Recruiting top executive talent can be complex, costly, and time-consuming. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of the top 100 best executive search firms and consultants that dominate the recruiting business around the world. I would also suggest, ask for references on the recruiter to get a better sense of how the recruiter operates. Below, you can check out the top 100 firms on each list.

Korn Ferry was recognized as America’s best executive recruiter. With an unrivaled ability to address the entire talent continuum, Korn Ferry offers the expertise that aligns your organizational vision for positive and lasting performance. You need a sound strategy, financials, and operating model but ultimately these don’t create change – your people do. But for too long HR has offered piecemeal views of people based on inconsistent processes, technologies, and metrics. Until now. Korn Ferry has connected the dots, allowing us to apply a holistic effort to your people.

Egon Zehnder – Since 1964, Egon Zehnder has been at the forefront of defining great leadership in the face of changing economic conditions, emerging opportunities and evolving business goals. With more than 400 consultants in 69 offices and 41 countries around the globe, we work closely with public and private corporations, family-owned enterprises and nonprofit and government agencies to provide board advisory services, CEO and leadership succession planning, executive search and assessment, and leadership development. Egon Zehnder is committed to supporting organizations’ complex leadership challenges at the Board, CEO, C-suite and senior functional levels. We approach every client engagement in a bespoke fashion, partnering with our clients to deliver effective leadership solutions.

Heidrick & Struggles International serves the executive talent and leadership needs of the worlds top companies as the premier provider of leadership consulting, culture shaping and senior-level executive search services. Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the profession of executive search more than 60 years ago. Today, the firm serves as a trusted advisor, providing integrated leadership solutions that transform leaders, teams, and organizations. Heidrick & Struggles experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and the Asia Pacific.

