HBR IdeaCast What You Need to Know About Executive Recruiting
21 snips
Jan 13, 2026 
Mark Thompson, Chairman of the Chief Executive Alliance and co-author of CEO Ready, joins Byron Loflin from Nasdaq to dive into the world of executive recruiting. They discuss the crucial role of search firms in identifying C-suite talent and the importance of crafting a compelling leadership narrative. Key topics include the pros and cons of internal versus external candidates, effective presentation methods to recruiters, and the significance of building lasting relationships in the industry. Listeners gain insights on the nuances of behavioral interviews and what recruiters truly seek in leading candidates.
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Recruiters Drive Strategic CEO Selection
- Executive search firms now shape job specs and vet internal and external candidates extensively.
- Mark Thompson says recruiters play a bigger strategic role than ever in leadership selection.
Recruiters Reveal The Hidden Sides
- Recruiters give boards a fuller view of candidates, reducing blind spots in selection.
- Byron Loflin compares their role to showing the board more faces of a Rubik's cube of risk.
Learn The Board And Prove Fit
- Learn the board, company, and sector and explain why they'd cheer when you step up.
- Byron Loflin advises establishing credibility and communicating authentic fit to recruiters.
