The Hidden Cost of a Failed CISO Hire
A failed CISO appointment costs more than you think. Direct costs: recruitment fees, onboarding, departure time. Indirect costs: 6-12 months of strategy delay, team morale, compliance risk, and reputational damage if it becomes known. Estimated total cost: EUR 250,000-500,000.
Why Contingency Doesn't Work for C-Level Security
In contingency recruitment (no cure, no pay) multiple agencies work on the same position simultaneously. This leads to speed over quality, superficial assessments, and candidates being approached multiple times. For C-level security roles, this model is fundamentally wrong.
How Retained Search Differs
Dedicated resources: One team, fully focused on your search. In-depth assessment: Not just CV matching but competency evaluation, culture fit and reference checks. Discreet approach: Top CISOs aren't actively looking. They need to be approached personally and discreetly. Guarantee: Retained search comes with a replacement guarantee of 6-12 months.
The MVPeople Retained Search Approach
Week 1-2: In-depth intake, position profile and search strategy. Week 3-5: Market mapping, discreet approach and initial conversations. Week 6-8: Shortlist presentation with comprehensive assessment per candidate. Week 9-12: Interviews, references and offer trajectory.
Measurable ROI
Our retained searches for CISO positions have a success rate of 95%. Average retention after 24 months is 89%. Compared with the cost of a failed hire, retained search isn't expensive — it's the cheapest option.
