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XTERNA Consulting Boutique recruiting for the US construction industry

XTERNA — a boutique recruiter website for the US construction industry with 92% retention and 18 days to shortlist

A website for an executive recruitment firm that differentiates from generic staffing agencies. Key metrics above the fold, structure across 4 specialties, and XTERNA Insights with a video podcast as a client acquisition tool.

92%

candidate retention rate

18 days

to shortlist

150+

positions closed

Results

Standing apart from generic recruiters

An engineering firm director sees XTERNA as an industry expert, not another staffing agency. Higher fees, faster decisions.

Numbers sell better than promises

92% retention, 150+ positions closed, 18 days to shortlist — the language an HR director understands without lengthy negotiation.

Podcast as a sales channel

XTERNA Insights with a video podcast brings industry leaders into the funnel. Podcast guests become clients or referrers.

4 specialties — 4 funnels

A forensic firm director, a restoration bureau head, and a chief engineer each see their specialty on a dedicated page.

Direct contact with the founder

Boutique inquiry form — the client writes directly to the founder. First contact = a serious dialogue that more often converts to retained search.

The Challenge

XTERNA Consulting is a boutique recruiter for executive and senior technical roles in the construction industry: architecture, engineering, restoration, forensics. New York, operating across the USA, 40+ companies in active search.

The US recruiting market is saturated. Three specific gaps:

  • Clients didn’t see the difference between XTERNA and a generic staffing agency.
  • There was no showcase of key metrics: 92% retention, 150+ positions, 18 days to shortlist.
  • The “market research before search” approach needed to be explained in plain language.

What We Built

Positioning

100% focus on the construction industry

Design in the spirit of high-end consulting, not a typical agency. "Research first, then search" approach explained in plain language a director understands.

4 specialties

Building envelope, structural, architecture, forensics

Each page with hiring examples (Senior Project Manager, Principal Engineer). A forensic firm director immediately sees "this is about me."

XTERNA Insights

Video podcast with industry leaders

A platform for the podcast. Regular content brings high-level visitors. Podcast guests themselves become clients or referrers.

Inquiry form

"Discuss a search" — boutique format

Button framed as "hire an expert," not "post a job." Direct contact with the founder — first touch is immediately a serious dialogue.

Site Performance

Measured in Google Lighthouse (mobile version).

94

Overall speed

HR directors see quality from the first touchpoint. Google ranks higher.

1.0s

Hero load time

An engineering firm director immediately sees 92% retention and 150+ positions.

0 ms

Click delay (TBT)

The "Discuss a search" button and inquiry form open instantly.

0

CLS (layout stability)

Elements don't "jump" — a perfect score.

100

Accessibility

Fully accessible. For large US engineering firms, this is a trust factor.

93

SEO score

Competes for "executive search architecture," "AEC industry headhunter."

Next move

Have a similar bottleneck? Let's scope the system.