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ALIGN Executive Search
Live Hunt Board

Laguna Beach, CA · Nationwide · Est. 2014 · Currently-Employed Specialists

The best talent isn't on job boards. We find them anyway.

ALIGN recruits currently-employed professionals that other agencies can't find — the majority of the market that isn't posting resumes. We build relationships with executive-level professionals before a role opens, pick up the phone, and match skillsets, experience — and, most importantly, the right personality.

Hire Top Talent See How We Hunt

"Our willingness and ability to do the work other recruitment firms don't."

Matt Armand · Founder & CEO
  • Hands-On
  • High Quality
  • Guaranteed · Contingent
  • Nationwide Service
IMAGE 4:5 — THE PHONE HUNT: an ALIGN recruiter taking notes on a call with a currently-employed executive in a modern office
The phone hunt · not the job board 31601 Coast Hwy
Candidate #247

RN, BSN · Director-level · Sacramento, CA

Currently employed. Not looking — open to the right conversation.

RELATIONSHIP 14 MONTHS

Flagship Office

31601 Coast Hwy, Ste 100
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

+ 9 MARKETS NATIONWIDE

2014

Est. Laguna Beach

19–21

Recruiters & Researchers

$4.8M

Annual Revenue

100%

CEO Approval · Indeed

10

Markets · 1 Flagship

6

Practice Areas

100%

Contingent · Guaranteed

~80%

Of Talent Isn't Looking

Sources: Indeed employer reviews · Apollo.io & Datanyze firm data · ALIGN placement records. Hover any metric for methodology.

( 01 ) Proof, Not Promises

Where other agencies fish — and where we hunt.

Job boards only reach the ~20% of professionals actively looking. Run a search below and watch how a relationship-based hunt reaches the other 80% — the currently-employed.

Select a role to begin the hunt.

Choose the role you need filled and we'll map the market the way an ALIGN recruiter would — phone relationships first.

Job Boards · Active Seekers

≈20%

Indeed · Easy Apply · resume blasts
high competition · high turnover risk

— actively applying. Every agency on earth already has their resumes.

Currently-Employed Network

≈80%

not looking · relationship-based · phone access
coral = relationship already built

— gainfully employed and invisible to job boards. — are existing phone relationships. Hover or tap any dot.

Quality Spectrum — what gets checked

ALIGN TYPICAL AGENCY

Live search economics · modeled on typical ALIGN searches

—

Currently-Employed Mapped

—

Phone Relationships

—

Assessed · Competency + Attitude

—

Shortlisted · Personality Fit

TYPICAL SHORTLIST: 3 WEEKS ✓ GUARANTEED · CONTINGENT

The hunt sequence

  1. 01Original research — not a database pull
  2. 02In-depth interviewing — competency & attitude
  3. 03Relevant, accurate assessments
  4. 04Highly qualified shortlist — not 20 resumes
  5. 05Accountability to your core values
  6. 06Detailed candidate specifications, delivered

Other agencies reach the 20% already looking. ALIGN reaches the other 80%. Select a role above to see the numbers for your search.

( 02 ) The ALIGN Method

We do the work other firms won't. Phone calls. Relationships. Personality fit.

Our recruiters hunt for the perfect fit by capturing gainfully employed professionals — people with no resume on any board. It takes original research, a credible network, and the willingness to pick up the phone when everyone else sends a mass InMail.

A customized, hands-on, detailed approach means we get to know our clients and our candidates — leadership styles, industry experience, core values — so we match the right skillsets, the right experience, and, most importantly, the right personality.

IMAGE 3:4 — RELATIONSHIP CALL: a senior healthcare recruiter speaking with a currently-employed professional, personalized value on every call
Every candidate appreciates that someone took the time to call.

months of relationship, typical

before a role ever opens — modeled on ALIGN healthcare searches

candidates on a shortlist

highly qualified and personality-matched — never 20 resumes

What a hands-on hunt actually includes

  • 01Original candidate research — market mapping built from scratch, not a database export
  • 02In-depth interviewing — competency and attitude, evaluated on the phone
  • 03Relevant, accurate assessments of senior executive talent
  • 04A highly qualified shortlist — referenced, assessed, personality-matched
  • 05Accountability to your core values — a comprehensive understanding, not a keyword match
  • 06Detailed candidate specifications — precisely targeted, tailored profiling
  • 07The phone call — personalized value candidates actually appreciate
  • 08Trustworthy advisers — through every phase of the search
Others

Post the role → sort active seekers → blast 20 resumes → hope

ALIGN

Map the market → call the employed → assess personality → 3–5 names, guaranteed

Traditional values — transparency and simplicity — while staying abreast of trends and evolving with innovative ideas. That's the firm we've run since 2014.

( 03 ) Practice Areas

Six sectors. Cross-industry, countrywide.

Levels covered: C-LEVEL · CXO · CTO · CIO · CISO · CHIEF ARCHITECT · EVP · SVP · VP · GM · MANAGING DIRECTOR · MANAGING PARTNER

Start a Search in Your Sector

( 04 ) Services

Full-spectrum search, from the corner office to the candidate's chair.

