Hire the Best Executive Search Specialists

More than 3,000 reviews on G2
Rating is 4.5 out of 5.
4.5/5
of Upwork by G2 peer reviewers
Ma. Cariza F.

Bulacan, Philippines

$9/hr
4.6
59 jobs

๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ Top-Rated Plus ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ Degree holder - Major in Psychology ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ Tech-Savvy & Cost-Effective (High-Speed Internet & Quality Equipment) Skilled at building pipelines with top talent. With over 12 years of experience in the recruitment industry, I specialize in managing the entire recruitment process, excelling in both technical and non-technical, IT, healthcare, e-commerce, finance, and accounting, sales, construction and engineering, executive search roles. I have a proven track record of sourcing top talent, conducting thorough interviews, and ensuring seamless onboarding experiences. Being a Global Recruiter, I understand globally the hiring process, as well as retaining talent. Together we can craft Job ads and Job descriptions that will attract the best candidates, source, headhunt, create and design procedures and workflows, and manage employee culture and benefits that will ultimately help you scale up your recruiting efforts. I specialize in Global Full-cycle Recruitment! +12 years of experience working with Multinational Companies, Startups, Tech and non-tech, Boutique firms & Consulting in Retail, Finance, Tech, Design & Marketing, Clinical & Healthcare, Non-Profit, and Hospitality industries in the US, Latam & Europe. 5+ years of working remotely with US-based companies and candidates. For almost 12 (twelve) years, I helped clients attract top talents from around the world, match candidates with jobs to fit their needs & support growth for clients. I have extensive experience in end-to-end recruitment for a wide array of job verticals within the US, UK, APAC, EMEA region with recruitment experience from different industries (Technical, Healthcare, Finance, Engineering, Construction, Sales, EOR (Employer of Service) Marketing, Customer Service, Human resource, etc.) ๐Ÿ”งTOOLS I used: ๐Ÿ’ผ LinkedIn Recruiter, ๐Ÿ” Indeed, ๐ŸŒฑ Jobvite, ๐Ÿ‚ Bullhorn, ๐ŸŒฟ Greenhouse, ๐Ÿ’ผ Workday, ๐Ÿ“‹ iCIMS, ๐ŸŽท JazzHR, ๐Ÿง  SmartRecruiters, ๐Ÿ—๏ธ Lever, ๐ŸŽ BambooHR, ๐Ÿค ZipRecruiter, ๐ŸŽจ TalentLyft, ๐Ÿ“‡ Recruit CRM, ๐Ÿ“Œ Zoho Recruit, ๐Ÿ“ˆ Recruitee, ๐ŸŒŒ Taleo, ๐Ÿ“Ž JobAdder, ๐Ÿ† JobScore, ๐ŸŒฟ Freshteam, ๐ŸŽฉ Teamtailor, ๐Ÿ”ฉ Kenexa BrassRing, ๐Ÿงช Jobscience, ๐ŸŽฅ HireVue, ๐Ÿ“ฑ TextRecruit, ๐Ÿ“… Calendly,, ๐Ÿ“ˆ CareerBuilder, ๐Ÿ“ฐ Glassdoor, ๐Ÿฒ Monster, ๐ŸŽฒ Dice, ๐Ÿ‘ผ AngelList, ๐ŸŽฏ Entelo, ๐Ÿค Hired, ๐Ÿ” Loxo, ๐Ÿ‘ซ PeopleFluent, ๐ŸŽฒ Dice, ๐ŸŸจ Yello, ๐Ÿš€ Hireology, ๐Ÿ”จ Jobber, ๐Ÿง  SmartSearch, ๐ŸŒŸ Avature, ๐ŸŒฑ Jobvite, ๐Ÿ’ป HackerRank, ๐ŸŒ HackerEarth, ๐Ÿ“ Codility, ๐Ÿฆ Test Gorilla,๐ŸŽฏ Criteria Corp, ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Interview Mocha๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ผ Hiretual. ๐Ÿ’ป Services offered: ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐’๐ž๐ฅ๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Core service encompassing the entire recruitment process from sourcing to hiring. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‰๐จ๐› ๐€๐๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐–๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ : Crafting compelling job ads to attract suitable candidates. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‹๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ž๐๐ˆ๐ง ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ : Utilizing LinkedIn's professional network for candidate sourcing and engagement. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ง๐ญ ๐’๐œ๐ซ๐ž๐ž๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ : Assessing candidate qualifications and suitability for roles. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ง๐ญ ๐“๐ซ๐š๐œ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐’๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ (๐€๐“๐’): Using software to manage and track candidate applications. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐“๐š๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐’๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ข๐ง๐ : Actively searching for and attracting potential candidates. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐„๐ฑ๐ž๐œ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ : Specialized in recruiting top-level executives for leadership roles. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐“๐ž๐œ๐ก๐ง๐ข๐œ๐š๐ฅ ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ: Focused on sourcing and hiring technical talent. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐’๐ญ๐š๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ง๐ : Providing temporary or permanent staffing solutions for clients. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐„๐ฆ๐š๐ข๐ฅ ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐š๐ ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ: Handling candidate correspondence and communication. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐Ž๐ง๐›๐จ๐š๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐š๐ ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ: Assisting with the onboarding process for new hires. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐’๐จ๐œ๐ข๐š๐ฅ ๐Œ๐ž๐๐ข๐š ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ : Leveraging social media platforms for candidate outreach and engagement. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‚๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐œ๐ญ ๐ƒ๐ซ๐š๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ : Creating employment contracts tailored to client needs. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐’๐š๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ: Specializing in recruiting sales professionals. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‡๐ฎ๐ฆ๐š๐ง ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ž๐ฌ ๐’๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ: Providing HR-related services such as compliance and HR strategy consulting. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‘๐ž๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐š๐ ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ: Building and maintaining relationships with clients and candidates. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ ๐†๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Generating leads for potential candidates through various channels. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐ƒ๐š๐ญ๐š๐›๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐š๐ ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ: Organizing and managing candidate databases for efficient sourcing. ๐Ÿ“Œ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž: Ensuring recruitment processes comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

