One of the largest independent recruitment groups Pertemps fired the starting pistol on a new arm of the family business, Network Brand Partnerships.
Midlands based Network Brand Partnerships is a fully owned subsidiary of Pertemps Investments and has been formed to improve the standards of local recruitment across the main sectors within the UK and Europe.
Debbie Smith Managing Director of Network Brand Partnership said: “We are offering three very diverse recruitment business models covering Executive Search, Health Care and the High Street. We want to attract partners to run their own business in the sector that suits them. It is an exciting move forwards in a growing industry.”
Network Brand Partnerships completed the acquisition of C N A International in December 2008, adding the established 20 strong Executive Search franchise network to their Health Care and High Street focused partner networks.
“C N A International has an enviable reputation within the recruitment industry and an experienced and highly motivated team of executive search consultants,” said C N A’s founder and former chairman Albert Wilde.
“Since forming the company in 1995, we have expanded our operations into Europe and I’m confident that the resources and expertise that Network Brand Partnerships is able to offer will take C N A to the next stage, enabling robust expansion both in the UK and on the international scene,” continues Wilde.
C N A Executive Search form one of the three arms of the unique offering Network Brand Partnerships has formed to create the leading recruitment industry franchise opportunity. High quality search is a multi million pound industry. Continued growth is forecast due to continue to the acute worldwide shortage of proven top management talent.
The Health Care arm is an evolution of the established and successful Pertemps Healthcare, named ‘Network Health and Social Care’. The UK market is currently worth over £12 billion per annum and this can only increase as the Government encourage more and more people to receive care in their own homes. This coupled with an increasingly ageing population will result in a quick return on investment.
Tim Watts, Chairman of Pertemps Investments said: “I am delighted to welcome Network Brand Partnerships to the Pertemps Group, this new venture will ensure we continue to strengthen operations within the recruitment industry.
“With so many different sectors in the recruitment industry attracting such varied business owners the aim of Network Brand Partnerships three franchise offerings are simply to provide choice. Partners will benefit from one of the most technologically advanced back office teams in the UK as well as a support team led by some of the recruitment industry’s most respected and experienced Individuals.”
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Friday, 9 January 2009
Get the Perfect Management Job
Get the Perfect Management Job
There are many management jobs available but these types of employment are not as easy to step into as an entry level position in a company. Knowing where to look, being able to accurately assess your own talents and being properly prepared will help you get the dream job you are seeking.Where to LookManagement jobs are rarely found in local classified ads. If you are already in an executive position you may hear of openings by word of mouth but otherwise you can check executive job searches online. Some companies will hire recruiters to do an executive search. In those cases the recruiters may advertise in local and national papers as well as using online resources to attract new candidates. You can jump start your executive search by sending your resume to known recruiters who can match you to jobs they have on hand. High level executive jobs pay very well and hold a great deal of responsibility so the executive search for these positions will entail a very strict screening process.Assess Your TalentsWhether you have degree training or practical experience in a certain field it is important to know your own strengths and weaknesses before applying for a position. Be honest with yourself as you scan the executive job searches. If you do not immediately know what a position entails do your best to find out first so that you can truly understand what you are applying for and know ahead of time if it is a fit for your abilities.Be PreparedHave a top notch resume in hand when you apply for a management job. Your resume should outline your education, past employment and have a section that details your general outlook toward the position you are seeking and why you would be a good fit for the job. Have a very powerful mission statement at the forefront of your resume. Let your prospective employer know you are dedicated, serious, and can take charge of a situation. Most executive management jobs will require background checks and some may be quite extensive. If the job deals with large sums of money, or being responsible for company assets you will need to be bonded which requires a thorough criminal background check. Don't be a passive bystander in your interview. Once you get your foot in the door and your resume has passed you will be asked in for an interview. This is an important time to make a strong impression and unlike lesser jobs you need to make an active impression on your ability to lead and take control. Be polite but assertive as to why you are a good choice for the position.Looking for any job is a stressful situation and the higher the position the more stress there is. If you follow a plan and understand what you are facing you will be much better prepared to get the job you desire.
