How Important are Professional Associations?

Executive search firms may be members of various professional bodies.  If they specialize in particular industries or functions, firms will often participate in the relevant association.  Although simple membership may be no guarantee of expertise — since entry requirements and standards vary — it can be useful clue when choosing among recruiters.  Accordingly, professional associations are included in this directory’s listing. Executive recruiting firms have their own New York-based professional association, called the Association of Executive Search Consultants.  The AESC was founded in 1959 and now represents 166 member firms worldwide, including most of the largest in the business.  Membership in the AESC is indicated in the listings.  For a client, AESC membership is perhaps less important than whether a firm adheres to the professional standards set down in the association’s Code of Ethics. This code is intended to assure clients of a confidential relationship with their recruiter, as with a banker, lawyer or accountant.