How Do You Find Candidates Who Aren't Looking for Jobs?

Executive recruiters — often called headhunters, search firms or employment agencies — are the best source to track down mid- to higher-level workers who aren't actively seeking new employment.

Executive recruiters usually specialize in a particular industry and make it their business to keep tabs on key executives and up-and-coming management. If you are a Web design shop in need of a chief financial officer to take you public or a specialty food manufacturer in need of a marketing whiz, a good executive search firm should possess a short list of candidates who fit the bill. After you look over the firm's short list, a recruiter will place phone calls to your chosen candidates and try to convince them to take a look at your company.

Most executive recruiters work on either a contingency or retainer fee basis, typically about a third of the new executive's annually salary. In some cases, executive recruiters may accept all or part of their fee in equity in a growing company.