There are many management jobs available but these types of employment are not as easy to step into as an entry level position in a company. Knowing where to look, being able to accurately assess your own talents and being properly prepared will help you get the dream job you are seeking.Where to LookManagement jobs are rarely found in local classified ads. If you are already in an executive position you may hear of openings by word of mouth but otherwise you can check executive job searches online. Some companies will hire recruiters to do an executive search. In those cases the recruiters may advertise in local and national papers as well as using online resources to attract new candidates. You can jump start your executive search by sending your resume to known recruiters who can match you to jobs they have on hand. High level executive jobs pay very well and hold a great deal of responsibility so the executive search for these positions will entail a very strict screening process.Assess Your TalentsWhether you have degree training or practical experience in a certain field it is important to know your own strengths and weaknesses before applying for a position. Be honest with yourself as you scan the executive job searches. If you do not immediately know what a position entails do your best to find out first so that you can truly understand what you are applying for and know ahead of time if it is a fit for your abilities.Be PreparedHave a top notch resume in hand when you apply for a management job. Your resume should outline your education, past employment and have a section that details your general outlook toward the position you are seeking and why you would be a good fit for the job. Have a very powerful mission statement at the forefront of your resume. Let your prospective employer know you are dedicated, serious, and can take charge of a situation. Most executive management jobs will require background checks and some may be quite extensive. If the job deals with large sums of money, or being responsible for company assets you will need to be bonded which requires a thorough criminal background check. Don't be a passive bystander in your interview. Once you get your foot in the door and your resume has passed you will be asked in for an interview. This is an important time to make a strong impression and unlike lesser jobs you need to make an active impression on your ability to lead and take control. Be polite but assertive as to why you are a good choice for the position.Looking for any job is a stressful situation and the higher the position the more stress there is. If you follow a plan and understand what you are facing you will be much better prepared to get the job you desire.
Using Executive Search Firms
Many companies use executive search firms for many different reasons. Firstly, it is important that the firm being used has a specifically defined knowledge or experience in searching in a specific industrial sector or locating candidates within a defined group. The majority of these firms are designated according to their function and practice, with specific expertise in defined industries, including such areas as human resources or finance. Secondly, clients or employers may be looking for firms that follow strict deadlines, can work quickly and efficiently in a limited amount of time, have a unique and workable perspective, have an extensive network of contacts and are able to work discretely.
Most employers choose such search firms that can give professional level advice in regards to detailed attributes of designated job positions and provide well-suited and qualified individual candidates. It is expected that such firms are able to provide an immediate list of the best candidates available within at least the first 4 weeks of their retainment. The firm must be able to narrow down the potential candidate list after undertaking candidate interviews and present a more defined list to the employers. This allows the employers to choose their selected candidates and conduct their own interviews to choose the appropriately fitted individual for the position without wasting valuable time and expense. Thirdly, employers expect good lines of communication and continuous updates regarding a firm is searches to make sure that the searches are progressing at a satisfactory pace.
Once an executive search firm has been chosen, industry specific representatives, from the firm, work with an employer to ensure that the job role and qualifications and experiences needed for the position are clearly understood. Employers expect that the firm will become familiarized with them, their strategies, their challenges, their business cultures, their employees, and the specific skill sets and characteristics that the employers need in a potential candidate. Firms should be able to work closely with employers in the creation of the job is description and that of the perfect candidate.
Employers are also looking for firms that have a professional team that includes administrators and associates that can coordinate tasks to assist the consultants that will carry out their searches. They expect that these firm consultants will utilize an extensive resource network that includes current functional and industrial research, specialized databases, information about their companies and varied Internet tools to help them identify the targeted market. Such research areas include other competing employers and other companies from related or similar industries where potential candidates may be found. In short, employers want executive search firms that do a lot of 'behind the scenes' background research that will help them completely understand the employers' market and the candidate types that are best suited to their job positions.
Executive search firms are used because of their ability to go beyond their background searches and verify specific credentials and background for each potential candidate they find. Firms must be able to approach these candidates to vet their interest in the positions available, interview them, evaluate them and form candidate profiles. Once potential candidates are chosen, they must be short listed further by specific qualifications and their ability to fit within the employers' companies. At this point, employers will want to enter negotiations with potential candidates and want a search firm that will represent them in the first initial stages.
Other important criteria as to why employers should use executive search firms include the firms' abilities to properly represent them and develop professional firm-candidate or other relationships during searches. Some of these must include contacts for the purpose of gaining advice and/or information on potentially recommended candidates that may be considering current or future career or industry changes. Employers also seek the use of executive search firms that accept resume submissions from potential candidates outside of their searches. These firms should have a database of these individuals, categorized according to varied criteria, including qualifications, experiences and skill sets. Employers expect these lists to be included as part of the main search requirements.
