Recruitment consulting & headhunting from Düsseldorf
Specialised direct search and executive search for key positions in industrial mid-caps and corporate groups. 25 years of industry experience, a discreet search, shortlist in four to six weeks.
Four reasons that speak for us
Three industries we understand in depth
Bohlken Consulting deliberately focuses on three core industrial sectors. That specialisation is what makes the difference.
Automotive industry
Specialised direct search for vehicle manufacturers (OEM) and automotive suppliers — from tier-1 to the mid-sized specialist. We fill key positions across all functions.
- Managing board & C-level (CEO, CFO, COO)
- Production, supply chain & operations
- Development & software engineering
- Sales & key account management
Chemical industry
Experienced recruiters for the chemicals and speciality chemicals industry. We fill strategic key positions at mid-sized speciality manufacturers and international groups.
- Research & development
- Production & plant management
- Technical sales & product management
- EHS, regulatory affairs & quality
Mechanical & plant engineering
Experienced recruitment consulting for German mechanical and plant engineering, including special-purpose machinery and engineering service providers. We understand project business and international structures.
- Design & development
- Project management & commissioning
- Large plant sales & after sales
- Managing directors of mid-caps
Three routes to your key appointment
From classic executive search through wide-reach advertising to scientifically grounded diagnostics.
Direct search & headhunting
Discreet candidate search in the hidden market. Ideal for key positions, confidential successions and specialists.
Learn more →Advertisement-based search
Wide-reach recruiting combined with professional screening. Ideal for broader target groups.
Learn more →Aptitude diagnostics & potential analysis
Scientifically grounded selection support — for external candidates, internal promotions or as a 360-degree audit.
Learn more →Two free tools for your career reflection
Alongside classic headhunting we offer two online tools for professionals and executives.
Salary check
Does your income match the current market standard? An anonymous salary comparison for professionals and executives across industry — result in under five minutes.
- Anonymous & without registration
- Market data from live assignments
- Function, position and region taken into account
Leadership style test online
How do you really lead? A scientifically grounded self-test with 40 indicators — measuring authoritarian, democratic, laissez-faire and transformational leadership.
- 0 validated items, 4 styles
- Instant evaluation with profile bars
- Three concrete development impulses
Your assignment in five structured steps
From the initial conversation to the signed contract, every assignment at Bohlken Consulting follows the same path.
A 60-minute clarification without obligation. Which position, which market, which timeframe?
Detailed requirement profile, target company list, fee agreement, assignment.
Targeted candidate identification, discreet contact, structured first interviews.
Presentation of the three to five best candidates with detailed profiles and diagnostics.
Support through the final interviews, contract negotiation and onboarding handover.
Positions we are filling right now
An extract from our live search assignments — from C-level roles in mid-caps to specialist positions.
The vacancies page always shows the current status. Assignments are added continuously and removed once filled.
Recruitment consulting based in Düsseldorf — active throughout Germany
Bohlken Consulting handles assignments nationwide. Our base in Düsseldorf means short distances in the industrial heartland, yet our search assignments reach from Hamburg to Munich, from Berlin to Stuttgart.
In addition we handle assignments in the neighbouring DACH region (Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands). What decides our assignments is not geography but the industry: automotive, chemicals and mechanical engineering — wherever our specialisation makes the difference.
Detail page: recruitment consulting Düsseldorf & NRWEconomic regions in Germany we actively serve
Behind every assignment there is a person — not a consulting machine
Jan Bohlken
For more than 25 years I have worked as a recruitment consultant and headhunter — with a consistent focus on the three core industrial sectors automotive, chemicals and mechanical engineering. In that time I have held thousands of conversations with executives and specialists and completed hundreds of assignments.
At Bohlken Consulting you are not assigned an interchangeable consultant. From the first conversation to the signed contract you deal with me.
Recruitment consulting is a matter of trust. Anyone who has lived through a bad appointment knows that a good headhunter is worth the difference.Profile & background
Frequently asked questions about recruitment consulting
Bohlken Consulting works on the classic basis of thirds: one third of the fee is due on assignment, one third on presentation of the shortlist and one third on contract signature. The total fee is 5 to 33 per cent of the gross annual target salary for the position. You receive a concrete indication after an initial conversation.
For specialist and leadership positions we usually deliver the shortlist within four to six weeks of the assignment. Very rare profiles or C-level mandates can take eight to twelve weeks.
Three points. First, genuine industry specialisation in automotive, chemicals and mechanical engineering instead of an all-round approach. Second, personal attention from Jan Bohlken himself, without junior consultants in day-to-day work. Third, considerably faster response times and leaner structures.
The focus is on leadership positions from department head upwards through to managing director, as well as highly specialised technical functions: CFO, plant manager, head of development, head of sales.
Nationwide. The Düsseldorf base serves the economic region of North Rhine-Westphalia with particular density, including Cologne, Essen, Dortmund, Duisburg, Bochum and Wuppertal. Assignments regularly extend across Germany.
Discretion is non-negotiable. Assignments are never communicated publicly and candidate profiles are passed on only after explicit agreement.
Yes. Alongside classic headhunting we offer scientifically grounded potential analyses for the selection decision in a live assignment, for internal promotions or as a 360-degree audit.
Five steps. 1. A no-obligation Initial conversation to clarify the need. 2. A detailed Briefing including target company list and requirement profile. 3. A discreet Direct approach and structured first interviews. 4. Presentation of the shortlist with detailed candidate profiles. 5. Support through selection interviews and contract negotiation up to signature, complemented by aptitude diagnostics on request.
Yes. Current openings are listed under Profile/Vacancies . Speculative applications from experienced executives and specialists in automotive, chemicals and mechanical engineering are treated confidentially and passed to potential clients only with explicit consent.
More than 25 years of experience in direct search and recruitment consulting with a consistent industry focus on automotive, chemicals and mechanical engineering. 2002 a personal contact for every single client.
Ready to fill your key position?
Book an initial conversation without obligation. In 60 minutes we clarify whether and how Bohlken Consulting can support you.