The right people matter before you settle on how to reach your goals. A strong family charter can set out your mission and priorities, but the wrong hires can lead to detours. Finding qualified people takes patience: the pool is small, and trust matters.
Why talent is hard to find
There are relatively few single family offices, many keep a low profile, and most do not regularly talk with others in the industry. That makes it difficult to identify professionals with the right skills and experience.
A single family office may need only one to three senior executives, but each person may need to wear many hats. It can take years to find the right fit. The chapter expects the talent pool to broaden as the industry matures, but says that may take a decade or more.
Seven ways to attract talent
1. Use LinkedIn. Search for "family office" and narrow the results to your region or nearby cities. LinkedIn may help you find qualified professionals and build relationships. The chapter also suggests the Family Office Club Association as a place to connect with other family offices.
2. Attend conferences and workshops. Industry events and training workshops can help you build a network over time. Executives who are unhappy in their current roles may be more open to attending, giving you a chance to meet potential hires.
3. Consider distinctive compensation. A package that shares upside may attract someone who is already in a good position. The chapter gives examples such as sharing deal proceeds, offering performance bonuses tied to portfolio gains, or providing other benefits. The package should give ambitious professionals a meaningful chance to prove what they can do.
4. Use family office training to find candidates. The Qualified Family Office Professional program offers training for new hires and can connect offices with professionals who have a family office focus. The chapter describes it as a low-cost way to find candidates compared with a traditional executive search service.
5. Look beyond family offices. Consider professionals at multi-family offices, CPA and tax advisory firms, private equity funds, and investment banks. The chapter also points to endowment funds as a possible source of bright, well-prepared portfolio talent. Some professionals first work with a family office before joining it full-time.
6. Build your office's visibility. Some family offices choose to be more visible. The chapter says this can help them attract job applicants, access deal flow, and connect with families interested in co-investments or asset management. Each family can weigh that against its preference for privacy.
7. Consider executive search. A family office search firm can help identify candidates if you want professional assistance. The chapter notes that many offices are reluctant to pay search fees, and only a few firms focus specifically on family offices.
Choosing your approach
These options can support a gradual search. Build a network through industry events, identify possible candidates through LinkedIn or adjacent institutions, and consider training programs or search firms when they fit your needs. Distinctive compensation and greater visibility may help attract people, while the family's preferences and the demands of the role shape which approaches make sense.
Because senior hires may carry broad responsibilities, it can take time to establish trust and find the right person. Set realistic expectations for the search and keep building relationships with qualified professionals.
Action checklist
- Define the skills and responsibilities your senior roles require.
- Search LinkedIn for family office professionals in your region.
- Attend relevant conferences, workshops, and training events.
- Review compensation options that can share upside with key hires.
- Consider candidates from investment, tax, accounting, and advisory firms.
- Decide how visible your office should be to potential candidates.
- Compare the cost and reach of executive search with other methods.
From the book
"Single family offices often require one to three senior executives who can wear many hats. "
"The talent marketplace is so small, and trust is so important that it can often take years for a single family office to find the right professional to hire. "
Educational only. Nothing on this site is investment, tax, legal, accounting or other professional advice, or a recommendation on any security, manager, structure or allocation. Speak with qualified professionals before acting.