( 05 ) How We Do It

Six phases. Three weeks to shortlist. No black box.

Trustworthy advisers in all phases — here is the operating reality of an ALIGN search, week by week.

  1. Phase 01 · Wk 1

    Original Candidate Research

    Talent mapping; 100+ currently-employed professionals identified by phone outreach.

  2. Phase 02 · Wk 1–2

    In-Depth Interviewing

    Competency and attitude, evaluated in real conversation.

  3. Phase 03 · Wk 2

    Relevant, Accurate Assessments

    Precise, targeted, tailored profiling of senior executive talent.

  4. Phase 04 · Wk 2–3

    Highly Qualified Shortlist

    3–5 referenced, personality-matched names. Not 20 resumes.

  5. Phase 05 · Ongoing

    Accountability to Core Values

    Efficiency, respect, integrity, creativity — in every recommendation.

  6. Phase 06 · Delivery

    Detailed Candidate Specifications

    Interviews, negotiation support, acceptance — contingent, guaranteed.

Fair questions, straight answers.

The metrics we track on every search: time-to-fill · quality-of-hire · time-to-hire · source-of-hire · attrition rate.

( 06 ) The Team

From a flagship on Coast Highway to nine markets nationwide.

IMAGE 4:5 HEADSHOT — MATT ARMAND, FOUNDER & CEO, SAN DIEGO CA; ALIGN Executive Search flagship, Laguna Beach
San Diego, CA LINKEDIN ↗

Founder & CEO · 11 Years Leading ALIGN

Matt Armand

Matt founded ALIGN in 2014 with a simple conviction: the best candidates are already employed, and someone has to call them. A hands-on leader who isn't afraid to do the real work, he leads by example and cares about every member of the team.

  • Executive MBA, UC Irvine
  • BS Business / Corporate Communications, Syracuse University
  • CPC — Certified Personnel Consultant, NAPS
  • Chief Sales Officer, MRSI (2005–2014) — long-term care executive search
  • Director of Travel Nursing, AMN Healthcare (2002–2005)
  • Recruiter, AppleOne (2000–2002)

"A hands-on leader who isn't afraid of doing the real work. I've learned a lot about the world of recruiting in 9+ years working with Matt."

Erik Perkins · COO, Lake Forest

"An excellent businessman and manager — a great listener who pays attention to details and understands people's needs."

Michael Irving · President, Newport Beach
matt@alignexec.com
IMAGE 4:5 HEADSHOT — MICHAEL IRVING, PRESIDENT, NEWPORT BEACH CA

President · Newport Beach, CA

Michael Irving

Leads ALIGN's client partnerships. "Michael understands our needs and what we're looking for in candidates — he doesn't just place for his gain, he looks out for your best interest." — Richard E., client

IMAGE 4:5 HEADSHOT — ERIK PERKINS, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, LAKE FOREST CA

Chief Operating Officer · Lake Forest, CA

Erik Perkins

Runs the operating rhythm behind every search — the research standards, the accountability, and the culture that keeps this team collaborative.

The field team — full-cycle recruiters, coast to coast

Why hunters stay here

Indeed employee reviews · 5.0 culture rating

01

Collaborative by policy

"Unlike other recruiting firms, no one steals anyone's clients or candidates." Long-term commitment to the process is what reaps the rewards — and recruiters wait in line to join this team.

02

Work–life balance, literally

A meditation coach comes into the office weekly. Balanced hunters make better calls — and better matches.

03

Safe, fun, productive

An environment that empowers the team to look, feel, and act their best — so they produce at optimal levels for clients and candidates alike.

( 07 ) Evidence

100%

CEO approval — and the team proves it.

8 of 8 employee reviews on Indeed approve of CEO Matthew Armand. METHODLOGY: INDEED EMPLOYER REVIEWS, ALL TIME.

5.0

Culture Rating · Indeed

4K+

Founder LinkedIn Following

0

Stolen Clients or Candidates

24 hr

Inquiry Response Time

Leave Us a Review Client Satisfaction Survey Candidate Survey

Trusted by clients and candidates who appreciate the phone call.

Client & candidate reviews · names shown as published with permission · consultant attribution included

( 08 ) Hire Top Talent

We recruit the currently-employed professionals other agencies can't find. Let's talk.

Tell us about the role keeping your team short-handed. We'll respond within 24 hours with an honest read on the market — mapped, called, and qualified. Contingent basis. Guaranteed results. Nationwide.

Direct lines

(949) 313-1440
info@alignexec.com — new searches matt@alignexec.com — the founder

Flagship Office

31601 Coast Hwy, Ste 100
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

VIEW MAP ↗

Distributed team — clients served nationwide

Cross-industry, countrywide resources and diverse experience — virtually any position, any location.

Strict confidentiality. Every inquiry is handled discreetly by a senior consultant — no resume blasting, no surprises. You'll know exactly who is working your search.

Request a shortlist

Response < 24 hours

By submitting, you agree to be contacted about your search. Candidates never pay a fee.

Currently employed? Not looking?

Good — you're exactly who we like to meet. Confidential candidate services: resume, interview prep, wage negotiation.

Find a Career →