In conclusion, most employers use executive search firms for many reasons, but most importantly for their skills at using all professional and legal means at their disposal, both online and offline, and conventional and non-conventional to ensure their searches are thorough, meet all the needs of the employers, and fine tune lists of suitable candidates. Each employer demands high standards combined with quality, excellent communications, and professional representation and advice
Most employers choose such search firms that can give professional level advice in regards to detailed attributes of designated job positions and provide well-suited and qualified individual candidates. It is expected that such firms are able to provide an immediate list of the best candidates available within at least the first 4 weeks of their retainment. The firm must be able to narrow down the potential candidate list after undertaking candidate interviews and present a more defined list to the employers. This allows the employers to choose their selected candidates and conduct their own interviews to choose the appropriately fitted individual for the position without wasting valuable time and expense. Thirdly, employers expect good lines of communication and continuous updates regarding a firm is searches to make sure that the searches are progressing at a satisfactory pace.
Once an executive search firm has been chosen, industry specific representatives, from the firm, work with an employer to ensure that the job role and qualifications and experiences needed for the position are clearly understood. Employers expect that the firm will become familiarized with them, their strategies, their challenges, their business cultures, their employees, and the specific skill sets and characteristics that the employers need in a potential candidate. Firms should be able to work closely with employers in the creation of the job is description and that of the perfect candidate.
Employers are also looking for firms that have a professional team that includes administrators and associates that can coordinate tasks to assist the consultants that will carry out their searches. They expect that these firm consultants will utilize an extensive resource network that includes current functional and industrial research, specialized databases, information about their companies and varied Internet tools to help them identify the targeted market. Such research areas include other competing employers and other companies from related or similar industries where potential candidates may be found. In short, employers want executive search firms that do a lot of 'behind the scenes' background research that will help them completely understand the employers' market and the candidate types that are best suited to their job positions.
Executive search firms are used because of their ability to go beyond their background searches and verify specific credentials and background for each potential candidate they find. Firms must be able to approach these candidates to vet their interest in the positions available, interview them, evaluate them and form candidate profiles. Once potential candidates are chosen, they must be short listed further by specific qualifications and their ability to fit within the employers' companies. At this point, employers will want to enter negotiations with potential candidates and want a search firm that will represent them in the first initial stages.
Other important criteria as to why employers should use executive search firms include the firms' abilities to properly represent them and develop professional firm-candidate or other relationships during searches. Some of these must include contacts for the purpose of gaining advice and/or information on potentially recommended candidates that may be considering current or future career or industry changes. Employers also seek the use of executive search firms that accept resume submissions from potential candidates outside of their searches. These firms should have a database of these individuals, categorized according to varied criteria, including qualifications, experiences and skill sets. Employers expect these lists to be included as part of the main search requirements.
In conclusion, most employers use executive search firms for many reasons, but most importantly for their skills at using all professional and legal means at their disposal, both online and offline, and conventional and non-conventional to ensure their searches are thorough, meet all the needs of the employers, and fine tune lists of suitable candidates. Each employer demands high standards combined with quality, excellent communications, and professional representation and advice
Executive Job Search
The first job the individual lands after graduation could lead to better opportunities in the future. If after how many years the employee sees no growth in the company, perhaps it is time to do an executive job search before leaving the current position.
The first thing the executive should do is update that resume. This is because the one who will interview the person does not know anything except what is written on that document.
It should contain the positions held in previous jobs, the length of time that the executive has been there, the nature of the work and the major accomplishments. Those who don’t know how to make a resume can use the wizard function in word or ask someone else to edit and polish it.
The applicant should remember that a poorly written resume will make job hunting more difficult and the recruiter will most likely give the vacant position to someone else.
When the resume has been made, it is time to get it to as many recruiters as possible. The person can contact old friends or look in the classified ads section of the newspaper. It doesn’t look good just to have this document there. A cover letter should always be attached and addressed to the designated person.
It also wouldn’t hurt to open an Internet account since a lot of recruiters have websites that helps both the applicant and the employer look for qualified people to occupy the vacant positions.
Another option that will cost a little more is for the individual to hire a headhunter to do all the legwork. This broker can help negotiate the salary that the executive wants which is usually higher than what is being paid by the current employer.
A lot of executives stop here and wait for that phone call. It will take some time before some of these companies respond so investing in email campaign software will be useful to send the resume to other people.
Telemarketers sell products by calling on potential clients on the phone. The executive can do the same thing by selling oneself. If the person is not there, it wouldn’t hurt to leave a voice message including the contact number and email address.
The trick to landing an executive job has to do with timing. Most companies look for fresh or experienced people usually in the first quarter of the year. Maybe because there are a lot of bright minds fresh from college or the budget is still huge from the previous year.
If there are no hits yet after a month, the executive should be grateful that there is still the existing job. At least, this will help pay the bills and for other expenses.
