Headhunters warn that the year ahead will be slower than usual for middle and senior executives who want to change jobs. Hiring teams are adding new filters to executive searches — from psychometric tests to peer interviews — and employers want clear answers about any work done with artificial intelligence. Even after clearing these stages, candidates are likely to face a long wait before a formal offer appears.
What’s changing in the executive hiring process
The executive search is growing more structured and cautious. Recruiters and hiring managers are introducing multiple evaluation layers that used to be more common for junior roles:
- Psychometric testing: Personality, reasoning and numerical tests are now routine. Employers use them to check cultural fit and decision style.
- Peer interviews: Hiring panels often include potential peers or cross-functional colleagues to assess how well a candidate will work day-to-day.
- Questions about AI work: Candidates are being asked to explain how they have used AI tools, what role those tools played, and how they managed data, risk and ethics.
- Extended approval cycles: After interviews, offers can stall while boards, compensation committees or external advisers complete reviews.
Why hiring will feel slower
Several factors are slowing executive moves:
- Budget caution: Companies are managing costs carefully and want to avoid rushed senior hires that might need changes soon after they start.
- Risk management: A wrong senior hire carries big costs. Additional steps like psychometrics and peer panels reduce that risk.
- Technology scrutiny: As AI and automation reshape roles, employers want clearer evidence that candidates can use new tools responsibly and strategically.
- Decision complexity: Larger hiring committees, remote stakeholders and cross-border approvals lengthen timelines.
How the modern executive hiring timeline typically plays out
- Initial screening: Recruiter or HR conversation to confirm fit and expectations.
- First-round interviews: Hiring manager and senior stakeholders assess experience and leadership style.
- Psychometric and technical assessments: Tests to measure cognitive ability, personality and role-specific skills.
- Peer and panel interviews: Cross-functional teams and potential direct reports evaluate collaboration, decision-making and operational fit.
- AI and delivery review: Detailed questions about specific projects involving AI or automation, including governance and outcomes.
- Reference checks and approvals: External and internal sign-offs, often from finance or the board.
- Offer and negotiation: Final compensation talk, then a waiting period while the offer is formalized.
Practical steps executives should take now
If you plan to look for a new role, use this time to prepare for the new reality of executive hiring.
Prepare for psychometric and reasoning tests
- Practice common test types (numerical, verbal, logical). Familiarity reduces anxiety and improves scores.
- Understand what the tests measure: many focus on problem-solving, risk tolerance and leadership style rather than specific industry knowledge.
Document and explain your AI work
- Keep concise case studies of projects where you used AI: objectives, your role, tools used, outcomes and governance steps.
- Be ready to discuss data privacy, model bias mitigation and how you measured success.
- If you didn’t use AI extensively, be honest and show how you can lead teams that do.
Practice peer-style interviews
- Expect competency-based scenarios and collaborative problem-solving exercises.
- Prepare examples that show how you interact with peers, handle conflict, and influence without direct authority.
Manage expectations around timing
- Build more time into your job search. Don’t expect an immediate offer after final interviews.
- Stay engaged with interim opportunities — advisory roles, board work or consulting — to maintain income and relevance.
Protect your negotiation position
- Document achievements and metrics you can use in compensation discussions.
- Keep multiple conversations alive rather than relying on a single opportunity.
What employers gain — and candidates should note
Longer, more thorough hiring processes reduce hiring mistakes and improve team fit. For candidates, the trade-off is time and extra preparation. Passing these checks can, however, strengthen your bargaining power because employers view vetted candidates as lower risk.
Final advice
Expect a slower market and more steps in the executive search process. Use the extra time to sharpen test skills, assemble clear evidence of AI and technology leadership, and practice peer-focused interview scenarios. Patience and preparation will be the most valuable assets for executives navigating today’s hiring landscape.