Hiring guide
How to write a search brief that attracts the right people
5 min read
A useful brief makes the hard choices before the first candidate conversation.
A useful brief makes the hard choices before the first candidate conversation.
Start with the decisions.
Describe the decisions this leader will make in the next three years. A list of responsibilities tells candidates little about why the role matters. Agree what success means, which constraints are real and which assumptions are open to challenge.
Separate essentials from preferences.
A familiar sector, a well-known employer or a particular title can be reassuring without being necessary. Identify the experience the work actually demands. A sharper brief opens the market and gives every interviewer the same assessment criteria.
A practical next step
Before starting your next appointment, agree the outcomes, the evidence you will assess and the support the new leader will need. Bring those decisions into the first conversation with your search partner.
WRITTEN BY
Daniel Reyes
Daniel leads technology searches for businesses preparing for their next stage of growth.
Further reading
Market report
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We asked 62 chairs what changed in the last three years. The answers say a lot about who gets the job now.
Leadership
Why senior hires fail in the first 90 days
6 min read
The appointment is only the beginning. Clarity, sponsorship and early conversations set a new leader up to succeed.
Talk to the partner who’d run your search.
Tell us the role in a few lines. A partner calls you back within one working day.
Brief a search →