The executive search industry in Illinois is as dynamic as the economy itself, comprising of firms that specialize in scouting for senior executive talent in various sectors. These firms provide services ranging from leadership consulting, diversity and inclusion, succession planning, to team effectiveness. With the direction of the industry headed towards more inclusivity and diversity in leadership roles, these companies play a crucial role in shaping the future of businesses. Clients, ranging from small enterprises to multinational corporations, rely on these firms to attract and retain high performing leadership.


Top 25 executive search firms in Illinois

1. Heidrick & Struggles

  • Website: heidrick.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1953
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • Latest funding type: Ipo
  • LinkedIn

Heidrick & Struggles is a global professional services firm specializing in executive search and leadership consulting. They help clients build high performing teams and develop effective leadership strategies.


2. Spencer Stuart

Spencer Stuart is a leadership consulting firm with expertise in executive search, board services, CEO succession planning, leadership consulting, and diversity & inclusion. They help organizations find and develop outstanding leaders, improve team and board performance, and align culture with strategy.


3. DHR Global

  • Website: dhrglobal.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1989
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • LinkedIn

DHR Global is an executive search and leadership consulting firm that specializes in organizational development. They provide top-ranked services to help companies find and attract the best talent. DHR offers expertise in life science, business and professional services, individual consulting, and team effectiveness.


4. Global Recruiters Network (GRN)

  • Website: grncorp.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 2003
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • LinkedIn

Global Recruiters Network, Inc. (GRN) is a global corporate network of recruitment offices with a presence in over 183 locations worldwide. GRN helps businesses find top industry professionals in various industries and locations. With a focus on staying ahead in the game, GRN offers a wide range of recruiting services to meet the specific needs of its clients.


5. Signium

  • Website: signium.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1951
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • LinkedIn

Signium is a leading worldwide Executive Search & Leadership Services Partnership that provides partner-led, high-touch executive search and leadership consulting services. They are committed to true diversity and offer tailor-made leadership solutions through their practice groups and sector specialisms.


6. WittKieffer

  • Website: wittkieffer.com
  • Headquarters: Oak Brook, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1969
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Latest funding type: Series Unknown
  • LinkedIn

WittKieffer is an executive search consultancy firm specializing in recruiting top candidates for leadership positions in various industries, including healthcare, life sciences, and not-for-profits. With a focus on improving quality of life through impactful leadership, WittKieffer helps organizations address present and future leadership needs. Their services include executive search, professional search, interim leadership, and board services.


7. Hunt Club

  • Website: huntclub.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 2014
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Latest funding type: Series B
  • LinkedIn

Hunt Club is a talent acquisition company that specializes in connecting businesses with the best professional and executive talent. They utilize a network recruiting model and automated technology to identify top candidates for various industries and business stages. With a focus on building relationships and leveraging their extensive network of 8 million leaders, Hunt Club offers a smarter, more efficient approach to recruiting.


8. 6 Degrees Inc.

Six Degrees Inc. is a professional search firm that specializes in connecting top-tier talent with leading companies. They offer executive search services across various industries and have a team of experienced recruiters who help clients find the perfect fit for their executive-level positions.


9. Spencer Stuart

Spencer Stuart is a global executive search and leadership consulting company with offices in Munich, Frankfurt, and Dusseldorf.


10. The Jacobson Group

Jacobson Group is an insurance recruiting firm that offers executive search and selection consulting services. They have a highly-methodical, performance-driven approach and a network of marketplace relationships to ensure successful talent acquisition. In addition to executive search, they also provide temporary support and subject matter experts with extensive industry experience. Their solutions go beyond traditional recruiting services, meeting the demands of the insurance industry in a cost-effective and timely manner.


11. Ferguson Partners

Ferguson Partners is a talent management boutique specializing in corporate talent management solutions for various industries including real estate, infrastructure, engineering, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and senior housing. They offer executive and board search services, compensation consulting, leadership consulting, succession planning, and organizational advisory.


