SkyWater Search Partners is a leading retained search firm serving organizations across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, recognized by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Forbes, and others as among the best in the industry. Since 2013, we’ve built a track record of successful executive placements across the region, connecting organizations with the CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and other senior leaders who move their businesses forward through a dedicated retained search process. As Minnesota-based executive recruiters, we have direct access to the most highly qualified, fully vetted local candidates, and a rigorous sourcing and evaluation process built to dramatically reduce the time it takes to hire the right leader.

What Is Executive Retained Search?

A retained search is ideal when you’re filling C-suite, officer-level, or other roles expected to deliver immediate lift and long-term value to your organization. Read our advice on how to choose the right recruiter contract if you’re weighing your options.

With a retained recruiting agreement in place, you unlock the full force of your recruiter to assess and rank every potential candidate, including your own internal staff. At SkyWater, we use a Short List™ process to rapidly identify the true finalists for a role, evaluating organizational vision and workplace culture alongside job requirements. That lets us sift through our extensive network of top Minnesota and Upper Midwest talent and bring you only the individuals who can hit the ground running and make a long-term impact.

When you enter a retained contract with SkyWater, you’ve hired a recruiting partner who puts your search first, ahead of any contingent work, and who’s invested in a long-term relationship built on results.

What We Hear From Our Clients

• We’re growing, and that means bringing in new leadership. As we scale, we need to make sure our organizational structure can sustain that growth.
• It’s difficult to source talent given non-competes and tight-knit relationships in our industry. We need a recruiter who already has access to the right networks.
• We’re looking for an experienced leader who already knows our industry and customer base. Someone who won’t need a learning curve to be effective.
• We’re having trouble finding someone with the right experience who’s also the right cultural fit. Technical skills alone aren’t enough at this level.

Why SkyWater

• We’re a Minnesota executive search firm, and that’s exactly what most of our clients are looking for. If your company is based here, chances are you want a partner who can present the best local talent first. We have long-standing relationships with clients and candidates throughout Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, with a proven track record recognized by Forbes and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
• We move quickly and present your organization well. Our process is efficient enough to reduce the chance that a competing offer reaches a great candidate before yours does.
• We act as an extension of your team, not just a vendor. Many clients rely on us as a consultant for how their leadership team should be structured, not just who should fill it.
• We have access to leaders who aren’t actively job hunting. The right executive for your team may be currently employed and not looking. Our networks give you access to them anyway.
• We screen for fit, not just skills. Technical qualifications matter, but we screen heavily for soft skills and cultural alignment with your organization’s goals.
• We offer Candidate Assessments through our partnership with a team of nationally respected industrial-organizational psychologists, providing in-depth evaluation of your final candidates. This can be added to any Retained or Engaged search agreement.

We’ll find, vet, and secure executive talent with the experience you’re looking for, without overwhelming you with a stack of resumes. You’ll see a focused Short List™ built around your specific requirements and company culture. To talk through the leadership roles you need to fill, call us at 952-767-9000 or request talent using the form on this page.