Three out of four laid-off executives find a new position at the same or higher level as the one they previously held, according to a new study by Right Management Inc.

The firm, a Manpower Inc. subsidiary that specializes in talent and career management, analyzed data on 599 senior-level executives to whom it provided career transition services and who found new jobs during the first half of 2010.

The study said that among 92 executives in the Midwest, 71 percent found comparable or better positions compared with a national average of 72 percent, and that as a rule, the compensation was comparable to that in their former position.

It included individuals with titles such as general manager, director, vice president, senior vice president, executive vice president and chief executive officer.

“Our findings suggest that most top-level executives are bouncing back from job loss despite uncertain economic indicators” said Mary Haskins, senior vice president with Right Management, in a release.

“These individuals at the middle to upper corporate levels are likely filling positions created as a result of changes in business strategy,” she said, adding that the study population represented “experienced, skilled and very competitive,” executives and it recognized that “such outcomes aren’t as consistent for job seekers at lower ranks or different geographies.”

To gain a competitive edge, Haskins recommended that C-level executive job seekers make sure to understand a prospective employer’s culture in advance of an interview, highlight interpersonal and work skills that will align with the company’s culture, and demonstrate the ability to transition smoothly into a new environment.

“Career experts have long known that networking is the best way for finding suitable employment,” Haskins said, noting that 57 percent of the executives studied attributed new opportunities to networking.