When people ask what I do, I usually say I’m an Executive Search Consultant. If I say “headhunter”, the reaction is very different – usually a joke, or an enthusiastic offer to send me a CV. It’s amusing how much one word can change the conversation.
What most people don’t see is that this job is far less about “headhunting” than it is about listening.
Yes, identifying executives is easier than it once was. LinkedIn and the internet have made people more visible. But visibility is not the same as judgment. The real work lies in understanding who is right for a role, a team, and a culture – and that takes much more than scanning a résumé. Technical skills are one part of the picture; style, attitude, and cultural fit are often what determine long-term success. Those things only really emerge through conversation, careful listening, and trust.
That trust matters because we are often dealing with confidential and sensitive situations. We are invited into important decisions at moments of change, and that carries responsibility.
One reason I value executive search is that it brings rigour to decisions that can otherwise be rushed or underestimated. I was recently asked to submit a proposal for a senior appointment, but the board decided to handle the process internally to save money. Eventually they made a hire, but later the CEO told me how costly the process had been in terms of time, energy, and managing expectations. Advertising reached active candidates, but not the strongest passive ones. And running the process internally created pressure that was largely invisible at the outset. It was a useful reminder that the real cost of hiring is not always the fee – sometimes it is the time lost, the risk carried, or the compromise made.
There is also far more to search than simply finding names. A good assignment starts with understanding what the organisation really needs. Often the brief is not quite right: the job description may be unrealistic, incomplete, or out of step with the market. From there, the work becomes more analytical – mapping sectors, companies, comparable roles, and potential candidates.
At the same time, there is a human balancing act. Clients and candidates experience time very differently. A week can feel insignificant to a hiring organisation and very long indeed to a candidate waiting for news. Our role is often to manage those different expectations with honesty and care. Sometimes that means challenging a client. Sometimes it means helping a candidate think more deeply about whether a move is truly right for them.
And even when a search ends, the work doesn’t. The onboarding period is delicate and often decisive. A strong appointment still needs support to become a successful one.
What keeps me interested in this profession is that I am always learning. Every assignment gives me a new window into a business, a leadership challenge, or a person’s career choices. It’s analytical work, but it’s deeply human too. Behind every search is a story about ambition, judgment, change, and trust.
That’s what makes it so rewarding for me.
If your organisation is navigating a critical leadership appointment or seeking guidance on strengthening its leadership capability, I would welcome the opportunity to support you. Please feel free to get in touch for a confidential conversation.
With 25 years of experience in executive search, Bill Haggerty specialises in recruiting Senior Executives across the Manufacturing, Engineering, Transport and Infrastructure sectors. Typical roles include CEOs, CFOs, Logistic & Supply Chain Directors, Project Directors and General Managers. He is an active member of Engineers Australia and is committed to promoting the engineering profession and gender diversity within engineering. Bill is a Fellow of Engineers Australia with Chartered and EngExec status and a Graduate of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Civil Engineering and Management. He has a very broad commercial background with extensive management, business development and project management experience gained in Australia, the Middle East and Asia.
