Executive assimilation suspect, survey finds.

Bringing in new executives is always a challenge. It turns out that just 30 percent of global executives surveyed recently by Korn/Ferry International are positive about their employer's hiring and assimilation process.

The largest percentage of respondents (38 percent) to the Korn/Ferry International Executive Quiz called their employer's "onboarding" and assimilation process average, with 22 percent calling it below average and 10 percent deeming it "poor." The survey reflects responses from executives from more than 80 countries, representing a wide spectrum of industries and functional areas, registered within the search firm's online Executive Center.

Additionally, more than half of the surveyed executives (54 percent) believe that they don't reach maximum productivity until three to five years into their tenure with a company. Another 33 percent believe executives are most productive at one to two years, 8 percent say five to 10 years, 4 percent say six months and 2 percent say it takes more than 10 years.

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The survey also examined several common issues around job interviews. Sixty percent of executives say that the most important thing they do before an interview is conduct research on the potential employer, followed by reaching out to contacts with knowledge of the employer (20 percent) and formulating responses to possible interview questions (19 percent). Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of executives report always or very often sending "thank you" notes to potential employers following interviews, with 63 percent of those notes being emailed.

Finally, when asked about the best excuse to use when one is out of the office at a job interview, the largest percentage of respondents (34 percent) said they give no excuse and just sneak out. Other popular responses included child- or family-related commitments (27 percent), doctor or dentist appointment (23 percent) and taking a long lunch (15 percent).