Key facts
- Filter Executive Search Services with keywords like retained search, executive recruiting or board search.
- Search firms are partnerships: partners own client relationships and choose most vendors, while researchers and associates find and screen candidates.
- Boutique firms of 5 to 30 people specialize by function or industry, such as CFO searches or healthcare leadership.
- Retained firms are paid in stages to run a search, usually for senior roles.
- FilterCopy the filters on this page.
- RevealSee emails and mobiles where available.
- SendOr export to your own tools.
Retained and contingent
Retained firms are paid in stages to run a search, usually for senior roles. Contingent firms are paid only when a hire happens. Retained firms invest heavily in research; contingent firms in volume.
Research teams
Behind every partner is a research team mapping companies and candidates. Directors of research choose data sources and tools, which makes them a buyer for anything that speeds candidate mapping.
The Buzzlist filters for executive search firms
In Find, set the rows below. Leave the rest empty.
| Filter | Set it to |
|---|---|
| Industry & keywords: industry | Executive Search Services |
| Industry & keywords: NAICS codes | 561311 |
| Industry & keywords: company keywords | retained search, executive recruiting, board search, leadership search |
| Job titles | Managing Partner, Partner, Director of Research, Principal |
| Seniority level | Partner, Owner, Director |
| Company size | 1 to 10 employees, 11 to 50 employees, 51 to 100 employees |
| Location | Your states, cities, or ZIP codes with a 5 to 100 mile radius |
Contingent recruiters also call themselves search firms. Retained search as a keyword finds the executive end.
Paid plans add AI search: say who you want in a sentence and Buzz ranks the matches. Plans and prices.
Timing
Searches run for months. Partners travel and interview; email is read in short windows. Brief, specific notes work best.
Mistakes
- Mixing contingent agencies in.
- Pitching associates as buyers.
- Generic outreach to people who write outreach for a living.
Is the executive search firms data any good?
Search firms are small and often catch-all. Buzzlist labels those results and never calls them verified.
Paid reveals come with standard email verification, and if a Buzz Send email hard bounces, you get that contact back.
Questions about executive search firms data
Who buys research tools at a search firm?
The director of research, with partners approving.
How do I find retained search firms?
Use Executive Search Services with the keyword retained search.
How do executive search firms find clients?
Mostly through partner networks and referrals.