  • Recruiting
  • Applicant Tracking Systems
  • Job Posting
  • Staff Recruitment & Management
  • Resume Screening
  • Zoho Recruit
  • Candidate Sourcing
  • Candidate Interviewing
  • IT Recruiting
  • Candidate Evaluation
  • Candidate Source List
  • Internet Recruiting
  • LinkedIn Recruiting
  • HR & Recruiting Software
  • Boolean Search
Chiamaka U.

Umuahia, Nigeria

$8/hr
5.0
14 jobs

Need qualified candidates without spending hours searching LinkedIn, screening resumes, and chasing people who aren't actually interested? I help startups, agencies, and growing companies find, screen, and move qualified/hard to find candidates through the hiring process quickly especially for technical, sales, aviation, creative, and operational roles. My approach is simple: find the right people, qualify them properly, keep the pipeline organized, and give you candidates worth interviewing. What I Can Help You Hire I have experience sourcing across global markets including North America, Europe, Canada, Australia, Africa, India, and the Philippines. Roles I've sourced include: โ€ข Management Roles - Head of Sales, Regional Directors/Managers, Country Managers โ€ข Software Developers โ€” Frontend, Backend & Full-Stack โ€ข DevOps & Cloud Engineers โ€ข Data Engineers โ€ข Reconciliation Specialists โ€ข Technical Engineers & Tech Leads โ€ข Aircraft Maintenance Engineers โ€” M1, M2, S & E โ€ข SDRs, BDRs & Account Executives โ€ข Business Development & Sales Professionals โ€ข Head of Product Marketing โ€ข IT Project Manager (USA) โ€ข Customer Service Representatives ( Danish, Dutch, Spanish French) Speakers โ€ข AI Annotators โ€ข Video Editors & Creative Professionals โ€ข Photographers & Media Specialists โ€ข Other remote and operational roles What I Bring to Your Hiring Process I don't believe recruiting is about sending a pile of resumes and hoping one works. I focus on quality, speed, and communication throughout the pipeline. I can handle: โ€ข Candidate sourcing & talent research โ€ข LinkedIn & Boolean sourcing โ€ข Job board sourcing โ€ข Resume screening & shortlisting โ€ข Candidate pre-screening โ€ข Structured interviews โ€ข Candidate qualification โ€ข Interview scheduling & coordination โ€ข ATS & recruitment pipeline management โ€ข Candidate follow-up โ€ข Hiring manager updates โ€ข Recruitment workflow improvement Results That Matter โ€ข Sourced and shortlisted 50+ qualified candidates in one month โ€ข Recruited 400+ research participants within two weeks โ€ข Sourced 500+ marketing professionals across multiple international markets โ€ข Managed candidates from initial sourcing through screening and hiring recommendations โ€ข Built organized recruitment pipelines that helped reduce delays and candidate drop-off Tools I Work With LinkedIn | Boolean Search | Indeed | GitHub | Upwork | Zoho Recruit | BambooHR | BreezyHR | SAP SuccessFactors | Paycor Recruiting | Google Workspace | GoLogin | ATS & recruitment platforms Why Clients Work With Me You won't have to wonder where your candidates are in the process. I keep recruitment organized, communicate clearly, follow up consistently, and make sure every candidate presented has been properly evaluated against the role. Whether you're hiring one difficult-to-fill position or building a larger talent pipeline, I can take the sourcing and screening workload off your plate. If you need a proactive recruiter/headhunter who can source proactively, screen carefully, and keep your hiring pipeline organised and moving, please send me a message. Please Send a message today.

