When a global strategy and technology consulting firm decided to stand up new practices worldwide, the CEO wanted first-mover advantage. That meant having the right senior leadership in place before the competitive window closed — everywhere, all at once. Here is how Intellerati delivered.
Retained search fails to complete 40% of the time. Contingency search abandons searches that take too long. Job postings flood you with unqualified applicants. A recruiting research firm solves all three problems — and delivers competitive intelligence your other search options never could.
Offer acceptance rates have collapsed from 74% to 51% in two years. Sixty-six percent of CEOs are freezing hiring while betting billions on AI. TA teams are being cut while the searches that remain get harder and the candidates you need trust employers less than at any point in recent memory. This is not a downturn — it is a structural reorganization of work itself. Six things that actually work when AI has changed everything.
Candidate-provided references are selected to impress, not to inform. Pre-reference checks reach beyond the approved list to find people who worked alongside a candidate and can speak candidly — before the candidate knows they are being evaluated. In 2026, with every senior hire carrying more weight and AI widening the gap between a polished candidate presentation and actual performance, pre-referencing is no longer optional. It is how seriously executive search protects its clients.