12. Kensington International Executive Search

  • Website: ki-search.com
  • Headquarters: Oak Brook, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1989
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

KI Search is an extraordinary retained executive search firm that offers professional services in attracting and securing high-impact senior leadership talent. They have a direct and targeted approach to identify and attract the best candidates, leveraging their exceptional research and networking capabilities. They serve as consultants on talent and market dynamics, going beyond the transactional nature of executive search.


13. Cadence Counsel

Cadence Counsel is a boutique legal search firm that specializes in fulfilling the in-house legal staffing needs of corporations, financial institutions, and government agencies. They provide executive search, interim counsel placements, document review staffing, and diversity + development consulting services.


14. PierceGray

PierceGray is an executive search firm specializing in finding the right leaders for Private Equity and Fortune 1000 companies. They provide comprehensive search services and expertise in various industries.


15. Ancilla Corporation

  • Website: ancillaco.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1999
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

Ancilla Corporation is a national executive search and staffing firm that provides permanent placement, contract staffing, and career coaching services for senior management and technical level executives.


16. blueStone Executive Search

blueStone Executive Search is a staffing solutions firm that offers executive search, contract staffing, and retained search services across a variety of industries. They help companies find high-quality talent and integrate new hires into their roles, accelerating their contribution and providing career-long support and advice.


17. Slayton Search Partners

  • Website: slaytonsearch.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1985
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Latest funding type: Acquired
  • LinkedIn

Slayton Search Partners is a retained executive search firm specializing in recruiting leaders for companies in various industries. They partner with recognized companies to build executive management teams with superior talent, driving better performance in today's competitive global economy.


18. Roberts & Ryan

Roberts & Ryan is a retained executive search firm specializing in finding transformative talent for crucial leadership positions.


19. 20/20 Foresight Executive Search

  • Website: 2020-4.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1994
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

20/20 Foresight is a national retained executive search firm specializing in real estate, financial, and professional services. They help organizations build high-performing leadership teams through their expert recruiters, sophisticated technology, and client-focused process.


20. Lantern Partners

Lantern Partners is an exceptional retained search firm that recruits and assesses senior executives with proven achievements, delivering extraordinary, measurable results. With over 25 years of successful projects, they have a deep network of senior leaders, consultants, and investors.


21. Corporate Navigators

Corporate Navigators, LLC is a name generation research and candidate development firm serving recruitment professionals in the United States and around the globe. They provide recruiting research for corporate talent acquisition teams and executive search firms who demand timely and targeted business information.


22. Transearch Usa

TRANSEARCH International is a leadership consulting firm that helps companies build stronger leadership teams, employ head, empower the hand, engage the heart, and enrich the spirit, with a wide-ranging approach to leadership acquisition, management assessment, and industry expertise.


23. RiteSite.com

  • Website: ritesite.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Headcount: 51-200

RiteSite.com is a platform that assists executives in their job search by providing them with tools such as resume database, networking opportunities, and a unique approach to consulting to add income during their job search.


24. DSML Executive Search

We are an Executive Search firm recruiting CEOs, VPs and other executives in the USA for European based businesses. DSML Executive Search is a US-based firm with offices in Boston and Chicago with executive recruitment activity across the USA. As executive search recruiters, DSML Executive Search identifies and recruits US candidates for executive positions in the US that include CEO, VP and director-level executive positions in sales, management, operations, and business development. Our multilingual and dynamic team of experts can help bridge the cultural & technical gaps in the hiring process in the United States for your European or Canadian company. While we have offices in Chicago and Boston, our searches cover the entire US. For information on our services please write to: connect@dsmlexecutivesearch.com #ExecutiveSearch #Recruiting #europe #canada #hiring


25. M. Wood Company

  • Website: mwoodco.com
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Founded: 1970
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

M. Wood Company is an executive search and consulting firm that provides comprehensive solutions to organizational issues through a visionary and consultive process.


Want to find more executive search firms?


If you want to find more companies that offer a wide range of services including leadership consulting, executive search, board services and diversity & inclusion you can do so with Inven. This list was built with Inven and there are hundreds of companies like these globally.


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...and a lot more!