Trainee Executive Search (18 Monate)
We place the executive leaders who define the future of high-growth tech scale-ups and private equity-backed enterprises. Join an established international executive search firm in Hamburg for an intensive 18-month program working on live Board and C-level mandates from day one.
Overview
Why this role matters
The success of transformative companies in SaaS, AI, fintech, and digital sectors hinges entirely on who leads them. We are training our next generation of search consultants to master market intelligence, candidate evaluation, and executive relationship-building in a high-intensity, apprenticeship-driven environment.
Responsibilities
What you'll do
Full immersion into live executive search mandates across board and C-level searches from initial research to leadership assessment.
- Conduct comprehensive market and company analyses across tech, PE, and VC ecosystems.
- Identify, map, and approach elite executive candidates across competitive international markets.
- Leverage modern AI tools and digital platforms to drive precision research and project tracking.
- Lead candidate interviews and evaluate leadership capability, motivation, and cultural alignment.
- Partner daily with Directors and Partners to craft bespoke search strategies for client mandates.
The first 90 days
What success looks like
Month 1
Immerse yourself in our research workflows, get trained on executive search methodologies, and integrate with the 15-person Hamburg office team.
Month 2–3
Begin contributing directly to live search mandates by building target lists, conducting market mapping, and utilizing AI-driven sourcing tools.
By end of Q1
Work seamlessly alongside Directors on active mandates and initiate your first direct candidate engagements.
Candidate profile
Who this is a fit for
- University graduate (Bachelor's or Master's) with strong analytical curiosity and business acumen.
- Initial exposure to consulting, recruiting, executive research, or commercial sales.
- Highly articulate communicator eager to engage with senior business leaders.
- Tech-forward mindset with an appetite to leverage modern AI research tools.
- Self-driven operator with a 'play to win' attitude and relentless work ethic.
- Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken.
Culture
What it's like to work here
Leistungsorientierte, ehrgeizige und dynamische Kultur ('play to win and have fun doing it'). 4 Tage pro Woche Präsenz im Hamburger Büro. Hands-on-Mentalität, stetiges Streben nach Weiterentwicklung und enger Austausch mit Führungspersönlichkeiten. Hohe Intensität und Engagement.
What you get
The offer
- Intensive 18-month structured apprenticeship with direct mentoring from seasoned Directors and Partners.
- High-exposure collaboration with international leadership talent, venture capital, and private equity funds.
- Vibrant, ambitious team culture in a collaborative 15-person Hamburg office.
- Direct pathway into autonomous executive search consulting and leadership advisory.
Skills
Marktanalyse · Executive Search Research · Kandidatenansprache · Interviewführung · KI-Tools / digitale Recherche · Erste Erfahrung in Beratung, Recruiting, Research oder Vertrieb
A quick note
This probably isn't for you if:
- You want a fully remote or low-touch hybrid role—we prioritize 4 days a week in-office for mentorship and high-velocity collaboration.
- You prefer purely administrative work over proactive candidate outreach and deep market analysis.
- You are uncomfortable in a rigorous, high-intensity performance culture.
Ready?
Let's talk
If you are ready to learn how top-tier leadership teams are built and want to master executive search from the ground up, let's talk. Send us your background and tell us why you want to build leadership teams for high-growth markets.