Top Executive Recruiting Firms And Consultants, 2018

RankCompanyWebsiteHeadquarters
#1Korn Ferry Executive Searchhttp://www.kornferry.comLos Angeles, California
#2Egon Zehnderhttp://www.egonzehnder.comChicago, Illinois
#3Heidrick & Struggleshttp://www.heidrick.comChicago, Illinois
#4Spencer Stuarthttp://www.spencerstuart.comChicago, Illinois
#5Diversified Searchhttp://www.divsearch.comPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
#6Lucas Grouphttp://www.lucasgroup.comAtlanta, Georgia
#7N2GROWTHhttp://www.n2growth.comPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
#8DHR Internationalhttp://www.dhrinternational.comChicago, Illinois
#9Boydenhttp://www.boyden.comPurchase, New York
#10Management Recruiters Internationalhttp://www.mrinetwork.comPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
#11E.A. Hughes & Co.http://www.eahughes.comNew York City, New York
#12Stanton Chasehttp://www.stantonchase.comBaltimore, Maryland
#13Schweichler Price Mullarkey & Barryhttp://www.spmb.comSan Francisco, California
#14Koya Leadership Partnershttp://www.koyapartners.comNewburyport, Massachusetts
#1520/20 Foresight Executive Searchhttp://www.2020-4.comChicago, Illinois
#16Global Recruiters Networkhttp://www.grncorp.comChicago, Illinois
#17Dynamics Search Partnershttp://dynamicssearchpartners.comNew York City, New York
#18Witt/Kiefferhttp://www.wittkieffer.comOak Brook, Illinois
#19Daversa Partnershttp://www.daversapartners.comWestport, Connecticut
#20Major, Lindsey & Africahttp://www.mlaglobal.comHanover, Maryland
#21Lois L. Lindauer Searcheshttp://lllsearches.comBoston, Massachusetts
#22KLR Executive Search Grouphttp://www.klrsearchgroup.comProvidence, Rhode Island
#23Allen Austinhttp://www.allenaustin.comHouston, Texas
#24Cabot Consultantshttp://cabotinc.comMcLean, Virginia
#25Russell Reynolds Associateshttp://www.russellreynolds.comNew York City, New York
#26True Searchhttp://www.truesearch.comHaddonfield, New Jersey
#27The McCormick Group http://www.mccormickgroup.comArlington, Virginia
#28Exceptional People Internationalhttp://www.exceptionalpeople.comMill Valley, California
#29The Alexander Grouphttp://www.thealexandergroup.comHouston, Texas
#30Robert Half Executive Searchhttp://www.roberthalfes.comMenlo Park, California
#31The QualiFind Grouphttp://www.qualifindgroup.comChula Vista, California
#32Storbeck/Pimentel & Associateshttp://www.storbeckpimentel.comMedia, Pennsylvania
#33Parker + Lynchhttp://www.parkerlynch.comJacksonville, Florida
#34Goldsmith & Co.http://www.goldsmithandco.comNew York City, New York
#35 Apex Executive Recruitinghttp://www.apex-careers.comRedondo Beach, California
#36B.E. Smithhttp://www.besmith.comLenexa, Kansas
#37Epsen Fuller & Associateshttp://www.epsenfuller.comNew York City, New York
#38TRANSEARCH Internationalhttp://www.transearch.comhttp://www.transearch.com
#39Herd Freed Hartzhttp://www.herdfreedhartz.comSeattle, Washington
#40Kaye/Bassman Internationalhttp://www.kbic.comPlano, Texas
#41Isaacson, Millerhttp://www.imsearch.comBoston, Massachusetts
#42Allegis Partnershttp://www.allegis-partners.comNew York City, New York
#43Affinity Executive Searchhttp://www.affinitysearch.com Hollywood, Florida
#44HardHatJobshttp://www.hardhatjobs.comRichardson, Texas
#45Amrophttp://www.amrop.comBrussels, Belgium
#46Merritt Hawkins & Associateshttp://www.merritthawkins.comDallas, Texas
#47FPC Nationalhttp://www.fpcnational.comLake Success, New York
#48Parker Executive Searchhttp://www.parkersearch.comAtlanta, Georgia
#49Alder Kotenhttp://www.alderkoten.comHouston, Texas
#50Cameron Smith Associateshttp://www.csarecruiters.comRogers, Arkansas
#51BSG Team Ventureshttp://www.bostonsearchgroup.comBoston, Massachusetts
#52Benchmark Executive Searchhttp://www.benchmarkes.comReston, Virginia
#53Hollander Horizon Internationalhttp://www.hhisearch.comSt. Louis, Missouri
#54FPL Advisory Grouphttp://www.fpladvisorygroup.comChicago, Illinois
#55Riviera Partnershttp://www.rivierapartners.comSan Francisco, California
#56Salveson Stetson Grouphttp://www.ssgsearch.comRadnor, Pennsylvania
#57PrincetonOnehttp://www.princetonone.comSkillman, New Jersey
#58Craig Lindell & Associateshttp://craiglindell.comNaples, Florida
#59Barbachano Internationalhttp://www.bipsearch.comChula Vista, California
#60RSR Partnershttp://www.rsrpartners.comGreenwich, Connecticut
#61BoardWalk Consultinghttp://www.boardwalkconsulting.comAtlanta, Georgia
#62Sanford Rose Associateshttp://www.sanfordrose.comPlano, Texas
#63Crist|Kolder Associateshttp://www.cristkolder.comDowners Grove, Illinois
#64The Caldwell Partners Internationalhttp://www.caldwellpartners.comToronto, Ontario, Canada
#65Kaplan Partnershttp://www.kaplanpartners.comPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
#66Kelly & Companyhttp://www.kellyandco.comNew York City, New York
#67Joseph Chris Partnershttp://www.josephchris.comKingwood, Texas
#68McDermott & Bullhttp://www.mbsearch.comIrvine, California
#69Parker Remickhttp://www.parkerremick.comBellingham, Washington
#70CarterBaldwinhttp://www.carterbaldwin.comAtlanta, Georgia
#71Howard-Sloan Searchhttp://www.howardsloan.comNew York City, New York
#72Herbert Mines Associateshttp://www.herbertmines.comNew York City, New York
#73Anderson & Associatehttp://www.andersonexecsearch.comCharlotte, North Carolina
#74Polachi Access Executive Searchhttp://www.polachi.comBoston, Massachusetts
#75Parchman + Parchmanhttp://www.parchmancareers.comSan Antonio, Texas
#76Focus Search Partners, a Vaco Companyhttp://focussearchpartners.comBrentwood, Tennessee
#77Major Executive SearchMajor Executive SearchRancho Santa Fe, California
#78Abeln, Magy, Underberg & Associateshttp://www.abelnmagy.comWayzata, Minnesota
#79CareerSMITHhttp://www.careersmith.comNewport Beach, California
#80The Quest Organizationhttp://www.questorg.comNew York City, New York
#81CSI Executive Searchhttp://www.csi-executivesearch.comAustin, Texas
#8224 Seven Talenthttp://www.24seventalent.comNew York City, New York
#83The Execu|Search Grouphttp://www.execu-search.comNew York City, New York
#84Core Business Solutionshttp://www.coreconnects.comMilwaukee, Wisconsin
#85Intellenet Executive Searchhttp://www.salesheadhunter.comSanta Cruz, California
#86Cornerstone Search Grouphttp://www.cornerstonesg.comParsippany, New Jersey
#87Hanold Associateshttp://www.hanold-associates.comEvanston, Illinois
#88Charles Arishttp://www.charlesaris.comGreensboro, North Carolina
#8912.12Partnershttp://www.1212partners.comSan Francisco, California
#90
Fred W. Smithsonhttp://www.1212partners.comEl Paso, Texas
#91ON Partnershttp://www.onpartners.comSolon, Ohio
#92The De Angelis Grouphttp://www.orthospinesearch.comScottsdale, Arizona
#93Grady Levkov & Companyhttp://gradylevkov.comNew York City, New York
#94Tyler & Companyhttp://www.tylerandco.com Atlanta, Georgia
#95Odgers Berndtsonhttp://www.worldbridgepartners.comNew York City, New York
#96WorldBridge Partnershttp://www.worldbridgepartners.comBaldwin, New York
#97Stephen-Bradford Searchhttp://www.stephenbradford.comNew York City, New York
#98Kincannon & Reedhttp://www.krsearch.net Waynesboro, Virginia
#99 Specialty Consultantshttp://www.specialtyconsultants.comPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#100Adam James Internationalhttp://www.adamjamesinternational.comDenver, Colorado

Source: http://ceoworld.biz/2018/04/10/top-100-best-executive-search-firms-and-consultants-that-dominate-the-recruiting-business/