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Practical, field-tested playbooks from a team that has run thousands of senior searches — on hiring, compensation, negotiation, and building a talent function that scales.

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Hiring · Flagship guide

The Executive Hiring Playbook

A complete, six-stage framework for hiring VP- and C-level leaders without stalling, overpaying, or losing your top candidate to a counter-offer. Distilled from 8 years and 4,000+ senior placements across nine US markets.

32-minute read·Updated 2026·6 stages
Read the playbook

The six stages

1
Define the mandateTurn a vague "we need a leader" into a scorecard of outcomes, competencies, and the comp band the market actually supports.
2
Map the marketSize the realistic candidate pool, identify target companies, and set a defensible timeline before you open the search.
3
Engage passive talentReach the 70% who aren't looking, with outreach that earns a reply from people who already have a good job.
4
Assess for the roleStructured interviews, work samples, and reference deep-dives that predict performance, not just likability.
5
Close the offerBuild a compelling package with live comp data and neutralize the counter-offer before it lands.
6
Onboard for retentionThe first 90 days determine whether the hire sticks. Set up the plan before day one.
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Browse by topic

All Hiring Compensation Negotiation Process Employer Brand Analytics Onboarding Retention Diversity
Hiring

Writing a job scorecard that actually works

Replace the wishlist job description with a scorecard of outcomes and competencies your whole panel can align on.

9-minute read · Beginner
Compensation

How to build a defensible comp band

Turn live market data into a base, bonus, and equity range you can take to finance and defend to a board.

12-minute read · Intermediate
Negotiation

Neutralizing the counter-offer

Why 80% of counter-offer acceptances leave within a year, and how to close your candidate before it ever appears.

8-minute read · Intermediate
Process

Designing an interview loop that converts

How many rounds, who should be in them, and how to move fast without cutting corners on assessment.

11-minute read · Intermediate
Employer Brand

Selling the role to passive candidates

The outreach and messaging that earns a reply from people who already have a great job elsewhere.

10-minute read · Beginner
Analytics

Reading pipeline health metrics

Time-to-fill, conversion by stage, and offer-accept rate — what "healthy" looks like and when to intervene.

13-minute read · Advanced
Onboarding

The first 90 days of a senior hire

A structured onboarding plan that turns a great candidate into a retained, high-performing leader.

14-minute read · Intermediate
Retention

Equity refreshes and retaining leaders

When and how to refresh equity so your best people don't walk the day their initial grant fully vests.

10-minute read · Advanced
Diversity

Building a diverse executive slate

Structural changes to sourcing and assessment that widen the pipeline without lowering the bar.

12-minute read · Intermediate

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