  • HR & Recruiting Software
  • LinkedIn Recruiting
  • Zoho Recruit
  • Boolean Search
  • Candidate Sourcing
  • Applicant Tracking Systems
  • IT Recruiting
  • Candidate Interviewing
  • Internet Recruiting
  • Staff Recruitment & Management
  • Sourcing
  • Resume Screening
Gladys R.

Olongapo City, Philippines

$19/hr
4.7
335 jobs

I'm a Top Rated Plus Upwork Recruiter with a 100% Job Success Score, trusted by long-term and repeat clients to deliver exceptional hiring outcomes in competitive and niche markets. From executive leadership to software engineering and specialized industrial manufacturing, I help organizations fill the roles that are hardest to hire. As a Certified Recruitment and Selection Professional (CRSP), I combine globally recognized recruitment best practices with years of hands-on recruiting experience. I specialize in strategic talent acquisition, competency-based interviewing, employer branding, and modern sourcing methodologies that help companies hire the right people faster. To better support technical hiring, I also completed Zuitt's intensive Full-Stack Web Development Program, where I gained practical experience with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Vue, Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB, Git, AWS, Postman, and modern software development workflows. This allows me to communicate effectively with engineers, accurately assess technical profiles, and better understand the technologies behind the roles I recruit for. I specialize in end-to-end recruitment and strategic sourcing for startups, agencies, and growing companies hiring locally or globally. Just hand over your hiring challengesโ€”or your "small things"โ€”so you can focus on the "big things" that grow your business. What I can help you with: Full-cycle recruitment (intake โ†’ sourcing โ†’ screening โ†’ offer) Strategic talent sourcing & pipeline building Hard-to-fill and niche roles Executive, technical, and professional hiring High-volume and urgent hiring Remote and international talent acquisition Employer branding & candidate experience Recruitment process optimization and automation Recent Recruitment Successes โœ” Successfully placed a Manufacturing Engineer (Tissue Manufacturing) and Mechanical Technician for an international manufacturing client, sourcing candidates from the UAE for deployment to the Caribbean. โœ” Recruited executive, technical, and professional talent across the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, UAE, Ukraine, GCC, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. โœ” Filled hard-to-source software engineering, hospitality, healthcare, sales, marketing, and operations roles for startups and established organizations. Recruitment Technology & Tools Sourcing & Talent Intelligence: LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean Search, X-Ray Search, GitHub, Stack Overflow, niche job boards, and social platforms AI-Powered Screening & Matching: Juicebox, Torre.ai (AI talent matching, ranking, and shortlisting) Video Interviewing & Candidate Assessment: Hireflix ATS / CRM Platforms: Greenhouse, Lever, Workable, Breezy HR, Teamtailor, CATS, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho Recruit, and Manatal Recruitment Automation & Workflow Optimization: Zapier, Airtable, Notion, and ClickUp Industries I've recruited for: โ€ข Technology & Digital (Software, IT, Data, AI, Cybersecurity, Web & Mobile) โ€ข Marketing, Creative & Advertising โ€ข Healthcare โ€ข Hospitality & Tourism โ€ข E-commerce, Supply Chain & Logistics โ€ข Engineering & Industrial Manufacturing Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing Engineering Tissue & Paper Manufacturing Industrial Maintenance Construction Architecture โ€ข Finance, Accounting & Consulting โ€ข Sales, Customer Success & Operations โ€ข Education, Legal & Professional Services Whether you need your next executive leader, software engineer, or an entire remote team, I bring strategic recruiting expertise, modern sourcing techniques, and a strong understanding of today's technology landscape to every search. If youโ€™re looking for a reliable recruitment partner who delivers results, Iโ€™d be happy to discuss how I can support your hiring goals. Letโ€™s talk.

