Hiring a Headhunter or Executive Search Firm – What Really Matters in 2025

Are you looking to recruit a senior executive or specialist and considering hiring a headhunter or executive search firm? Then the key question is how to choose the right partner. As an experienced recruitment consultancy, we support both mid-sized companies and international corporations in filling critical positions.

When is external support the right choice?

Many companies hesitate to involve a headhunter, assuming they can fill the position internally. But in certain situations, external help is not only useful, but often decisive for success:

• When a position has been unfilled for weeks or months, and internal recruiting channels do not deliver suitable applications.
• When the role is highly strategic or requires utmost confidentiality.
• When hiring for competitive markets such as mechanical engineering, IT, or logistics, where talent is scarce.
• When HR or management simply lack the time to proactively approach and pre-screen candidates.
• When you want to avoid confusing candidates with uncoordinated approaches from multiple sources.

In industries like mechanical engineeringthe food industry,the logistics, construction industrie or IT the competition for skilled professionals is particularly fierce. Many positions are not advertised publicly but filled discreetly through headhunters.

What to look for when choosing a headhunter

The executive search market is large, and not all providers work equally professionally. Look for:

• A fair and transparent fee model. The so-called “third model,” where two-thirds of the fee is due before you even see a candidate, is in our view not ideal. Success-based models are often more appropriate, as they better align your goals with the recruiter’s.
• Industry knowledge. A consultant who understands your market will find and approach candidates more effectively.
• Limit your search to one or at most two partners. Too many headhunters working in parallel lowers quality – candidates are often approached multiple times and may be put off.
• A good headhunter doesn’t rely solely on databases but actively engages with the ma

Why Alexander Graham® ?

• Multiple times awarded as a top recruitment consultancy, most recently in 2024 by Focus magazine.
• We fill positions across industries such as manufacturing, FMCG, construction, IT, logistics, and many more
• Through targeted direct search, we often deliver suitable profiles within a few days.
• Our clients value our personal advice and clear, streamlined process.

"A food manufacturer successfully filled a production manager role with our help in just three weeks – a precise match without a lengthy search process."

Cities and regions where we successfully placed candidates in 2025:

Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Hanover, Bremen, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, Cairo, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Riyadh, Jeddah.