Decision Guide
The terms are used interchangeably in conversation. They describe different working models. This guide is for hiring leaders who want to be clear on what they are buying before they sign an engagement letter.
When to use this guide
Use this guide when you have been recommended a sales recruiter, an executive search firm, or a headhunter, and you want to understand which one your seat actually needs.
Any figures, fee bands, salary ranges or percentages quoted on this page are indicative narrative guidance from Evara's operator-led practice in 2026, not a formal benchmark or audited statistic.
A specialist focused on sales and commercial seats across IC and leadership levels, working from a defined brief and a curated talent pool.
Best for
Watch out for
A research-led practitioner focused almost exclusively on senior, often confidential, leadership seats. Usually retained, often more expensive.
Best for
Watch out for
Side by side
| Dimension | Sales recruiter | Headhunter / executive search |
|---|---|---|
| Typical role level | Senior IC up to Sales Director / VP Sales | C-suite, exclusively senior leadership |
| Sector specialism | Often deep within sales or GTM | Function-agnostic, focused on seniority |
| Process style | Targeted market map, structured commercial screen, regional depth | Research-heavy, longer time horizons, board-level interview support |
| Fee model | Fixed retained or contingent depending on firm | Almost always retained, often a percentage of total comp |
| Time to fill | 6 to 10 weeks for most senior seats | 12 to 20 weeks for a CRO or CEO search |
| Best fit for North of England SMEs | Strong: matches the £30m to £100m revenue band | Often over-spec for SMEs outside private-equity-backed scale-ups |
Our take
If the role is Sales Director, Head of Sales, VP Sales, or a senior IC seat, a specialist sales recruiter is the right call. If the role is a Group CRO, CEO or CCO of a private-equity-backed business, where the talent pool is global and the budget supports it, an executive search firm is the right call. The labels matter less than the fit between the firm and the seat.
FAQs
We are a specialist sales, GTM and revenue recruitment practice. We work retained, we run a research-led process, and we do most of what an executive search firm does, but we focus on the senior commercial band (Sales Director through to CRO) rather than the full C-suite.
Ask the same questions of both. How do you define the role? How do you build the long-list? How many candidates per shortlist? Who personally runs the search? What is the replacement guarantee? A serious firm of either kind will give you direct, specific answers.
Rarely. Running two firms on the same search creates noise in the market and confuses candidates. Pick one and let them run it. If the firm is not delivering after the agreed milestones, end the engagement and bring in another, but do not parallel-run.
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Email Rachel Lunn and we will tell you whether your seat needs a specialist sales recruiter, an executive search firm, or something else.
Email Rachel LunnSales recruitment, GTM recruitment and revenue advisory for SMEs UK-wide. We reply within one working day.
Email Rachel Lunn