What are the big 5 headhunting firms?

The 'Big 5' in executive search are generally considered to be Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, and Russell Reynolds Associates.

Which company is best for recruitment?

The 'best' recruitment company depends on your specific needs. For startups that need to hire resilient leaders with cost certainty, a firm with a transparent, flat-fee model like High Altitude Recruiting provides a significant advantage.

What is a typical recruiter fee?

Typical recruiter fees vary. Contingency recruiters often charge 20-25% of the candidate's first-year salary. Traditional retained search firms can charge 30% or more. High Altitude Recruiting offers a more predictable model with a flat, fixed fee of $10,000 per search.

How to Build a Leadership Team That Lasts Through Economic Shifts

Andy Roads
Oct 23
3 min read

How to Build a Leadership Team That Lasts Through Economic Shifts

Economic forecasts are a moving target. One quarter, the market is soaring; the next, talk of a downturn is everywhere. For founders of Series A to C startups, this volatility creates immense pressure. How do you build a leadership team that can not only thrive in a bull market but has the grit and ingenuity to navigate a bear market?

The answer isn't just hiring for a stellar resume; it's hiring for resilience. In an uncertain economy, a single bad executive hire can be catastrophic, costing you precious capital, runway, and market position. You can't afford to get it wrong.

The Problem: Hiring for the Season, Not the Climate

A common pain point for founders is the frustration of hiring a leader who excels when times are good but falters when challenges arise. You need leaders who are adaptable, financially disciplined, and calm under pressure. The difficulty lies in finding a recruiting process that can identify these timeless traits instead of just chasing the hot candidate of the moment. Transactional recruiters often optimize for a quick hire, not the right, resilient hire.

The Flaw in the Common Approach: Misaligned Incentives

The standard recruiting models are often poorly suited for building an all-weather leadership team.

Contingency Recruiting: This model is driven by speed and volume. The incentive is to place a candidate quickly, which often means prioritizing candidates who look good on paper for a growth-at-all-costs environment. They lack the deep, strategic commitment to vet for the resilience needed during a downturn.
Large Retained Firms: These firms can be impersonal and slow. Worse, their massive percentage-based fees become a significant liability when you're trying to conserve cash and make fiscally prudent decisions during economic uncertainty.

The Strategic Solution: A Partnership Focused on Resilience

Building a team that lasts requires a committed, retained partnership. This approach allows a search partner to go deeper than a resume. It’s about aligning on the core competencies of resilience: adaptability, first-principles thinking, and a history of navigating tough situations. A dedicated partner invests the time to understand your business and the specific type of leader who will be a stabilizing force, not just a fair-weather captain.

The High Altitude Advantage: Cost Certainty in Uncertain Times

At High Altitude Recruiting, we provide the strategic depth of a retained search but have rebuilt the model for the modern economy. We eliminated the single biggest drawback of traditional retained search—unpredictable costs—with our unique flat-fee model. In a market where every dollar counts, this predictability is a game-changer.

We offer our comprehensive retained search services for a flat, fixed fee of $10,000 per search. Whether you're hiring a CFO to navigate a tight market or a CRO to find new growth avenues, the fee is transparent and fixed. There are never surprises. This allows you to invest in a top-tier, strategic search for resilient leaders without risking a massive, unpredictable expense.

Your Next Step: Discover the $10k Advantage

Don't leave the resilience of your leadership team to chance. Build a team that can withstand any economic shift with a recruiting partner that offers stability and predictability.

Visit our '$10k Advantage' page to see how our model provides a better partnership and the cost certainty you need to hire with confidence, no matter what the market is doing.