Executive Search and Recruitment Blog
The Excelon Associates blog publishes practical guides on executive search, recruitment, and workforce strategy for employers and candidates in higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government. It is written by the team at Excelon Associates, a retained executive search firm founded in 2007 and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida.
What you will find here: hiring guides for search committees and HR leaders, career advice for candidates in the sectors we serve, trend analysis across higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government, and news from the firm. Every article is written to answer a specific question and shows its publication or last-updated date.
Looking for Something Specific? Search the Library
Start typing to filter every article by title. Results update with each letter.
What Topics Does the Excelon Blog Cover?
Five topic areas make up the library. Each card below links to the best article to read first in that area.
Executive Search Practice
How retained search works, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to choose and work with a search firm.
Start here: How to Hire an Executive Search Firm →Higher Education
Leadership hiring, enrollment trends, and institutional strategy across universities, colleges, and career schools.
Start here: The Value of Trade and Career Schools →Healthcare
Clinical education hiring, nursing faculty roles, and leadership demand across health systems and allied health.
Start here: The Assistant Professor of Nursing Role →Skilled Trades and Workforce
Career paths in the trades, training programs, and the instructor shortage facing trade and technical schools.
Start here: The Quickest Trade to Learn →Firm News and Asheville
Updates from Excelon Associates and our home market of Asheville and Western North Carolina.
Start here: Executive Search in Asheville, NC →Where Should You Start? Our Most-Read Guides
These four evergreen guides answer the questions employers and candidates ask us most often. Each is reviewed and updated after publication.
How to Hire an Executive Search Firm
Ten questions employers ask before retaining a search firm, answered directly: fees, exclusivity, guarantees, and what to look for.
Updated 2026 · 8 min read Employer GuideThe Executive Search Process in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide
The eight steps of a retained search from kickoff to placement, with a realistic 60 to 90 day timeline for hiring leaders.
March 2026 · Step-by-step Regional InsightExecutive Search and Recruitment in Asheville, NC
How hiring in Western North Carolina changed after the pandemic and Hurricane Helene, and what it means for employers in 2026.
Updated May 2026 · 7 min read Higher EducationThe Value of Trade and Career Schools
Ten institutions leading skill-based education, why their one to two year programs cost less, and why employers want their graduates.
Updated 2026 · Rankings insideWhat Is New on the Blog?
Swipe or use the arrows to browse the most recent articles.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Excelon Blog
Quick answers about who writes this blog, what it covers, and how to use it.
Who writes the Excelon Associates blog?
The blog is written and edited by the team at Excelon Associates, a retained executive search and recruitment firm founded in 2007. The firm is headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, and its recruiters work daily in the sectors the blog covers.
What topics does the blog cover?
Articles cover five areas: executive search practice, higher education, healthcare, skilled trades and workforce development, and firm news from Asheville and Western North Carolina. Content includes hiring guides for employers and search committees, career guidance for candidates, and sector trend analysis.
How often is the blog updated?
New articles are published regularly, and the most-read guides are reviewed and revised after publication. Every post displays its original publication date, and updated guides show the month of their most recent revision.
Can I cite or share these articles?
Yes. You are welcome to cite, quote, or share any article with attribution to Excelon Associates and a link back to the original post at excelonassociates.com.
How is the blog different from the sample job description library?
The blog contains guides, analysis, and commentary. The sample job description library is a separate free resource of professionally written job descriptions for roles in higher education, healthcare, and financial services that employers can use as benchmarks.
Explore More Excelon Resources
The blog is one of four free resources on this site. The others are below.
Open Roles
Current openings across our active search campaigns, updated in real time.
Sample Job Descriptions
Free, professionally written sample job descriptions across our core sectors.
Recent Campaigns
Active and completed searches across all service sectors and geographies.
Service Markets
How we recruit in higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government.
Hiring for a Leadership Role?
Institutions and organizations across the US and internationally rely on Excelon Associates for retained and contingency executive search. Tell us about your role and we will take it from there.
Or call us directly: +1 (828) 417-7094