Home/Our Model

How We Deliver

We begin with clarity, engage with purpose, and deliver with precision.

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Define: We define what success looks like—what the role will achieve, how it fits your business, and what traits will drive impact.

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Engage: We tap into relationships, proprietary data, and market insight to identify proven talent—not just available talent.

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Deliver: We manage the offer, support the transition, and monitor early outcomes, ensuring alignment and retention from day one.

Specialized Headhunting Works Better

See how our specialized approach compares to traditional recruiting methods for accounting and finance roles.

Specialized Headhunting (PES)

Our Advantage:

  • PES LogoStaffing firms prioritize speed and volume — we focus on alignment, long-term value, and impact.
  • PES LogoOur search process is calibrated for quality, not just availability. We don't fill seats — we find problem-solvers.
  • PES LogoWe specialize narrowly in Accounting & Finance, which means we can assess nuance staffing firms often miss.
  • PES LogoBecause we actively source and re-engage known candidates, we deliver faster without compromising fit.

Staffing Agencies

Where Staffing Agencies has its place:

  • Temporary, contract, or urgent fill-in roles
  • Entry-level or interchangeable positions
  • Organizations that prioritize speed over specialization

Limitations:

  • Focus is typically on speed and volume — not long-term fit
  • Often draws from active candidate pools only
  • Shallow vetting and limited insight into leadership traits

Reactive vs. Specialized Headhunting

Two Different Approaches

Specialized Headhunting — The On-Target Approach

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    We start by defining what success looks like — cutting through the noise to clarify the mark before any outreach begins.
  • PES Logo
    Built for high-skill, high-impact, or hard-to-fill roles where being precise isn’t enough — it takes focus, discipline, and intent.
  • PES Logo
    Every search stays on target: guided by data, informed by market insight, and aligned with your long-term goals.

When On-Target Recruiting Delivers Results

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    Engages proven professionals who aren’t actively looking — but perfectly align once identified.
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    Combines data, discernment, and dialogue to connect with leaders who elevate performance.
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    Transforms deliberate focus into lasting competitive advantage.

Reactive Recruiting — The Standard Route

  • Relies on job postings and inbound applicants — waiting to see who appears instead of defining what’s needed.
  • Best suited for recurring or lower-complexity roles where speed matters more than precision.
  • Common among internal recruiting teams or staffing firms focused on throughput, not alignment.

Reactive Recruiting Misses the Mark

  • Draws urgency-driven applicants motivated by availability, not fit.
  • Prioritizes convenience and speed over long-term impact.
  • Leads to misalignment, turnover, and repeated searches.
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Focus Creates Momentum

Reactive recruiting waits for what appears. Specialized Headhunting defines, targets, and delivers — faster and with greater accuracy.

Speed vs Precision

Precision
Speed
95%
50%
130
30
Staffing
Reactive sourcing. Quick to fill, low retention (≈60%).
Retained
Extensive process. High retention (~85%) but long cycle (≈120 days).
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Specialized
Median 42 days to placement. ~90% 12-month retention — twice as fast as retained search, far higher fit than staffing.

Because we focus exclusively on Accounting and Finance within select markets, every search begins with relationships, not resumes. We already understand the terrain — compensation realities, leadership transitions, and the motivations that drive movement.

And while other firms rely on generic tools, we invest in proprietary technology that tracks and maps candidate trajectories over time. We know who's thriving, who's ready for change, and how to re-engage the right people when the right opportunity appears.

This blend of specialization, local expertise, and data intelligence turns precision into momentum — and momentum into results.

Our model bridges the gap — combining the precision and retention of retained search with the agility of staffing.

Speed: Median time-to-fill in days (30-130 day range)
Precision: 12-month retention rate and first-placement success (50%-95% range)

Data based on Pacific Executive Search internal results (2023–2025, 312 placements analyzed) and industry benchmarks.

Ready to Experience the Difference

Start Your Search


Partner with specialized headhunters who combine market intelligence, discipline focus, and proprietary technology to deliver results fast, precise, and on target.