When the call comes in, the individual should look smart and be prepared to answer any question given by the recruiter. It pays to come on time because this shows that the individual values the time of other people even if the one who will be conducting the interview is late.
Most recruiters will say right then and there if the executive got the job. Those who say, “ we’ll just give you a call.” are saying in a polite way that the individual did not get it so the executive should continue on with the job search.
The first thing the executive should do is update that resume. This is because the one who will interview the person does not know anything except what is written on that document.
It should contain the positions held in previous jobs, the length of time that the executive has been there, the nature of the work and the major accomplishments. Those who don’t know how to make a resume can use the wizard function in word or ask someone else to edit and polish it.
The applicant should remember that a poorly written resume will make job hunting more difficult and the recruiter will most likely give the vacant position to someone else.
When the resume has been made, it is time to get it to as many recruiters as possible. The person can contact old friends or look in the classified ads section of the newspaper. It doesn’t look good just to have this document there. A cover letter should always be attached and addressed to the designated person.
It also wouldn’t hurt to open an Internet account since a lot of recruiters have websites that helps both the applicant and the employer look for qualified people to occupy the vacant positions.
Another option that will cost a little more is for the individual to hire a headhunter to do all the legwork. This broker can help negotiate the salary that the executive wants which is usually higher than what is being paid by the current employer.
A lot of executives stop here and wait for that phone call. It will take some time before some of these companies respond so investing in email campaign software will be useful to send the resume to other people.
Telemarketers sell products by calling on potential clients on the phone. The executive can do the same thing by selling oneself. If the person is not there, it wouldn’t hurt to leave a voice message including the contact number and email address.
The trick to landing an executive job has to do with timing. Most companies look for fresh or experienced people usually in the first quarter of the year. Maybe because there are a lot of bright minds fresh from college or the budget is still huge from the previous year.
If there are no hits yet after a month, the executive should be grateful that there is still the existing job. At least, this will help pay the bills and for other expenses.
When the call comes in, the individual should look smart and be prepared to answer any question given by the recruiter. It pays to come on time because this shows that the individual values the time of other people even if the one who will be conducting the interview is late.
Most recruiters will say right then and there if the executive got the job. Those who say, “ we’ll just give you a call.” are saying in a polite way that the individual did not get it so the executive should continue on with the job search.
Executive search engines
Searching for prospective employees can be a very tricky business. Of course you want to choose the most suitable person for the job, and if possible, the perfect match. There are a lot of factors to consider. With the endless number of people who have various things to offer, you want to narrow your search and choose from only a handful of people to interview. But how can you be assured that your "perfect fit" prospective employee is among the handful you selected? A more traditional approach is by posting and ad in the classifieds, joining job fairs or by putting up a sign outside your office building and just wait for the resumes to come in. But if you really want to maximize your search and do this with even added convenience, your best bet is by singing up for an executive search engine.
The database
To choose the best qualified candidate for a certain job and one who will fit all factors including salary expectations, you need a big database for a talent pool. Head hunters who make it their business to search for qualified applicants and prospective employees match them with interested companies compiled in a database. This database contains and organizes the vital information that will be useful for you when you search for the perfect candidate. They can compile millions of job applicants and organize all the data to narrow down the searches. The more specific you are with the qualifications you are looking for, the narrower the search will be and the more chances of getting the best applicant. Because of the database's ability to compile a large number of applicants in every area and across all age brackets, the reach is optimal and the search is maximized.
The search engine
The search engine is your best friend when it comes to making sense of web information and finding what you really want. With gazillions of information on the Internet, search engines make searching a breeze. Executive search engines allow you to look for prospective employees within a specific criteria such as age, years of work experience, educational status, specific skills, and work history. You can even post a question for the applicants to see how they will answer. Most search engines are powered by companies that require registration. A monthly fee will be charged for the companies who want to avail of their database and other services. All in all, subscribing to an executive search engine is a good investment.
The database
To choose the best qualified candidate for a certain job and one who will fit all factors including salary expectations, you need a big database for a talent pool. Head hunters who make it their business to search for qualified applicants and prospective employees match them with interested companies compiled in a database. This database contains and organizes the vital information that will be useful for you when you search for the perfect candidate. They can compile millions of job applicants and organize all the data to narrow down the searches. The more specific you are with the qualifications you are looking for, the narrower the search will be and the more chances of getting the best applicant. Because of the database's ability to compile a large number of applicants in every area and across all age brackets, the reach is optimal and the search is maximized.
