The right leaders are found both among those actively seeking new opportunities—and those who aren’t. Yet many organisations base their recruitment solely on applicants. The consequence? Large parts of the market are overlooked, and you risk missing the leader who could make a real difference.
That’s why successful leadership recruitment requires an approach that combines active attraction with targeted executive search.
70% Never See Your Job Posting
According to LinkedIn, passive candidates make up around 70% of the global talent market. This means most of the market never sees your job posting—no matter how well it’s written. But many passive candidates are still open to new opportunities if the approach and the opportunity are right.
By supplementing traditional postings with targeted search, you gain access to a much broader candidate pool without losing the value of strong profiles who take initiative themselves. It’s not either-or. It’s the sum that creates quality.
It’s Not About the Entry Point – It’s About the Right Match
When we work with executive search, we meet both candidates actively seeking new challenges and those who need to be invited into the dialogue. Both groups contain strong, motivated, and competent profiles. The decisive factor is not how the candidate enters the process, but whether they are the right match for the role and the organization.
Particularly at the top executive level, we find that some candidates are already in complex, demanding positions and are therefore not actively searching the market. Nevertheless, they may be curious—and ready for the next step if the opportunity is right. This is a matter of timing, insight, and credible dialogue.
At Compass, we understand both worlds. We build bridges between the context candidates are in and what they’re moving toward. And we’re equally focused on assessing the quality of applicants who reach out themselves and candidates we identify and engage.
Why Executive Search Reaches Further
Executive search isn’t just an alternative method—it’s a necessary approach for leadership and key positions. It’s about understanding who you’re looking for and how to reach them—whether they’re visible in the market or not.
At Compass, we work systematically through the entire process:
- =Strategic Needs Assessment and Close Client Dialogue: We start by understanding what you need—on a business, organizational, and cultural level.
- =Targeted Search Among Passive Candidates: We map relevant profiles, explore the market, and use our network and methodology to find those who wouldn’t otherwise have seen the opportunity.
- =Long-Term and Discreet Candidate Dialogue: We work with trust and respect, creating space for confidential conversations where both motivation and possibilities can unfold.
- =Thorough assessment of both skills and cultural fit: We take an in-depth look at whether the candidate can not only do the job but also strengthen your organization and support its desired direction.
This approach is why we have guarantee cases in only 1–2% of our assignments.
How We Find the Profiles Others Overlook
It takes people who understand the market, use data intelligently, and know how to access the profiles others don’t see.
Our research team is involved in all executive search processes. It consists of both experienced consultants and talented colleagues who are developed through a close mentoring program. The team works systematically and efficiently, combining experience with fresh perspectives.
We:
- =take a methodical approach to mapping and validation
- =work internationally and locally – with an understanding of both markets
- =engage candidates proactively and with respect for their situation
- =create quality through collaboration and knowledge sharing
The result is not just faster access to relevant profiles, but significantly higher precision in the final match.
Ready to Find the Leaders Who Aren’t Visible in the Market?
At Compass, we help our clients find leaders – including those who aren’t actively job seeking. With the right approach, they may turn out to be exactly the match that moves the organisation forward.
We’ve worked with executive search since 1982. With a strong research team behind us, we deliver results that last – in just six to nine weeks.
