Filling executive jobs is a crucial, and costly, recurring need for organizations. When an executive placement does not work out, it can be a painful experience for everyone involved - the hiring organization, the executive hired, and the executive recruiter. (See a recent, high-profile example here.) To increase the chances of success, organizations can hire a coach to help in the critical transition period in a new executive's first year. Here are some ways a coach can help an executive avoid common pitfalls in the first year.