Every Question Companies Ask Before an HR Leadership Search. Answered.
Straight answers with real numbers, and a deeper page behind each one when you want the full picture.
What does an HR executive search cost?
Fees run 25% to 35% of the placed leader’s first-year base salary, depending on engagement level: 25% contingency, 30% hybrid-retained, or 35% Classic Retained Premium. A $300,000 CHRO search runs $75,000 to $105,000. A $250,000 VP HR search runs $62,500 to $87,500. Every engagement is scoped in writing before work begins.
See the full pricing structure →How long does it take to hire a CHRO?
4 to 6 months to offer acceptance, plus 60 to 90 days of notice. Total: 6 to 9 months to day one. Honest timelines beat artificially short ones, and the first interview-ready slate typically lands far sooner.
See the full timeline breakdown →Do you work on contingency?
Yes, for the right roles. HR Director, HR Manager, and specialized seats fit the 25% contingency model well. For CHRO and VP HR searches, we recommend retained or hybrid-retained: the passive leaders these roles require answer trusted outreach, never job postings, and reaching them takes a committed search.
Compare all engagement models →Where do you find candidates?
We find people who are not looking. Passive HR leaders are identified through market mapping, professional networks, and relationship-based outreach built over twenty years. The people we present are succeeding somewhere else right now, and applying nowhere.
See the six-step method →Do you have a guarantee?
Yes, matched to your engagement level: a 60-day replacement on contingency searches, 6 months on hybrid-retained, and a full 365-day replacement guarantee on Classic Retained Premium. If the placed leader departs within your guarantee window, we re-run the full search at no additional professional fee.
Read every guarantee in plain language →Can you replace an incumbent confidentially?
Yes. Confidential replacement searches are among the most common engagements we run. The entire method is built around discretion: private channels, trusted introductions, and zero signal to the market until you decide otherwise.
See how a confidential search runs →What HR roles do you place?
CHRO, Chief People Officer, VP HR, HR Director, and specialized HR leadership: Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, HRIS, Organizational Development, Talent Management, Learning and Development, Labor Relations, Employee Relations, Compensation, Benefits, and HR Business Partners.
Explore every HR discipline →Do you work outside Chicago?
Yes. We’re headquartered in Chicago and serve clients nationally, with a strong Midwest presence across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri, and Tennessee.
The Question This Page Can’t Answer: Yours.
Every search has a wrinkle the FAQ never covers. Fifteen confidential minutes handles yours, and you leave with clarity either way.