  • Candidate Sourcing
  • HR & Business Services
  • Human Resource Management
  • LinkedIn Recruiting
  • Recruiting
  • Administrative Support
  • Startup Consulting
  • Journalism Writing
  • Candidate Evaluation
  • Candidate Interviewing
  • CSS 3
  • HTML5
  • Git
  • JavaScript
  • Boolean Search
  • MongoDB
  • Node.js
  • ExpressJS
  • Postman
  • REST API
Marija D.

Belgrade, Serbia

$12/hr
5.0
47 jobs

Senior Recruiter returning to Upwork after a 3-year break, bringing 20+ years of recruitment experience and 2,000+ structured interviews from my earlier years on this platform. I worked exclusively on Upwork from 2012-2023, holding Top Rated status throughout that period. My profile shows my track record from those years โ€” 5-star reviews from clients across software engineering, digital marketing, and customer support roles. I'm now rebuilding my Upwork presence and committed to delivering the same quality. What I help with: โ€ข Full-cycle recruitment โ€” sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer follow-through โ€ข Technical recruiting โ€” Software Engineers (front-end, back-end, full-stack, PHP), UX/UI Designers, DevOps, QA โ€ข Digital and marketing roles โ€” Marketing Managers, PPC, SEO/SEM, HubSpot Specialists, Copywriters โ€ข Sales and support โ€” B2B Sales, multilingual Customer Support, ISO experts โ€ข Sourcing-only projects (LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean search, candidate lists) Why you should consider me even though I'm rebuilding: โ€ข 20 years of recruitment experience โ€” I've seen every challenging hire scenario โ€ข 2,000+ interviews on Upwork from my previous run โ€” proven on this platform specifically โ€ข Honest about my situation, transparent about timelines โ€ข Available immediately for both short-term projects and longer engagements Tools I use: ATS: Jobvite, Bullhorn, iCIMS, Zoho Recruit, Notion Sourcing: LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean Search, Interseller, Ebsta, RocketReach Collaboration: Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace What I'm looking for right now: Smaller projects (sourcing tasks, short recruitment sprints, 1-2 hires) where I can prove my work. Open to long-term collaborations once we've built trust through a smaller engagement first. Languages: English (full professional proficiency), Serbian (native)

  • Executive Search
  • Recruiting
  • Boolean Search
  • LinkedIn Recruiting
  • IT Recruiting
  • Candidate Interviewing
  • Candidate Sourcing
  • Candidate Management
  • Recruiting Process Consulting
  • Bullhorn
  • Jobvite
  • LinkedIn Lead Generation
  • Applicant Tracking Systems
  • Lead Generation
  • Sourcing
Claudia Virginia A.

