The verdict in three sentences
In New York, a director who must replace a CFO or a CHRO launching a C-suite search increasingly asks AI assistants like ChatGPT which executive search firms know their sector, and sitting executives do the same to decide where to send a resume. The firms that get named are those whose practices, partners and process are described clearly and picked up by third-party sources; the others drop off the first list. On the market, a diagnostic costs roughly USD 4,000 to 12,000 in 2026, and the only credible measure is a dated record of the answers to the same questions.
Two audiences, two sets of questions
A search firm serves clients (boards, CEOs, CHROs) and candidates. AI assistants receive questions from both sides, with very different expectations.
| Audience | Realistic question put to the AI | What the answer must be able to find |
|---|---|---|
| Nominating committee chair | Which New York firms recruit independent directors for mid-cap public companies? | Board practice, named partners |
| CEO of a scaling fintech | Which New York search firm knows pre-IPO CFO searches? | Sector pages, partner expertise |
| CHRO of a healthcare group | How much does an executive search cost in New York and how does it work? | Process page, fee model in general terms |
| Family office | Which firm keeps a chief investment officer search confidential? | Published confidentiality commitments |
| Sitting general counsel | Which headhunters in New York place general counsel? | Legal practice, published open mandates |
| VP Engineering candidate | How do I send my resume to this firm and what happens to my data? | Candidate page, retention policy |
| Founder of a PE-backed company | Which firms work with private equity funds on leadership teams? | Sector pages, mentions in trade press |
None of these questions is settled by a slogan. AI assistants look for facts: who the partners are, in which sectors, through which process.
Why a firm gets named, or not
The firms that appear share a few traits. Their public information is consistent: same practices and same partners on the site, LinkedIn, professional directories and conference bios. Their pages are factual: one page per practice, partner bios with background and sectors, a client-side search process explained step by step. They are mentioned by third parties: business press, professional associations, signed op-eds. Their data is structured so engines read the organization, offices and people without ambiguity. And their content is dated and current, which matters in a business where partners move between firms.
Two limits specific to the business. Never publish a client name or placement without written consent: confidentiality is at the core of your offer. On the candidate side, minimize the data collected and display a clear retention policy. In the United States there is no single federal privacy law; New York State has its own data security rules, ADA Title III suits targeting website accessibility are frequent (WCAG 2.2 AA target), and CAN-SPAM governs commercial email. This is not legal advice.
What the work covers and what it costs in New York
An emerging market with uneven offers: the ranges below are a 2026 ballpark drawn from typical quotes by US agencies and consultants, not from a study.
| Workstream | Scope in broad terms | 2026 ballpark (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic | 30 to 60 client and candidate questions, dated record, errors | 4,000 to 12,000 |
| Practice and partner pages | Factual rewrite, bios, process | 6,000 to 20,000 |
| Third-party mentions | Op-eds, speaking slots, trade press | 3,000 to 10,000 per month |
| Consistency of external profiles | Directories, networks, conference bios | 1,500 to 5,000 |
| Tracking | Same questions asked again, comparison | 1,500 to 4,000 per month |
At Kolonell this work is on quote, after a diagnostic. No serious provider can promise that an AI will recommend you.
Reading a dated record
| Indicator | Reading | Example of an honest reading |
|---|---|---|
| Share of answers naming the firm | By audience, by practice | 3 client answers out of 24 in March, 5 out of 24 in June |
| Accuracy of partners named | Names, roles, sectors up to date | A departed partner named in 2 answers |
| Accuracy of process and fees | Matches public pages | Fee model described incorrectly |
| Firms named in your place | List per question | Same three competitors in the healthcare practice |
| Sources picked up | Pages and media | A 2025 op-ed picked up three times |
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Hudson Board Partners, 12 partners in Manhattan, tests 48 questions, 24 from clients and 24 from candidates. The firm is named in 3 client answers out of 24 (12.5%) and in 9 candidate answers out of 24 (37.5%): it is more visible to people sending resumes than to people signing mandates. Budget under consideration: a diagnostic at USD 8,000 (market assumption) then six months of tracking at USD 2,500 per month (market assumption), so 8,000 + 15,000 = USD 23,000. Reference point: if a search fee is one third of first-year compensation for a CFO at USD 450,000 (assumption), a single mandate is worth USD 150,000.
FAQ
How much does an AI visibility diagnostic cost for a search firm in New York?
As a 2026 ballpark, USD 4,000 to 12,000 depending on the number of questions and practices tested. At Kolonell this work is on quote.
Should clients and candidates be handled separately?
Yes, their questions and the sources picked up differ. A firm can be named in more than a third of candidate answers and almost never on the client side.
Can we cite placements to gain visibility?
Only with written consent from the client and the candidate. Without consent, anonymized mandate descriptions by sector and level are the safe route.
How quickly do the answers change?
Corrected pages can be picked up within a few weeks; third-party mentions often take 3 to 6 months. A monthly or quarterly record is enough.
Can an AI be made to recommend our firm?
No. You make the information accurate, consistent and picked up by others, then you measure; the answer remains the AI's.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. A dated record of what AI assistants like ChatGPT say about your practices, partners and process, on the client side and the candidate side. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
