Making Bricks Without Straw: Pragmatic Job Analysis of Search Consultants and Its Activity System

Search consultants typically experience a yawning gap between theory and practice. In theory, they recruit and select candidates based on job requirements set by hiring organizations. However, in practice, they often begin the process before these requirements are fully established. This gap attributes to system-level tensions emerge within the activity system in which they operate in. To examine how search consultants navigate this challenge, we interviewed eight professionals and conducted an activity-theoretical analysis. Our findings reveal job descriptions are frequently considered incomplete or imprecise. In response, search consultants develop both short- and long-term resolutions. In the short term, they conduct “quick-and-dirty” or pragmatic job analyses to expedite recruitment. In the long term, they adopt cognitive strategies to adapt to the evolving system. These resolutions allow search consultants to function effectively despite uncertainties. Ultimately, they shape both their own practices and the broader activity system. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.