What to Look for in a Search Partner: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Whether you're a venture-backed founder preparing to scale, a PE-backed CEO reshaping your C-suite, or an investor supporting a high-growth portfolio company, the decision to engage an executive search partner carries long-term implications.

A strong search firm doesn’t just send resumes and move on. They shape who leads your company, how quickly you can hire, and how your brand is represented in the market—especially in high-stakes environments like MedTech, life sciences, biotech, aerospace & defense, energy and other highly-regulated industries.

Before you commit, here are seven questions to help you choose a partner who can deliver both executive talent and strategic value.

1.do they finish what they start?

Not all firms do. Whether they’re retained, contingent, engaged, or otherwise, some search partners quietly step back from complex or highly specialized searches—leaving clients in limbo during mission-critical moments.

That’s why it’s essential to ask about their search completion rate: What percentage of executive searches do they actually deliver?

You also want to understand how their fee structure reflects their commitment. Are their fees tied to key milestones or performance outcomes? Or, are they time-based or fully front-loaded regardless of results? Firms that link fees to progress are often more invested in seeing the search through.

You want a partner who stays committed until the right hire is made, especially when the role requires deep or niche expertise, from FDA-regulated environments and healthcare compliance to cybersecurity-sensitive or complex engineering contexts. At Summit, our 100% success rate is a reflection of our long-term accountability to our clients and our belief that results matter.

2. what is their search process, and how transparent is it?

A strategic partner should walk you through a clearly defined process that includes stakeholder alignment, market mapping, sourcing, candidate vetting, and offer management. More importantly, they should be transparent about what’s happening at every step. And sure, they placed a similar role recently, but can you expect similar results? Ensure their process is repeatable and reliable.

Request a walk-through of their methodology: how they gather context, map the market, engage candidates, and drive alignment. Will you receive weekly reports? Real-time pipeline visibility? If their answer is vague or overly generic, it’s a red flag. You deserve transparency and accountability from the team representing your brand in the market. 

If the process feels vague or disorganized now, expect frustration later.

3. How Do They Source and Qualify Candidates?

Where your search partner finds candidates and how they qualify them can make or break the success of your hire. This is especially true in highly regulated or innovation-focused industries like MedTech, biotech, or SaaS, where the cost of a bad hire can be steep.

Are they relying on inbound applicants, or actively pursuing passive, top-tier talent with proven experience in FDA-regulated environments, healthcare compliance, or enterprise-grade cybersecurity? Do they tailor their outreach and messaging to the nuances of your company and role, or rely on generic templates?

Ask how persistent they are. How many times will they reach out to a candidate before assuming they're not interested? In executive searches for complex industries, it often takes multiple, well-crafted touchpoints to engage the right leaders.

Once someone expresses interest, how deep is their screening? Behavioral interviews, structured scorecards, reference checks, and calibration conversations should be standard.

You don’t need a stack of profiles. You need a short list of mission-aligned executives who have the judgment, experience, and leadership capacity to succeed in growth-stage, complex, or innovation-focused environments.

4. who will actually be working on your search?

The charming partner you met in the pitch meeting might not be the one doing the actual work.

Clarify exactly who will own your search day-to-day. Is the team lean and focused, or overloaded and operating on autopilot? Ask to meet your core team before signing. This is who your candidates will interact with and you want to make sure they’re credible, experienced, and aligned with your values.

5. how will they represent your brand in the market?

Your search partner is telling the story of your organization. Are they equipped to speak credibly about your mission, clinical pipeline, product roadmap, or regulatory positioning? Can they articulate your differentiation in markets where compliance, security, or paradigm-shifting technology are central to the narrative?

Every candidate interaction is a chance to enhance (or erode) your employer brand. A great partner understands this and approaches candidate outreach with intentionality, professionalism, and customization. They’ll take the time to understand your mission, vision, team dynamics, and unique value proposition so they can properly communicate it to potential hires. 

If your search partner can’t represent your brand with credibility, they can’t attract the right talent.

6. How Do They Measure Success (Beyond Filling the Role)?

Ask your potential search partner how they define and track success post-hire. Do they offer post-placement support? Do they follow up after 90 or 180 days? Do they track long-term retention or performance metrics? If they disengage after the contract is signed, it’s a sign they’re focused on transactions, not outcomes.

The right partner looks beyond placement. They focus on fit, longevity, and outcomes that move the business forward.

7. What Do Their Clients and Candidates Say About Them?

Reputation is everything. A firm that treats candidates poorly will damage your brand. One that overpromises to clients and underdelivers will waste your time. Ask for references or case studies. Look for consistent feedback on responsiveness, quality of communication, candidate experience, and long-term value.

Also, don’t underestimate how important candidate experience is at the executive level. Leaders talk. You want yours to say they were treated with respect, clarity, and thoughtfulness, even if they weren’t selected.

Choose a Partner, Not a Vendor

The executive search partner you choose will be the voice of your brand in the talent market, the architect of your leadership team, and an extension of your company’s values. Don’t settle.

Treat this decision with the same discernment you would give to hiring a C-level executive, because in many ways, that’s exactly what it is.