Successful executive selection in recessionary times

The purpose of this paper is to review successful executive selection strategies in recessionary times.

The author has spent 32 years in the profession of executive selection and management consultation. The methodology is based on that body of work.

Successfully acquiring C‐level executives can be more difficult during a recession than upticks in the economy.

Executive selection processes require more rigor in recessions, because the result of bad decisions may be an existential threat to the organization.

The paper provides an analysis of the executive selection process during a recession, with a description of steps to take to increase the likelihood of a successful result.