Confessions of a Headhunter: Why Executive Search Firms Should Be More Than Order Takers

Written by Raj Tulsiani

Effective executive search is not simply about taking a brief and finding a candidate who matches. It requires challenging assumptions, understanding the organisation’s wider leadership needs and acting as a strategic adviser to identify the right talent.

Many years ago, we were pitching for a senior commercial hire with the Chief Procurement Officer of a FTSE 100.

I had the beginnings of a relationship with him, but we’d never won a retained assignment reporting into board level and this was the meeting where you either step up, or stay “nice-to-have”.

I went with two colleagues, including one of our researchers:

experienced, sharp, deeply committed and also cursed with a very specific physiological response to pressure. When she was put on the spot, her cheeks went the reddest red you can imagine.

People sometimes misread it as embarrassment. In truth, it’s usually anger focused, principled anger.

Toward the end of the meeting, the CPO started leaning into her.

You know the move: make the junior person squirm to see how the team reacts.

Then came the line:

“So what do you actually bring to the table? Isn’t this just research? Couldn’t we buy this in independently?”

There was a beat. And then she did something I still think about.

She said:

“Research is a process. Some people do it well and some people do it badly. I always do it welll because I care. I care about candidates. I care about clients. And I particularly care about you, because at the end of this process, I want you to call me (or my line manager) and say what a bloody good job I did…and remember how mean you were to me in this pitch.”

He blinked.

She continued, steady now:

“At Green Park we’re not order takers we’re market makers. Give us the opportunity and I’ll give you a stronger choice of appointable talent than you’re seeing from your usual suppliers. Because right now, you’re not getting the right people into the business.”

That was the moment the temperature changed. Not because she “won” an argument but because she named the real issue underneath the theatre: he had a talent problem and needed someone with the courage to own it.

We won the job. We placed the role. And, true to her word, he became effusive in his praise and an absolute pleasure to deal with afterwards. And when he moved from that role he
called her before me

The takeaway:

When you stand your ground with integrity anchored in the client’s real problem you don’t just win work. You reset the relationship.

Moral: Care + backbone beats polish + deference, every time.

If you’d like to learn more about Green Park executive search methodology as an executive search partner who looks beyond the Friday afternoon rush to find long-term leadership fits? Connect with Green Park's talent advisory team today.