Retained Search Innovation

The Good Search is a next-generation retained executive search firm that is simply more evolved: we’ve taken leadership talent acquisition to a whole new level by making the process smarter.

Why There Had to Be a Better Way

A dozen years ago, The Good Search founder Krista Bradford left her career as an award-winning investigative journalist with a specialty in computer-assisted research to become an executive recruiter. She went to work at an elite retained executive search firm in New York City. She discovered a number of weaknesses with the traditional retained search model and saw an opportunity to change the game.

Remarkably, while virtually every other industry has invested in robust research as a “best practice”,  the retained search firm industry has failed to take sourcing research to the next level. Not only that, in most cases, the research is flawed when it the process by which executive search firms identify, profile, and recruit star talent.

That goes a long way toward explaining why 40% of traditional retained executive search engagements fail to complete: they fail because search firms insist on searching with their eyes closed.

Next-Generation Executive Search

Therein lies the opportunity. Since research is the execution engine of executive search, if you build a better engine, you can create the ultimate recruiting machine.

The Good Search is a next-generation retained executive search firm that searches differently. We’ve taken executive search to a whole new level by making the process smarter. Even better, we have eliminated many of the the shortcomings of traditional retained search that have long vexed hiring executives.

Benefits of Next-Gen Executive Search

1. Candidates You Never Dreamed Existed

We deliver top talent you never dreamed existed because we focus on execution.  We power every executive search engagement with actionable intelligence. We reach far beyond the standard search firm networks to tap highly-placed sources and little-known databases.  We use computer-assisted research, data analytics, and investigative research — innovating new, improved executive search methodology.As the first next-gen retained search firm in the nation, The Good Search offers executive search expertise you simply cannot find anywhere else.

2. All the Research

We deliver the candidate research — something traditional retained search firms never do.  We’ve eliminated the black box for complete transparency and due diligence. The research facilitates greater trust, collaboration, and serves as a comprehensive audit trail for every search engagement. You shouldn’t have to wonder what your retained firm is doing on your behalf.

3. A Better Pricing Model

Or flat-fees eliminate conflicts of interest found in percentage-based retainers. Though an industry standard, fees tied to a percentage of salary reward consultants that inflate the compensation of the executives they recruit. You shouldn’t have to wonder where a search firm’s loyalties lie. Moreover, percentage retainers make it impossible to know exactly what a search will cost. That is why we’ve work by simple flat fee.

The Good Search is a national executive search firm headquartered in the Greater New York City Area. We are ideally suited to serve employers with offices in the Northeast in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.