Most search firms describe their process in marketing language. We describe ours in operating discipline. Here’s exactly what happens between the moment you reach out and the moment a placement starts — and what we do differently at each step.
Step 1 — Calibration (Day 0–3)
Every engagement starts with a 90-minute structured calibration call with the hiring manager. Not 30 minutes. Not over email. We dig in until we understand:
- What success looks like 12 months in, in measurable terms.
- The three must-haves — everything else becomes wish-list.
- The two deal-breakers that would make you say no.
- The compensation range, sign-on budget, and equity authority.
- The single decision-maker and the interview team.
If we can’t answer these by the end of the call, we don’t start sourcing. Misaligned calibration is the single biggest cause of failed searches.
Step 2 — Sourcing (Day 3–10)
A first slate of 3–5 vetted candidates within 5 business days, each with a written profile that covers fit, gaps, comp expectations, and the 30-second pitch for why they’d join you specifically. We don’t forward résumés — we present candidates we’ve already evaluated.
The strongest candidates aren’t on job boards. Most of our sourcing is warm: network outreach, careful 1:1 messages, conversations with people who aren’t actively looking but are open to the right opportunity.
Step 3 — STEAM evaluation
Every candidate runs through our STEAM evaluation before you see them:
- Seen three times. Three separate conversations with members of our team. Consistency between conversations is the first signal.
- Tested. Cognitive and personality assessments — not as filters, as inputs to the evaluation.
- Evaluated on video. A short video interview captures presence, communication, and judgment in a way no résumé can.
- Accountable. One recruiter from start to finish. No handoffs.
- Measured. Every placement carries a 90-day guarantee.
By the time a candidate hits your inbox, we’ve already done the work to know whether they can do the job and whether they’ll thrive in your environment.
Step 4 — Backchannel references
Listed references are coached. They tell you what the candidate wants you to hear. Before any offer goes out, we run backchannel references through our network — people who worked with the candidate but weren’t on their reference list. Four questions, ten minutes, real signal.
Step 5 — Offer & close
Once both sides know there’s a match, the verbal offer goes out within 24 hours of the final interview. Written offer follows within 48. We stay in the room during negotiation — not as a buffer between client and candidate, but as a shared advisor making sure both sides feel heard.
Step 6 — Post-placement support
Most search firms disappear after the placement starts. We don’t. Check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days with both the hire and the hiring manager. Anything misaligned, we surface early. A 90-day replacement guarantee backs every direct hire.
The operational discipline
Underneath all six steps is one principle: 24-hour response time, every time. Every status update, every piece of candidate feedback, every question. Slow communication kills more searches than weak candidates do.
How long does the whole thing take?
A well-calibrated direct-hire search runs 4–10 weeks from kickoff to start date, depending on seniority and complexity. Contract and project placements move faster. Executive and confidential searches run longer. We’ll give you an honest estimate during calibration — not a sales pitch.
Want to see how this process applies to a search you’re considering? Reach out. We respond within 24 hours.
