The best consultants, advisors and specialists are rarely looking. They're busy delivering, building client relationships and being quietly approached by competitors. For firms looking to grow a practice, replace a key person or build out a new capability, that makes hiring a strategic challenge rather than a transactional one.

Clients are also raising the bar. The expectation that advisors bring not just technical knowledge but genuine sector experience, commercial acumen and the ability to land well with senior stakeholders means the brief is more demanding than ever. Finding people who tick every box - and will stay once they arrive - requires more than a job posting.