The search engine
The search engine is your best friend when it comes to making sense of web information and finding what you really want. With gazillions of information on the Internet, search engines make searching a breeze. Executive search engines allow you to look for prospective employees within a specific criteria such as age, years of work experience, educational status, specific skills, and work history. You can even post a question for the applicants to see how they will answer. Most search engines are powered by companies that require registration. A monthly fee will be charged for the companies who want to avail of their database and other services. All in all, subscribing to an executive search engine is a good investment.
Executive recruiters
Beginning a new career, or trying to advance in an already well-established career, can sometimes be overwhelming. Even if you are a qualified professional with commendable work skills and experience, it is sometimes difficult to position yourself in the proper place at the right time. Mark Twain was fascinated by the effects that circumstances have on any one person's life. Finding that perfect career is a perfect example of this; even though you may be the most qualified individual for a position, you must rely on the proper circumstances to provide the opportunity.
So how can you affect an exterior influence such as circumstance? When it comes to finding a great professional career, executive headhunters and executive recruiting agencies can be your greatest ally. Working with a professional recruiter or executive search agent can make the job search process much easier, and building a relationship with an executive recruiter can expose you to opportunities you may have otherwise missed.
Executive recruiters sometimes called headhunters, search agents, or professional recruiters, act as a sort of liaison between qualified job seekers and experienced businesses. These are not job-placement agencies, but a much more involved, more long-term service used by companies to enlist qualified professionals for higher-level positions in (most of the time) specialized industries. Job-placement services tend to use a more "blanketed" approach to finding potential hires for a client company, such as "cold-calling". Most often, job placement services have very little or no previous knowledge of a candidate before contact is made.
On the other hand, headhunters are much more involved, and there priority mission is to find the most capable person to fill a position. Executive recruiters usually work more closely with their client companies to find an individual who will not only perform their job well, but one who will fit well in the client company's employment culture and work environment. Their main goal is to strengthen their client companies by introducing high-profile employees. The better the employee they help their client companies find, the greater their repute will be with both their existing clients, as well as any future clients.
If you are serious about finding a long-term, professional career with a successful company that recognizes the value of qualified individuals, a recruiting agent can help you get started. If you can provide the necessary skills to excel in a particular industry, recruiters can provide you with invaluable opportunities. While Mark Twain may consider himself a victim of circumstance, executive search agents may just be the masters of circumstance.
So how can you affect an exterior influence such as circumstance? When it comes to finding a great professional career, executive headhunters and executive recruiting agencies can be your greatest ally. Working with a professional recruiter or executive search agent can make the job search process much easier, and building a relationship with an executive recruiter can expose you to opportunities you may have otherwise missed.
Executive recruiters sometimes called headhunters, search agents, or professional recruiters, act as a sort of liaison between qualified job seekers and experienced businesses. These are not job-placement agencies, but a much more involved, more long-term service used by companies to enlist qualified professionals for higher-level positions in (most of the time) specialized industries. Job-placement services tend to use a more "blanketed" approach to finding potential hires for a client company, such as "cold-calling". Most often, job placement services have very little or no previous knowledge of a candidate before contact is made.
On the other hand, headhunters are much more involved, and there priority mission is to find the most capable person to fill a position. Executive recruiters usually work more closely with their client companies to find an individual who will not only perform their job well, but one who will fit well in the client company's employment culture and work environment. Their main goal is to strengthen their client companies by introducing high-profile employees. The better the employee they help their client companies find, the greater their repute will be with both their existing clients, as well as any future clients.
If you are serious about finding a long-term, professional career with a successful company that recognizes the value of qualified individuals, a recruiting agent can help you get started. If you can provide the necessary skills to excel in a particular industry, recruiters can provide you with invaluable opportunities. While Mark Twain may consider himself a victim of circumstance, executive search agents may just be the masters of circumstance.
Executive search solutions
Finding the right employee for a certain company position is not an easy task, and oftentimes it can be downright frustrating. Of course you only want the most qualified person to occupy the vacant position to maximize the productivity and strengthen the company. A bad hire can be a huge waste of time and money and a big cause for a headache. Traditionally, finding a prospective employee to fill a position is done by posting an ad in the classifieds section of the newspaper or a magazine. It can also be announced over the radio. After doing this, you just wait for the resumes or the applicants to come personally. There are head hunters that you can hire who have access to a lot of applicant databases. These methods are all still done today and they are fairly effective, but if you want optimal and wide-ranging results at an affordable fee with the convenience of 24-7 access to databases, then it is time to turn to executive search solutions.
Going online
The most convenient way to get prospective employees is through the Internet. There are companies that specialize in compiling databases of applicants and employers to ensure perfect matches for expectations and requirements. This way, they service both the job seeker and the employer. The reach of these executive search companies is far and wide so the information is rich and very valuable for the employer.
