How to apply for Project Coordinator/Assistant

About Isaacson, Miller

Isaacson, Miller is a national retained executive search firm that recruits leaders for civic sector organizations. It has practices in higher education, healthcare, science and technology, PreK-12 education, conservation, associations, foundations, arts and culture, human services, and advocacy. The firm reports an 83% returning-client rate and completes more than 300 searches per year.

About the role

The Search Coordinator supports the execution of executive search assignments for mission-driven clients. The role involves coordinating schedules, materials, and communication among candidates, clients, and internal search teams. This position directly affects the caliber and diversity of leadership placed in civic sector organizations.

A typical day

A Search Coordinator likely spends the day scheduling candidate and client interviews, preparing search materials, and updating internal teams on assignment progress. The exact daily routine is not described in the job details, so ask about typical tasks, tools, and team structure during the interview.

Who Isaacson, Miller is looking for

• Interest in executive recruiting and the civic sector, including higher education, healthcare, or nonprofits
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple search assignments and competing deadlines
• Comfort working remotely with dispersed colleagues and clients
• Commitment to service excellence, integrity, and impact as stated in the job description

Tips for this application

• Read the full job description on the Isaacson, Miller careers page for the complete list of Search Coordinator responsibilities and required qualifications.
• Reference IM's sector practices (higher education, healthcare, conservation, etc.) in your materials to show you understand the client base.
• Note the firm's stated commitment to strengthening and diversifying leadership in your application, since this is central to its work.
• Confirm whether the Search Coordinator role is tied to a specific practice area or supports searches across all practices, and address that in your cover letter.
• Check IM's website for its published search assignments to understand the volume and pace of work before applying.

What to cover in your cover letter

Explain why you want to support executive searches for civic sector organizations. Describe any experience coordinating schedules, documents, or communication across multiple stakeholders. Show familiarity with IM's practice areas and client types. Connect your interest to the firm's stated ideals of service excellence, integrity, and impact.

Research before applying

• Review IM's practice areas and the types of organizations it serves
• Look at current and past search assignments listed on the IM website
• Read about the firm's history since its founding in 1982 and its stated commitment to diversifying leadership
• Check the full job posting for details on the Search Coordinator role that are not in the summary provided

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would manage scheduling and communication for multiple concurrent search assignments
• Your understanding of the civic sector and why retained executive search interests you
• How you handle confidential candidate and client information
• Examples of coordinating between internal teams and external stakeholders
• Why you want to work at Isaacson, Miller specifically rather than another search firm

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without reading the full job description on IM's site, which may contain qualifications missing from the summary
• Treating this as a generic administrative role without addressing executive search or the civic sector
• Ignoring the firm's stated focus on diversity in leadership and its 83% returning-client rate