Bacolod City, Philippines

$15/hr
4.9
78 jobs

๐Ÿ” Actively Seeking New Projects as a Talent Acquisition, Onboarding, HR/Admin Professional and as an Executive or Administrative Assistant! With 16+ years of experience in Human Resources and executive-level administrative support, I help businesses attract top talent, deliver seamless onboarding experiences, and optimize day-to-day operations. ๐Ÿ”น What I Offer: ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ผ Full-cycle recruitment across technical, administrative, finance, and executive roles ๐Ÿค Executive & C-suite administrative support ๐Ÿš€ End-to-end employee onboarding, ensuring a smooth transition, compliance, and an exceptional new hire experience ๐Ÿง  Proficient in HR platforms including Salesforce, Bullhorn, and IBM BrassRing ๐Ÿ“‹ Experienced with project management tools such as Asana, Basecamp, Trello, and more ๐Ÿ”น Core Strengths: ๐ŸŽฏ Sourcing and hiring top-tier talent across diverse industries ๐ŸŒŸ Creating engaging onboarding experiences that set new hires up for success from day one ๐Ÿ—‚๏ธ Managing calendars, workflows, and stakeholder communications with precision โš™๏ธ Developing and optimizing SOPs, HR processes, and operational workflows I'm passionate about helping organizations build high-performing teams while creating a positive experience for both candidates and new hires. Let's connect and discuss how I can add value to your team! ๐Ÿ’ฌโœจ

  • Candidate Interviewing
  • Candidate Sourcing
  • Human Resource Management
  • Recruiting
  • Tech & IT
  • Candidate Evaluation
  • Google Sites Administration
  • LinkedIn
  • IT Sourcing
  • Salesforce Lightning
  • Sourcing
  • Zoho CRM
  • Customer Service
Maria P.

Santa Cruz, Philippines

$15/hr
4.5
88 jobs

Global Recruiter | Headhunter | Reverse Recruiter I help startups, staffing firms, agencies, and growing businesses find and hire top talent across the United States, Canada, Australia, APAC, LATAM, the Middle East, and the Philippines. With 6+ years of recruitment experience and 100+ successful hires, I specialize in finding, engaging, and securing talent for businesses that need to scale efficiently without sacrificing quality. I don't just post jobs and wait for applications. I hunt for candidates. When a search is difficult, I research the market, identify target companies and talent pools, map potential candidates, approach professionals directly, screen them, and present the strongest people for the role. Whether you need one key hire or an entire team, I bring a structured recruitment process focused on targeted sourcing, candidate quality, communication, speed, and long-term fit. What I Help Businesses With โœ… Full-Cycle Recruitment โœ… Executive Search & Headhunting โœ… Technical Recruitment โœ… Healthcare Recruitment โœ… Accounting & Finance Recruitment โœ… Sales Recruitment โœ… Real Estate & Property Management Recruitment โœ… Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Recruitment โœ… Startup Team Building โœ… Volume & High-Growth Hiring โœ… Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) โœ… Candidate Sourcing & Talent Mapping โœ… Interview Coordination & Candidate Management โœ… ATS & Recruitment Workflow Optimization Industries I've Recruited For โ€ข Technology, SaaS & AI โ€ข Healthcare โ€ข Accounting & Finance โ€ข Real Estate & Property Management โ€ข Engineering & Manufacturing โ€ข Electrical, Civil, Mechanical & Plumbing โ€ข Telecommunications โ€ข Digital Marketing & E-Commerce โ€ข BPO & Outsourcing โ€ข Consulting & Professional Services โ€ข Staffing & Recruitment โ€ข Legal & Insurance โ€ข Aerospace โ€ข Sales My Recruitment Approach Successful hiring starts with understanding the business behind the vacancy, not simply the job description. Before launching a search, I work with clients to understand: โ€ข The role and responsibilities โ€ข Must-have and trainable requirements โ€ข Target industries and companies โ€ข Team dynamics and culture โ€ข Compensation and hiring timeline โ€ข What success looks like in the position From there, I build a targeted sourcing strategy, identify qualified talent, engage candidates directly, manage the screening process, and present candidates who make sense for the business. Research โ†’ Sourcing โ†’ Outreach โ†’ Screening โ†’ Shortlisting โ†’ Hiring My goal isn't to send you 100 resumes. It's to find the right people. Reverse Recruitment & Job Search I also work with professionals who want a more proactive approach to finding their next opportunity. Through Reverse Recruitment and Job Search Services, I help candidates identify target companies, research the market, position their resume and LinkedIn profile, find relevant opportunities, manage targeted applications, and reach out to recruiters and hiring decision-makers. Instead of applying blindly to hundreds of jobs, the focus is on identifying the right companies, the right opportunities, and the right people to contact. For employers, I find the talent. For professionals, I find the opportunities. Tools & Platforms ATS & CRM: Recruiterflow, Bullhorn, BambooHR, Zoho Recruit, Mondaycom, Trello, ClickUp, Asana, Fieldglass, GoHighLevel Sourcing & Recruitment: LinkedIn Recruiter, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, CareerBuilder, Monster, Dice, Handshake, HireEZ, Upwork, Google X-Ray Search, Social Media Recruiting Why Clients Work With Me โœ” 6+ years of recruitment experience โœ” 100+ successful hires โœ” Global recruitment across multiple markets โœ” Proactive sourcing and headhunting approach โœ” Experience supporting startups through enterprise organizations โœ” Research-driven talent mapping โœ” Strong candidate and client communication โœ” Specialized and high-volume recruitment experience โœ” Fast turnaround without sacrificing quality โœ” Hands-on ownership from search through placement Recruitment is more than filling vacancies. It's about understanding the market, finding the right people, creating the right connections, and helping businesses and professionals move forward. If you're looking for a recruiter who hunts rather than waits, let's connect.