The search engine
The compiled database is organized in such a way that it will be easy for the employer and job seeker to obtain specific information they need. This assures a perfect match. An employer can search by criteria like work experience, age, skills, work history, educational background, salary expectation, and so forth. It can be accessed anytime and anywhere as long as the employer is connected to the Internet. Companies that offer executive search solutions usually require a small fee for the millions of viewable resumes available in their database.
Going online
The most convenient way to get prospective employees is through the Internet. There are companies that specialize in compiling databases of applicants and employers to ensure perfect matches for expectations and requirements. This way, they service both the job seeker and the employer. The reach of these executive search companies is far and wide so the information is rich and very valuable for the employer.
The search engine
The compiled database is organized in such a way that it will be easy for the employer and job seeker to obtain specific information they need. This assures a perfect match. An employer can search by criteria like work experience, age, skills, work history, educational background, salary expectation, and so forth. It can be accessed anytime and anywhere as long as the employer is connected to the Internet. Companies that offer executive search solutions usually require a small fee for the millions of viewable resumes available in their database.
Executive Job Search
You have worked your way up the career ladder and are now a responsible manager but you want more. Landing a good executive job is not dependent on luck. Experience, skills, achievements and your personality are all just as important. So what do you have to consider to get yourself ready for the executive search?
Dress For Success: First impressions count. The impression that you give your staff, your customers and your bosses is very important. You should dress to meet the needs of your job and the business culture. At executive level that usually means a suit for males and females, good jewelry and presentation.
Be An Achiever: At executive level, your potential employer is looking at how you will affect their business. They are seeking an increase in their turnover and their profit as well as looking after some key customers and developing their existing staff. Always mention 2 or 3 business based achievements on your resume or CV and be prepared to talk about them in your interview. Identify the budgets and staff that you have been responsible for.
Show Some Mastery: As well as the improvements that you can bring to your next potential employer, they will also be looking to bring in some expertise. Identify what your strengths are in skills and experience and look for executive roles that demand these. For an executive position, most employers want to hire someone who is already an expert in their own field. Potential employers are attracted to people who have already mastered their career and have established continuous career growth.
Finding an available executive job is always more difficult but with some preparation and knowledge of your own abilities it becomes a easier to get the job you deserve!
Dress For Success: First impressions count. The impression that you give your staff, your customers and your bosses is very important. You should dress to meet the needs of your job and the business culture. At executive level that usually means a suit for males and females, good jewelry and presentation.
Be An Achiever: At executive level, your potential employer is looking at how you will affect their business. They are seeking an increase in their turnover and their profit as well as looking after some key customers and developing their existing staff. Always mention 2 or 3 business based achievements on your resume or CV and be prepared to talk about them in your interview. Identify the budgets and staff that you have been responsible for.
Show Some Mastery: As well as the improvements that you can bring to your next potential employer, they will also be looking to bring in some expertise. Identify what your strengths are in skills and experience and look for executive roles that demand these. For an executive position, most employers want to hire someone who is already an expert in their own field. Potential employers are attracted to people who have already mastered their career and have established continuous career growth.
Finding an available executive job is always more difficult but with some preparation and knowledge of your own abilities it becomes a easier to get the job you deserve!
Executive Search Firms
Executive search firms can be a wonderful resource for those wishing to change positions. If you are currently working, it is always best to try to find a new position before leaving your old position. That way you have time to find the job with the best fit for you. However, many people do not want their current employers to know that they are looking for a new position. This is where executive search firms come in.
Executive search firms can help you to search for the perfect opening while keeping your job search a secret from your current employer. Good search firms will not charge you as they are usually paid by the companies who get their employees through them. The will also only pass on your information to companies you agree should have your information. That way your current employer will not see that you are searching for a job, and potential employers will not get flooded with your resume. Unlike posting your job on a job search engine, only those you wish to have your resume and contact information will receive it from search firms.
Executive recruiters also have access to positions that are not listed on job search websites or in the want ads. They help to sort through the applicants that are interested in a position so that the companies only have to look over the most promising candidates to fill the position, thus saving the company a lot of time that would otherwise be wasted looking through the information submitted by unqualified candidates. This is what companies pay search firms for.
Sometimes search firms also contact people that they think would be good for a position even if they haven't expressed an interest in leaving their current job. In some cases this leads to an employee changing jobs, giving the company access to a candidate for a position that they might not otherwise have heard about.
