations
- Gathering structured feedback to refine the shortlist or support next steps
How Long Does It Typically Take?
1 to 2 weeks
Step 7: Final Selection and Offer Negotiation
In a 2025 Copier Careers poll, 31% of candidates rejected job offers due to low compensation. To avoid last-minute dropouts, the recruitment agency plays a key role in aligning expectations early and navigating sensitive discussions during the final selection phase.
This Step Includes:
- Guiding the client through final candidate evaluations and selection
- Mediating compensation and contract negotiations to avoid misalignment
- Addressing candidate concerns regarding salary, relocation, onboarding, or role clarity
How Long Does It Typically Take?
3 to 5 business days
Step 8: Onboarding and Post-Hire Follow-Up
According to QSR Magazine, 40% of new executive hires fail within the first 18 months, often due to poor onboarding or unclear expectations. The recruitment agency can help prevent this by supporting integration and conducting follow-ups to check satisfaction from both ends.
This Step Includes:
- Assisting with onboarding plans, role clarity, and cultural integration
- Conducting structured follow-ups at 30, 60, and 90 days
- Addressing early concerns and facilitating continuous alignment between both parties
How Long Does It Typically Take?
Ongoing support during the first 3 months post-hire, with optional check-ins beyond that period
Four Factors that May Delay the Retained Search
Even with a structured retained search approach, certain challenges can delay timelines.
Understanding these potential roadblocks helps you stay proactive and manage expectations effectively. Let’s look at four factors that can impact your executive hiring process:
1. Misalignment Among Decision-Makers
Internal disagreements over role expectations, success criteria, or candidate priorities can stall progress during the consultation and shortlisting stages. When key stakeholders aren’t aligned, rework is often required.
Tip: Involve key decision-makers to align on priorities and reduce delays later.
2. Complexity of the Role
Specialized roles with niche skill sets or high-stakes leadership positions, like Chief Digital Officer, Global Supply Chain Director, or regional CEOs, may require deeper market research and more targeted outreach, leading to longer timelines.
Tip: Build in extra time for complex searches and partner closely with your recruitment agency to refine the candidate profile and sourcing strategy.
3. Candidate Availability and Scheduling Conflicts
Top executive candidates are often busy, discreet, or not actively job-seeking. This can make it challenging to schedule interviews, especially when coordinating across multiple time zones or busy calendars.
Tip: Use smart scheduling tools like Calendly or Google Calendar to streamline coordination and offer flexible time slots to busy candidates.
4. Compensation or Relocation Misalignment
A disconnect between what the company can offer and what the candidate expects about the salary, benefits, or relocation options can stall negotiations or cause dropouts late in the process.
Tip: Set clear compensation parameters and clarify relocation support early to manage expectations on both sides at the get-go.
Final Thoughts
In today’s fast-moving business environment, executive hiring has become more complex and competitive.
Retained search offers a structured approach to identifying and engaging candidates who align with your job requirements and company culture. When done right, it turns a high-stakes hiring challenge into a long-term growth opportunity.
Partnering with an experienced recruitment agency like Curran Daly & Associates gives you a head start. We support global organizations through targeted retained search strategies and scalable recruitment solutions.
Our established presence in Manila, Australia, and Hong Kong allows us to tap into wide talent pools and connect with highly qualified candidates who can inspire teams and navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Your next great leader could be just one search away. Contact us today to explore how we can help you secure the right executive talent.
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