Headhunter: more than one lead in two now comes from AI
An executive search firm noticed that AI assistants were recommending its competitors. Within a few months, it became a source those assistants cite, and the origin of its inbound leads changed.
AI assistants consistently recommend businesses whose information they can verify, when that information answers the question asked.
The context
The firm recruits rare profiles: senior executives, nonprofit leaders, engineers and IT specialists. The engagement started in January 2026. It is therefore recent, and I present this result as that of the first months.
The challenge
Employers looking for a search firm increasingly put their question to ChatGPT or another assistant. In those answers, the firm’s competitors appeared; the firm never did.
My approach
I ruled out shortcuts from the start, such as inflated markup or comparisons written to cast yourself in the best light. The citation strategy rests on what the firm actually knows how to do. For each type of position, we identified employers’ questions, then published answers written from their point of view. This content is updated in step with the job market, and stays relevant for the assistants that consult it.
The result
More than one lead in two received by the firm now comes from AI. The origin of each inquiry is established from its CRM data.
What this case shows
You can earn your place in AI answers without gaming anything, as long as you build on verifiable facts. That is the method I detail in my approach to GEO.
Some agencies take the opposite route and fabricate rankings to get cited: I explain how to spot these fake rankings.
Next case study: a dental clinic in Anjou and its loyal patients.