SERVICE / CONSULTATIVE EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Consultative executive search: define what success means before you search
Most executive hiring problems are not caused by a shortage of candidates. They are caused by not knowing what the role has to achieve. YUNLUE works through role definition, search, structured interviews and integration in one continuous line, so that the right leader and the right business actually meet.
- Roles: CEO / CFO / CHO / CIO / COO
- For: privately owned and growth-stage companies in China
- Offices: Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Quanzhou
How consultative search differs from traditional search
| Dimension | Traditional search | Consultative search |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Receive the job description, then source | Clarify the business task, company stage and role success criteria first |
| Deliverable | A list of candidates | Job Portrait, Talent Mapping, capability evidence and open questions |
| Basis for judgement | CV and academic background | Behavioural interviews, experience verification and organisational conditions |
| End point | Offer accepted | Extends into role alignment and integration after joining |
Traditional search treats whatever the market offers as the talent pool. Consultative search asks what business problem this role has to solve, then decides where to look and what evidence to require, so you stop comparing candidates inside the wrong list.
When this service fits
- A key role has been open for months and repeated interviews produce no decision
- The boundary between founder and professional manager is unclear, and the last hire unsettled the team
- The company is moving from one business line to several, or from one region to several, and needs senior management capacity
- Previous externally hired executives rarely stayed past two years
- An internal team covers junior and mid-level hiring but has no method for senior search
What we deliver
- Job Portrait: the business task, organisational conditions, role value and measurable success criteria
- Talent Portrait: essential capabilities, what can be developed, and experience risks to exclude
- Talent Mapping: target companies, organisational structures and where relevant people sit
- Candidate evidence pack: verification findings, behavioural interview notes and open questions
- Appointment advice: fit judgement against company stage, with risks and communication advice
- Integration support: a 30/60/90-day plan, expectation alignment and stage feedback
How it works: the four JTIF steps
- 01
J / Job Portrait
Understand the business task and organisational conditions, and define what the role is worth and what success means.
- 02
T / Talent Portrait
Set capability requirements for the target talent, creating a shared basis for search and judgement.
- 03
I / Structured Interview
Behavioural interviews and experience verification to understand real capability, decision rights and fit.
- 04
F / Fusion
Align the role and goals, build a 30/60/90-day integration plan, and use two-way feedback and stage reviews.
Related work
For a manufacturing CFO search before an IPO, we designed a STAR-based structured interview and worked alongside the client to verify past experience and key capabilities. Read the case
For a retail chain CIO search, we shifted the evaluation focus from sector background to digitisation at comparable complexity. Read the case
Scope and limits
- We focus on search and judgement. We do not guarantee that a hire is made, and we do not replace the client's decision
- The depth of verification is agreed per engagement; see the questions below
- Timeline, milestones and fees are agreed per role and per search scope
Frequently asked questions
How long does an executive search take?
Timeline depends on the seniority, scarcity and scope of the role. We structure the work into role clarification, talent mapping and search, interviews and verification, then appointment and integration, with agreed deliverable points. The exact schedule is confirmed with the client at kick-off.
Do you conduct background checks?
We verify the experience candidates present: tenure, scope of responsibility, team size and the person's actual role in key projects. Depth of verification is agreed per engagement, and findings distinguish between verified facts and questions the client should confirm directly.
Which industries do you serve?
Our work concentrates on consumer and retail, AI and frontier technology, manufacturing and semiconductors, energy, internet and software, and chain retail, with a focus on key business roles and functional heads.
What does integration support include?
Under the Fusion step: pre-start alignment on role and goals, a 30/60/90-day integration plan, two-way feedback between the founder or line manager and the new executive, and stage reviews. Scope is agreed per engagement.