  • IT Recruiting
  • Candidate Sourcing
  • LinkedIn Recruiting
  • Administrative Support
  • Human Resource Management
  • Candidate Interviewing
  • Recruiting
  • Staffing Needs
  • Boolean Search
  • Human Resources Consulting
  • Candidate Recommendation
  • Candidate Management
  • Staff Recruitment & Management

How it works

Post a job for freePost a job

Tell us what you need. Create your own job post or generate one with AI then filter talent matches.

Hire top talent fast

Consult, interview, and hire quickly, so you can meet the freelancers you're excited about.

Collaborate easily

Use Upwork to chat or video call, share files, and track project progress right from the app.

Payment simplified

Manage payments in one place with flexible billing options. Only pay for approved work, hourly or by milestone.

Don't just take our word for it

What does an executive search specialist do?

An executive search specialist identifies and secures senior leadership talent for organizations through targeted, proactive research rather than passive job postings. This role focuses on engaging passive candidates who are not actively looking for new opportunities but possess the specific strategic experience a client requires. The specialist manages the entire recruitment lifecycle, from defining the mandate parameters to facilitating the final offer negotiation. They act as a strategic partner to hiring clients by validating candidate fit against strict success criteria before any introduction occurs.

  • Conducts detailed intake sessions with stakeholders to define the role profile, success criteria, compensation structure, and mandate parameters. This foundational step ensures the search targets individuals whose leadership style and technical expertise align with the organizationโ€™s long-term strategic goals rather than just immediate job duties.
  • Executes direct market research and proactive outreach to build a pipeline of qualified passive and active candidates using tools like LinkedIn and executive search CRM software. The specialist maps the competitive landscape to identify top performers in rival firms or adjacent industries, then initiates confidential conversations to gauge interest and assess availability without relying on inbound applications.
  • Coordinates structured assessments, including interviews, case presentations, and rigorous reference checks, to validate candidate capabilities and cultural fit. This process involves gathering concrete evidence of past performance and leadership impact, which allows the specialist to present only verified, high-potential individuals to the client for final evaluation.
  • Creates and submits evidence-based candidate briefs that highlight specific achievements, leadership metrics, and alignment with the clientโ€™s defined success criteria. These documents serve as decision-making tools for hiring managers, providing a clear comparison of shortlisted executives and reducing the time spent on unqualified interviews.
  • Manages offer negotiations and facilitates the onboarding handoff to ensure a smooth transition for the selected executive. The specialist mediates between the client and the candidate to resolve compensation details, start dates, and contractual terms, maintaining engagement until the new leader successfully integrates into the organization.

How to hire an executive search specialist on Upwork

Step 1: Post a job

Define the leadership role, success criteria, and compensation structure in your job post. Use the Job Post Generator powered by Umaโ„ข, Upwork's Mindful AI to draft this description. Describe your needs in a few sentences, and Uma creates a tailored post for you. You can write a new post, update a saved draft, or reuse an existing one.

