Executive search retention case study From 70% to 100%

The client

In this executive search retention case study, a growing U.S. engineering firm needed to strengthen its team while reducing the cost and disruption caused by unsuccessful appointments.

Before working with Alexander Executive Search, only 70% of the company’s new hires remained with the business for at least 12 months. Although many candidates appeared qualified on paper, technical experience alone was not consistently translating into long-term performance and organizational fit.

The challenge

The client needed to make 10 important appointments over a two-year period. Each hire needed the right experience, but also the behaviors, motivations and working style required to succeed within the company.

A conventional resume-led recruitment process would not provide enough evidence to assess these factors properly.

The client wanted:

• Better-quality shortlists
• A more objective assessment process
• Greater confidence before making an offer
• Improved retention after appointment
• Reduced hiring risk and replacement costs

The AES approach

Alexander Executive Search began by developing a detailed understanding of the role, its objectives and the client’s working environment.

Rather than assessing candidates solely through resumes and interviews, AES examined the factors most likely to influence long-term success.

The process included:

• Detailed job and stakeholder analysis
• RoleDNA™ Mapping
• Competency-based candidate interviews
• Behavioral and personality assessment
• Candidate motivation and career-goal evaluation
• Structured comparison against the agreed success profile
• Reference verification
• Consultant-written candidate summaries
• Ongoing communication throughout the appointment process

This gave the client a clearer view of how each candidate was likely to lead, communicate, solve problems and operate within the organization—not simply whether they had held a similar position before.

The results

Over two years, Alexander Executive Search completed 10 appointments for the client.

All 10 successful candidates remained with the organization beyond their first 12 months.

Key outcomes

• 10 appointments completed
• 100% 12-month retention
• An improvement from approximately 70% to 100%
• No replacement searches required during the measured period
• Greater confidence in every hiring decision

The results demonstrate the value of combining technical evaluation with structured behavioral and organizational-fit assessment.

Roles placed

The 10 appointments spanned key technical and leadership roles, including:

• Project Managers
• Senior Civil and Structural Engineers
• Construction and Site Leaders
• Quality and Environmental Managers

With a stable team in place, the firm expanded its operational capacity and was able to take on larger, more complex projects.

What the client said

“Alexander Executive Search completely changed the way we hire. Their attention to detail and understanding of what makes someone truly fit our business has made all the difference. Two years later, every person they’ve placed is still here, and our business is stronger than ever.”
— Managing Director, U.S. engineering firm

Supporting our wider results

This client outcome contributes to Alexander Executive Search’s wider 96% 12-month candidate-retention rate.

The 96% figure is calculated using AES placement records and measures the proportion of placed candidates who remained with their new employer for at least 12 months. It is based on completed placements that had reached the relevant 12-month measurement point when the data was reviewed.

Why it worked

The improvement was not achieved by generating more resumes. It came from establishing what success looked like before beginning the search and evaluating every candidate against that evidence.

By assessing experience, competency, behavior and motivation together, AES helped the client identify people capable of succeeding over the long term.

The value to the client

A failed appointment affects far more than the original recruitment fee. It can disrupt teams, delay projects, reduce productivity and force leadership to restart the hiring process.

By achieving 100% 12-month retention across these 10 appointments, the client gained greater stability while avoiding the operational and financial consequences of repeated hiring.

Long-term hires, not short-term fixes

Alexander Executive Search helps U.S. organizations make critical appointments with greater confidence.

Our assessment-led executive search process is supported by a 12-month replacement guarantee (extended to two years for senior executive roles) because we believe recruitment success should be measured by what happens after a candidate is hired—not simply when an offer is accepted.

Planning a business-critical appointment?

Speak to Alexander Executive Search about building an evidence-led search process for your organization.