Market mapping is one of those terms that gets used frequently in executive search without much explanation of what it actually involves. Hiring managers hear it referenced as part of a retained search process and often have only a vague sense of what they are going to receive. Here we explain what a market map is, what it contains, and how it is used, in practical terms.
The Purpose of a Market Map
A market map is a structured picture of the relevant talent universe for a specific role or function. Its purpose is to answer a specific question before a search begins: who exists in this market, where are they, and which of them are most likely to be both suitable and reachable?
For a hiring companies, a market map provides intelligence that changes how a search is run. Instead of starting from a blank page, posting a role and waiting to see who applies, the organisation and its search partner begin with a clear view of the population they are searching within. This makes the subsequent outreach faster, more targeted, and more likely to surface the strongest candidates rather than the most available ones.
What a Market Map Contains
A well-constructed market map in Asset Finance will typically cover the following.
Organisational landscape. The map starts with the organisations that are likely to employ the profile being sought. For a senior implementation consultant search, this means UK-based lenders, software vendors, and system integrators operating in Asset, Auto, Equipment Finance and Leasing. For a COO search at a lender, it means peer and competitor organisations of comparable size, structure, and asset class focus. The organisational landscape defines the boundaries of the search.
Role and title mapping. Within those organisations, the map identifies which job titles correspond to the profile being sought. In Asset Finance this matters more than in most sectors because the same function is described differently across different types of organisation, a “Head of Transformation” at a lender and a “Principal Implementation Consultant” at a vendor may represent equivalent profiles for a given search. Getting the title mapping right ensures no relevant candidates are excluded because of how their position is labelled.
Individual identification. This is the core of the map. Within the defined organisations and role types, specific individuals are identified by name, current role, organisation, and tenure. At this stage the map is typically a longlist of 40 to 60 individuals who meet the initial criteria. These are not candidates who have applied or expressed interest. They are professionals who have been identified through research as holding or having held the relevant experience.
Profiling and assessment. Each individual on the longlist is profiled: their career history, platform exposure, seniority progression, and, where research allows, an initial assessment of their likely suitability and receptiveness to an approach. Tenure matters here because it signals openness to a move. Someone who joined their current employer six months ago and is mid-programme is less likely to be receptive than someone who has been in the same role for three or four years with no obvious next step internally.
Prioritisation. The longlist is then prioritised, typically into tiers, based on suitability and likely receptiveness. The top tier becomes the initial outreach target. This prioritisation is what allows a search to move quickly and efficiently once outreach begins, rather than working through a list sequentially without regard to likelihood of engagement.
What a Market Map Is Not
A market map is not a shortlist. It is the intelligence that informs the search that produces a shortlist. The individuals on a market map have not been approached, assessed for fit in conversation, or confirmed as interested in the opportunity. They are research outputs, not candidates.
A market map is also not a static document. The talent landscape changes, people move, programmes end, organisations restructure. A map that was accurate six months ago needs to be refreshed before it is used as the basis for outreach. Active talent mapping means the map is maintained and updated on an ongoing basis, which is why a company that invests in it consistently will have a head start when a vacancy opens.
How It Is Used in a Search
In a retained search, the market map is built during the first two to three weeks of the engagement, in parallel with brief development. Once complete, it is reviewed with the client, typically as a longlist presentation, before outreach begins. The client can add organisations or individuals they are aware of, flag anyone who should not be approached, and confirm that the population being targeted reflects their understanding of the relevant market.
Outreach then begins with the prioritised tier. Initial conversations qualify individuals against the brief, build interest where it exists, and gather intelligence that refines the map further. By the end of this phase, the 40 to 60 individuals on the original map have typically narrowed to eight to twelve who are qualified, interested, and suitable for formal presentation as a shortlist.
The market map is what makes that journey efficient. Without it, the same work happens, but reactively, slower, and with more wasted time on individuals who were never going to be the right fit.
Resilient Management Solutions builds active market maps across Asset, Auto, Equipment Finance and Leasing as part of every retained search. If you want to understand who is in your market before the search begins, we can help.