  • Specify the seniority level and industry focus so candidates understand the mandate scope.
  • List required sourcing tools like LinkedIn and executive search CRMs such as Bullhorn.
  • Clarify if the specialist must manage reference checks and offer negotiations directly.

Step 2: Evaluate candidates

Look for evidence-based candidate briefs and structured assessment methods in portfolios. Uma runs instant video interviews and builds shortlists with side-by-side comparisons to speed up this review. Focus on specialists who document their research process and outreach strategies clearly.

  • Review sample role profiles they created to see how they define success criteria.
  • Check for documented pipelines that show proactive outreach to passive candidates.
  • Examine case studies where they facilitated onboarding and closed complex offers.

Step 3: Interview your top choices

Discuss their approach to market research and candidate engagement during interviews. Schedule these conversations within Upwork Messages to receive an immediate transcript and summary after each session. Ask about their experience with specific leadership functions relevant to your open role.

  • Ask how they structure interviews to assess cultural fit and technical leadership skills.
  • Request examples of how they handled difficult negotiations or counteroffers recently.
  • Verify their familiarity with email tracking integrations for Outlook or Gmail.

Step 4: Agree on scope and begin work

Set clear milestones for role intake, sourcing, and final candidate presentation. Use Upwork Messages and the contract workroom to share documents and track progress securely. Identity verification, payment protection, hourly tracking, and project funds add layers of security to your engagement.

  • Define the deliverable format for candidate briefs and shortlist materials upfront.
  • Agree on the number of qualified candidates to present before moving to interviews.
  • Establish a timeline for reference checks and final offer support activities.

Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.

The rates and information provided in this article are based on current data and industry sources available at the time of publication. Freelance rates can vary depending on factors such as experience, location, project scope, and market conditions. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research to confirm current rates and trends, as this information may change over time.

How much does hiring an executive search specialist cost?

Hiring an executive search specialist typically costs $500-$1,500 per project, depending on scope and experience. Final pricing depends on the depth of market research, number of candidates assessed, complexity of the role profile, and the freelancer's experience level.

Role intake and profile definition

$500-$1,000/project

Entry-level to mid-level
  • Defined role success criteria and mandate parameters
  • Benchmarked salary structure for the position
  • Outlined sourcing channels and outreach plan

Candidate sourcing and pipeline build

$1,000-$2,500/project

Mid-level
  • Researched list of passive and active candidates
  • Record of initial contact attempts and responses
  • Shortlist of candidates meeting core requirements

Assessment and reference checks

$2,500-$4,500/project

Mid-level to senior-level
  • Structured notes from candidate interviews and case work
  • Verified findings from professional reference checks
  • Comparative assessment of candidate strengths and gaps

Client presentation and shortlisting

$4,500-$7,000/project

Senior-level
  • Evidence-based profiles for client review
  • Visual summary of top candidates and market insights
  • Compiled client evaluation notes and next steps

Offer management and closing support

$7,000-$12,000/project

Expert-level
  • Strategy for compensation and terms discussion
  • Managed communication between client and candidate
  • Facilitated transition plan for the new hire

Frequently asked questions

Is hiring an executive search specialist worth it?

For most businesses, yes: hiring an executive search specialist is worthwhile. This approach saves internal teams from spending weeks on manual sourcing and outreach to passive candidates. The specialist builds a targeted pipeline of senior leaders who are not actively looking for new roles.

How do I evaluate executive search specialist candidates?

Review their evidence-based candidate briefs to see how they connect assessment data to your success criteria. A strong example includes a shortlist that details specific interview outcomes and reference check findings rather than just listing resumes.

What tools do executive search specialists use?

Specialists use recruiting CRMs like Bullhorn or Recruit CRM to manage outreach and track candidate interactions. They also rely on LinkedIn for direct research and email tracking integrations to monitor engagement.

What deliverables should I expect from an executive search specialist?

You should receive a defined role profile, a researched candidate pipeline, and structured interview results. The specialist also submits evidence-based candidate briefs and supports offer negotiations.