Glossary
The language of the search.
A clear glossary of executive search, hiring and compensation terms - from talent mapping and gardening leave to golden hellos.
Search & process
4 terms Talent mapping Talent mapping is the practice of researching and charting the best people for a role or function across a market, before any of them are approached. RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) RPO, recruitment process outsourcing, is when a company hands all or part of its hiring to an external provider as an ongoing, often embedded service. Reference check A reference check is the verification of a candidate's track record and claims by speaking to people who have worked with them, usually before an offer. Shortlist A shortlist is the small group of the most suitable candidates selected from a wider pool and presented to a company to interview.
Hiring & terms
5 terms Gardening leave Gardening leave is notice served away from work: the departing employee stays employed and paid, protecting confidential information and relationships. Non-compete clause A non-compete clause is a contract term restricting an employee from joining a competitor or starting a rival business for a set period after leaving. Notice period A notice period is the time an employee remains employed between resigning and leaving, set by their contract and often longer for senior roles. Succession planning Succession planning is the process of identifying and preparing future leaders to step into critical roles before they fall vacant. Employer branding Employer branding is a company's reputation as a place to work: how current and potential employees perceive it, built over time, not by campaign.
Compensation
5 terms Golden hello A golden hello is a signing bonus paid to a senior hire on joining, often to offset the bonuses or equity they forfeit by moving. Total compensation Total compensation is the full value of what an employee receives: base salary plus bonus, equity, benefits, and any other rewards. Equity compensation Equity compensation is pay in the form of ownership (shares, stock options, or similar), giving an employee a stake in the company's future value. Signing bonus A signing bonus is a one-off payment to a new hire on joining, to attract a candidate or offset compensation forfeited by leaving their current role. Counteroffer A counteroffer is a revised proposal of pay, promotion, or terms from a current employer to keep an employee who has resigned or has an external offer.
Talent & career
4 terms C-suite The C-suite is a company's most senior executives, the 'chief' officers such as the CEO, CFO, COO, and CTO, who set strategy and own its outcomes. Fractional executive A fractional executive is a senior leader working part-time or on contract across one or more companies: C-suite expertise without a full-time hire. Talent pipeline A talent pipeline is a pool of qualified, pre-identified candidates a company can draw on for future roles, so hiring starts from a warm list. Boomerang employee A boomerang employee is someone who leaves a company and later returns, bringing outside experience back to a business that already knows them.
The Club's method
3 terms Whole-person intake Whole-person intake is The Quantum Club's conversation with a prospective member about ambition, values and the life being built, never a résumé screen. Life-fit matching Life-fit matching is The Quantum Club's practice of weighing location, family, lifestyle and wellbeing in every match, so the work fits the life. Placing for the seat's return Placing for the seat's return is The Quantum Club's rule: scope a seat by what it must return, not just its filling, so this hire pays for the next.