What percentage of your searches are in HR leadership?

A firm that places CHROs, VP HRs, and HR Directors as the core of its practice knows the talent market differently than a firm that runs one HR search per year. HR specialization means faster candidate identification, deeper networks, and sharper evaluation.

How do you access passive HR candidates?

The ideal candidate is not on a job board. Ask for the specific method: market mapping, professional network outreach, warm introductions, targeted communication.

Listen for: “we post to our network” or “LinkedIn InMail.” That is active sourcing wearing a costume, not passive candidate access.

What is your evaluation framework for HR leaders?

“We interview them and check references” is not a framework. A structured evaluation assesses business acumen, talent judgment, executive courage, and scalability, using specific questions tied to specific dimensions.

Who runs the search day-to-day?

Many firms sell the senior partner and staff the search with junior associates. Ask who will be on the phone with candidates, who will evaluate them, and who will present the shortlist. Get names.

How many HR leadership searches are you running right now?

A firm running 20 to 30 searches simultaneously cannot give any one of them the attention it deserves. A firm running a focused handful with a dedicated team can.

What is your guarantee?

Specific terms are essential: duration, conditions, and replacement process. The strongest firms back retained work with up to a full 365 days of replacement protection, in writing, with the re-run process spelled out before you sign.

How do you handle confidentiality?

Replacing an incumbent or testing the market quietly makes confidentiality non-negotiable. Ask how the firm runs the process without alerting the market, and how it approaches candidates discreetly.

What is the payment schedule?

Retained search traditionally bills in thirds: engagement, shortlist, and acceptance or start date. Whatever the model, understand the schedule, what each milestone represents, and exactly what happens to fees if the search changes shape.

What happens if the search stalls?

Searches stall for many reasons: unrealistic compensation, shifting requirements, slow decision-making. Ask how the firm diagnoses and resolves stalls, and at what point they will have a direct conversation with you about what needs to change.

Can you show me three HR placements still in the role after 3+ years?

This is the question that separates search firms from staffing agencies. A placement that stays and performs for 3, 5, or 7 years is the evidence. A firm that cannot produce three examples is running a transactional model, not a relationship-driven one.