Most companies assume the hardest part of executive search is finding the candidate. The data says offer acceptance is where more searches fail than you think. This page benchmarks acceptance rates and the factors behind them.
A declined executive offer is not just a setback — it is a significant event. It resets the timeline, signals to the candidate pool that the role is difficult to fill, and often damages the company's ability to attract the next-best candidate who has been waiting in the wings. Understanding what drives declines — and what predicts strong acceptance rates — is essential to running a high-performing executive search.
| Search Methodology | Average Acceptance Rate | Primary Decline Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Self-managed (no firm) | 55–65% | Comp not market-calibrated; process too slow |
| Contingency search firm | 65–75% | Counter-offer; motivation not pre-assessed |
| Retained search (industry) | 75–85% | Comp structure; role scope concerns |
| Retained search (top quartile) | 85–92% | Counter-offer; individual factors |
| Majhi Group retained | 90%+ | Counter-offer (managed); rarely comp |
Note the composition: the majority of offer declines are process failures, not candidate failures. A candidate who declines because of comp architecture concerns received an offer that was not designed around what they told the search firm motivated them. A candidate who accepts a counter-offer was not managed through the counter-offer conversation during the process. These are recoverable — before the offer, not after.
Counter-offer risk is highest for candidates who are currently employed (passive candidates) and whose departure is unexpected by their employer. The risk is predictable — and manageable — if it is surfaced during the search process rather than handled reactively at the offer stage. The conversation that needs to happen is: "When you receive a counter-offer from your employer, what would need to be true for you to accept it?" If the answer identifies a gap in your offer, you can address it before the counter-offer arrives.
Majhi Group manages counter-offer risk as a standard step in the offer design phase, not as a reactive conversation after a decline. This single change — moving the counter-offer conversation from post-offer to pre-offer — is a primary driver of the 90%+ acceptance rate.
| Factor | Impact on Acceptance |
|---|---|
| Candidate motivation assessed at intake (not assumed) | Strong positive |
| Offer designed around equity upside, not just base | Strong positive |
| Counter-offer conversation held before offer | Moderate-strong positive |
| Role scope confirmed explicitly before offer | Moderate positive |
| Authority and team structure confirmed | Moderate positive |
| Comp benchmarked to market during search (not at offer) | Moderate positive |
Sources & methodology: Majhi Group placement data (25+ retained searches, 2022–2026); Korn Ferry Executive Search Benchmarks 2025; AESC Industry Report 2025; LinkedIn Economic Graph tenure data.
Related benchmarks and resources:
Search Timeline BenchmarksVP Retention BenchmarksWhat Is Offer Acceptance Rate?What Is a Counter-Offer?Search Success Factors20-minute confidential search assessment. We assess whether your search timeline, criteria, and approach are optimised for the hire you need.
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