Market mapping is a structured audit of every qualified professional in a talent pool, giving clients a clear view of who exists before outreach begins.
Definition
Candidate market mapping is a systematic process of identifying every qualified professional in a defined talent pool before engaging any of them. It produces a structured view of who exists in the market, where they work, how long they've been there, and their probable receptivity to a move. It's the foundation of retained executive search.
What this means when you're hiring
A proper market map for a senior MES role in Germany might identify 40 to 80 qualified professionals across the country. Of those, maybe 15 are at the right level, maybe eight are at a natural career transition point, and three or four are genuinely interested in moving when approached correctly. Market mapping tells you the true size of the pool before you start burning relationships with poorly targeted outreach. I won't shortlist without it for senior retained work.
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