Once you work with an executive search firm to find a position, they will usually keep your resume on file and contact you from time to time to be sure you are still happy in your position. They also might ask if you know of anyone who might be looking for a new position, and sometimes the search firms will pay a referral fee to people who refer likely candidates to them.
Executive search firms can help you to search for the perfect opening while keeping your job search a secret from your current employer. Good search firms will not charge you as they are usually paid by the companies who get their employees through them. The will also only pass on your information to companies you agree should have your information. That way your current employer will not see that you are searching for a job, and potential employers will not get flooded with your resume. Unlike posting your job on a job search engine, only those you wish to have your resume and contact information will receive it from search firms.
Executive recruiters also have access to positions that are not listed on job search websites or in the want ads. They help to sort through the applicants that are interested in a position so that the companies only have to look over the most promising candidates to fill the position, thus saving the company a lot of time that would otherwise be wasted looking through the information submitted by unqualified candidates. This is what companies pay search firms for.
Sometimes search firms also contact people that they think would be good for a position even if they haven't expressed an interest in leaving their current job. In some cases this leads to an employee changing jobs, giving the company access to a candidate for a position that they might not otherwise have heard about.
Once you work with an executive search firm to find a position, they will usually keep your resume on file and contact you from time to time to be sure you are still happy in your position. They also might ask if you know of anyone who might be looking for a new position, and sometimes the search firms will pay a referral fee to people who refer likely candidates to them.
Executive Jobs
Executive job positions are advertised quite a lot through different mediums like newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and the Internet. The main part of executive job descriptions is the functions that the executive is expected to perform, the roles and responsibilities, education and relevant experience of a candidate. These things and requirements vary from one individual to another and also differ from one job to another.
There are various kinds of executive positions that exist. Even in the same company, the type of executives working in it would differ and so would the executive job description for each of them.
The main accountability of an executive would depend on the type of company and what they are into. The job of the executive would also depend on whether the company is a service-oriented company, a business process company, a software company, product oriented company or a company that primarily caters to sales and target. These would determine whether the executive would be required to be stationary in the company office or he would be asked to move around quite a lot either in the town itself, across the country and even on the other side of the world.
Executive positions are some of the most important in any company. So much so that even the main job in any company is called the post of the Chief Executive Officer.
It is because of the various types of executive that an executive job description becomes very important. Often the job cannot be gauged just by reading the job title description. One has to read the whole executive job description so as to understand what the job entails, how much it pays and most important of all, does the job fit the description of what the person is looking for.
The other factors like annual income and key responsibilities depend on the type of job and the extent of experience that an executive has in his/her previous jobs.
There are various kinds of executive positions that exist. Even in the same company, the type of executives working in it would differ and so would the executive job description for each of them.
The main accountability of an executive would depend on the type of company and what they are into. The job of the executive would also depend on whether the company is a service-oriented company, a business process company, a software company, product oriented company or a company that primarily caters to sales and target. These would determine whether the executive would be required to be stationary in the company office or he would be asked to move around quite a lot either in the town itself, across the country and even on the other side of the world.
Executive positions are some of the most important in any company. So much so that even the main job in any company is called the post of the Chief Executive Officer.
It is because of the various types of executive that an executive job description becomes very important. Often the job cannot be gauged just by reading the job title description. One has to read the whole executive job description so as to understand what the job entails, how much it pays and most important of all, does the job fit the description of what the person is looking for.
The other factors like annual income and key responsibilities depend on the type of job and the extent of experience that an executive has in his/her previous jobs.
Sales or Management Job ?
Are you starting a career and must decide whether to choose between a sales job or a management job? Are you at a point in your career where you have the option to get into a sales field or a management field? Here are my reasons why sales jobs are more rewarding, better paying, and more captivating and why I would recommend them over management jobs:
1. With sales jobs your remuneration is higher and the potential for higher pay is directly related to your performance. Sales jobs typically pay commissions, bonuses, or a hybrid of salary plus commission. So if you want to earn more you can and it’s totally up to you. Your work directly affects how much you get paid so the motivation to work, and work hard, will always be there. This is not so with management jobs. Managers tend to earn a set salary so no matter what they do they will earn the same. So there’s no monetary motivation to do a better job.
2. Sales jobs are the most important jobs in any organization. Sales drive a company’s revenue and growth. Without a sales department there would be no revenue. With no revenue there would be no company and, hence, no managers.
3. Salespeople are the first point of contact for clients. So they hear directly from them what they respond to and what’s not working for them. This also gives salespeople an advantage to alter their pitch as opposed to Managers who advise of the big picture administrative objectives . Sales jobs, naturally, permit salespeople to perform market research through client interactions allowing them to pass on that information to management; managers end up relying on salespeople for information. Your role is a salesperson is more powerful than you think when it comes to your organization’s ultimate decisions and strategies.
