Why your next Partner hire probably isn’t actively looking
One of the biggest misconceptions in senior hiring is that the best people are actively looking for their next role. They usually aren’t.
In reality, most strong Directors and future Partners are not scrolling job boards, not updating CVs, and not responding to adverts. They are busy, trusted, embedded in their firms, and focused on delivery. On the surface, they look settled.
This creates what I think of as the silent Director market – a large group of high-quality senior people who rarely appear in application processes, yet regularly become the strongest hires when approached in the right way.
Understanding this matters, particularly when hiring at Director or Partner level.
Who actually sits in the silent Director market
The silent market is not made up of disengaged or underperforming people.
Quite the opposite.
It typically includes Directors who:
Hold real internal credibility Manage key client relationships Lead teams and departments
Are paid competitively
Are often part of informal succession conversations
They are not unhappy enough to be searching, but they are not so locked in that they would never listen.
Crucially, they do not see themselves as candidates. They see themselves as leaders doing a job.
Why the best Directors rarely respond to adverts
From the outside, it can feel puzzling. A firm runs a well written advert, offers a competitive package, and still doesn’t see the calibre of response it expects.
There are a few consistent reasons for this.
First, visibility risk.
At senior level, discretion matters. Directors are acutely aware of how quickly information travels in the profession. Even a speculative application can feel unnecessary and exposed.
Second, oversimplification.
Most adverts flatten roles that are, in reality, culturally and politically complex. Senior people understand that success rarely comes down to a job description alone.
Third, lack of context.
Adverts seldom explain why a role genuinely exists, what problem needs solving, or what dynamic a new hire would inherit. Strong Directors do not gamble careers on partial information.
As a result, many simply opt out.
Why this matters even more at Partner level
Most Partner hires do not start with an application. They start with a conversation. Often a quiet one. Sometimes months or even years before a move actually happens.
Future Partners are typically converted through:
Market curiosity
Reflection on long-term progression
Exposure to different leadership model
A gradual realisation that internal pathways may not materialise as expected
If a firm only engages people who are actively applying, it automatically excludes a significant proportion of its strongest potential Partner talent.
That is not a criticism of advertising. It is a recognition of how senior careers actually move.
The false comfort of inbound candidates
Inbound applications create activity. They feel reassuring. But activity and quality are not the same thing.
At senior level, inbound pools are naturally skewed towards availability rather than excellence. That does not mean strong candidates never apply. Some do. But many of the best simply do not.
Volume can create a false sense of choice. Adverts create movement, but not always progress.
The internal talent constraint few firms talk about
Many firms invest heavily in internal talent and HR teams, and rightly so. They play a critical role in employer branding, internal progression, and structured hiring.
However, at senior level there is an unavoidable limitation.
Internal teams are often restricted in how directly they can approach senior leaders in competitor firms. Visibility matters. Optics matter. Relationships matter. Being seen to target Directors or Partners elsewhere can create reputational noise that firms understandably want to avoid.
This means a significant portion of the senior market remains effectively out of reach for internal approaches, even when there is genuine interest.
This is where the silent Director market stays silent.
External recruitment partners operate differently. They are able to hold exploratory, discreet conversations without signalling intent, test appetite without creating exposure, and protect both the individual and the firm from unnecessary visibility.
At Director and Partner level, that separation is not a luxury. It is often essential.
What good firms do differently
The firms that consistently hire well at Director and Partner level tend to behave differently.
They:
Think long term rather than reactively
Prioritise discretion over speed
Map the market rather than wait for it
Value judgement as much as technical capability
Are prepared to pause rather than force a hire
They do not confuse urgency with importance. And they understand that senior hiring is as much about timing and trust as it is about process.
The real role of recruitment at senior level
At Director and Partner level, recruitment is not about adverts. It is about access, context, and judgement.
The real value lies in:
Knowing who is not visible
Understanding what might move someone quietly
Having the credibility to hold honest conversations
Protecting discretion on both sides
When done well, senior recruitment does not feel transactional. It feels like structured market intelligence and careful decision support.
A final thought
Strong Directors and future Partners rarely announce availability. They surface through relationships, timing, and quiet conversations.
Firms that recognise this tend to hire better, make fewer mistakes, and build leadership teams with real depth.
Those that rely solely on visible markets often wonder why outcomes do not quite match effort. Senior hiring works best when it is treated as a relationship exercise, not a transaction.
About the author
I’m Patrick Bell, founder and Managing Director of Genesis Recruitment Group.
I specialise in senior and executive recruitment within UK accountancy practice, working primarily with Directors, Partners, and firms across the North of England. Much of my work sits in the quiet end of the market – supporting firms with discreet senior hires, succession-linked appointments, and executive search where judgement, timing, and confidentiality matter.
If you’re considering a senior or Partner-level hire, or simply want to sense-check the market before making any decisions, I’m always happy to have a confidential, informal conversation.
You can reach me directly via:
Email: pbell@genrec.co.uk
Mobile: 07788 133333
Or book time in my diary here: https://calendly.com/patrick-genesis/chat-with-patrick-bell-genesis
No obligation. No pressure. Just a straightforward conversation.