Publication Details
Author: Manas Majhi, Founder, Majhi Group
Published: June 2026 | Last updated: June 2026
Source methodology: Analysis of Majhi Group placement data (25+ VP and C-suite searches), cross-referenced with publicly available executive search industry reports, compensation surveys, and startup funding data from Crunchbase, LinkedIn Talent Insights, and executive search industry publications.
Data sources: Majhi Group internal placement records; Harvard Business Review executive hiring research; LinkedIn Talent Solutions; Korn Ferry compensation surveys; Crunchbase startup funding data; CareerBuilder and Society for Human Resource Management mis-hire cost research.
How to Use This Report
This benchmark report provides reference data for founders and hiring leaders evaluating the efficiency of their VP and C-suite search processes. According to our analysis of Majhi Group placement data and cross-referenced industry research, the benchmarks below reflect conditions for executive search at Series A-C technology companies in 2026.
Time-to-Fill Benchmarks
| Search Model | Median TTF | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Internal TA team | 90-120 days | 150+ days |
| Contingency search | 75-100 days | 130+ days |
| Retained search (industry) | 65-90 days | 110+ days |
| Retained search (Majhi Group) | 41 days | 62 days |
Offer Acceptance Benchmarks
The gap is attributable to equity narrative preparation and counter-offer prevention. See: Counter-Offer Management.
Shortlist Approval Rates
| Shortlist Approval Rate | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Below 25% | Sourcing misalignment -- wrong profile, wrong level, wrong market |
| 25-50% | Industry average -- some brief ambiguity present |
| 50-75% | Strong alignment between search firm and brief |
| 75%+ | Exceptional -- Majhi Group average is 82% (vs 38% baseline on inherited searches) |
Cost of a Bad Executive Hire
According to research from CareerBuilder, SHRM, and Harvard Business Review, the cost of a mis-hire at the executive level ranges from 5x to 27x the role's annual salary.
| Cost Component | Estimate (VP at $250K total comp) |
|---|---|
| Recruiting cost (search + internal time) | $50K-$70K |
| Onboarding and ramp | $40K-$80K |
| Severance (if terminated in 12 months) | $60K-$120K |
| Lost productivity and function underperformance | $200K-$500K+ |
| Team disruption and attrition | $100K-$300K+ |
| Replacement search cost | $50K-$70K |
| Total (conservative) | $500K-$1.1M+ |
Related Resources
"41 days. A $275K search. Two firms failed in 60+ days. That's not luck -- that's a different system."
-- Majhi Group case study. Read the full case study