The Alternative to a Head Hunter for a C-Level Hire
The alternative to a head hunter is to engage a senior operator with a verifiable C-level track record directly, on a defined-period contract, without the retained fee. It removes twenty-five to thirty-three percent of first-year compensation from the cost of the transition, compresses the timeline from months to days, and puts a decision maker inside the business immediately.
Why boards look for an alternative
- Retained fees of twenty-five to thirty-three percent of first-year compensation
- Timelines of four to nine months from brief to start date
- Shortlists heavy on CVs, light on operators who have actually run the transition
- The company drifts while the search runs
What the alternative looks like
One senior operator, engaged directly, on a defined-period contract. The operator takes the C-level role from day one. The board keeps full control of the mandate, pays for the period actually delivered, and avoids the percentage-of-comp fee entirely. If a permanent hire is still needed, the operator holds the line while the search runs, without pressure.
When the alternative fits
- A CEO, CMO or COO has just left and the seat is empty
- The company is under stress and cannot afford a nine-month drift
- A transaction, integration or turnaround needs ownership now
- The board has already tried a retained search and is not satisfied with the shortlist
The positioning in one line
One senior operator with a C-level track record. The alternative to a head hunter fee.
https://niklaslindahl.com/guides/alternative-to-head-hunter