4. Through sales prospecting, meeting with decision makers from other companies, meeting customers, and traveling sales work, especially outside sales jobs, deliver substantially more variety in your day-to-day activities. Salespeople are always doing something different, with different people, in different places. Managers commute to the same place every day, do the same things, with the same people. This tediousness often leads to boredom and an unsatisfying work life.
5. If you ever plan to start your own business in the future, sales experience will help you succeed more than would management experience. If you can sell you will be successful anywhere. You cannot learn to sell because that can only come with experience. Nobody can pick up and read a sales book and instantly become a top performer. Management is more about administrative and diplomatic duties. While important, this does not make or break how successful a business becomes and is more easily learned than it is to learn how to sell.
So, I would just like to say, if you are starting a career or if you find yourself at a crossroad and need to decide between a sales job and a management job, choose the sales job, that is, if you’re looking for higher pay and a more rewarding work experience.
1. With sales jobs your remuneration is higher and the potential for higher pay is directly related to your performance. Sales jobs typically pay commissions, bonuses, or a hybrid of salary plus commission. So if you want to earn more you can and it’s totally up to you. Your work directly affects how much you get paid so the motivation to work, and work hard, will always be there. This is not so with management jobs. Managers tend to earn a set salary so no matter what they do they will earn the same. So there’s no monetary motivation to do a better job.
2. Sales jobs are the most important jobs in any organization. Sales drive a company’s revenue and growth. Without a sales department there would be no revenue. With no revenue there would be no company and, hence, no managers.
3. Salespeople are the first point of contact for clients. So they hear directly from them what they respond to and what’s not working for them. This also gives salespeople an advantage to alter their pitch as opposed to Managers who advise of the big picture administrative objectives . Sales jobs, naturally, permit salespeople to perform market research through client interactions allowing them to pass on that information to management; managers end up relying on salespeople for information. Your role is a salesperson is more powerful than you think when it comes to your organization’s ultimate decisions and strategies.
4. Through sales prospecting, meeting with decision makers from other companies, meeting customers, and traveling sales work, especially outside sales jobs, deliver substantially more variety in your day-to-day activities. Salespeople are always doing something different, with different people, in different places. Managers commute to the same place every day, do the same things, with the same people. This tediousness often leads to boredom and an unsatisfying work life.
5. If you ever plan to start your own business in the future, sales experience will help you succeed more than would management experience. If you can sell you will be successful anywhere. You cannot learn to sell because that can only come with experience. Nobody can pick up and read a sales book and instantly become a top performer. Management is more about administrative and diplomatic duties. While important, this does not make or break how successful a business becomes and is more easily learned than it is to learn how to sell.
So, I would just like to say, if you are starting a career or if you find yourself at a crossroad and need to decide between a sales job and a management job, choose the sales job, that is, if you’re looking for higher pay and a more rewarding work experience.
Retail Management
For millions of retail professionals throughout the world, the goals and desires that they hold within their professional lives vary greatly. Many young people and students work retail jobs in order to pay the rent or save up for tuition. Other young people take on retail jobs in order to gain general work experience in between graduation and their first permanent job. There are many, however, that work retail because they enjoy the interaction with customers and selling a product they believe in. For these workers, each day is a build up towards a position in retail management.
Retail managers range from branch managers to department heads within a corporate office. Retail management, therefore, covers all aspects of a retailer’s management and can lead to great possibilities for the right worker. These professionals need to have a strong set of skills before embarking on management tasks. Organization, strong business acumen, and an ability to deal with fast paced work are all keys to a successful retail management career.
However, the most important skill is dealing with diverse groups of employees who all have different backgrounds and goals. The problem in finding retail management jobs is the high expectations that retailers have from professionals in these positions. Managers are at the front line of a corporation’s enforcement of policy and creation of revenue. The high standards for these positions, coupled with the large number of retail employees aiming for management jobs, means that there is high competition for each position.
The retail professional that is looking outside of their current company for management jobs can turn to a variety of resources. Job sites offer a general listing of retail jobs, including the latest in management openings. Connections through friends and family can lead to interesting job opportunities, though this is hardly a reliable method of finding a job. Retail professionals looking for management positions should work with a recruiting agency.
Recruiting agencies can help retail workers find their ideal job in the industry. Younger workers who have the experience will find that an agency’s exclusive job listings are only one aspect of their service to their recruits. Many agencies offer an evaluation of interview skills and CVs in order to polish up those rough corners and loose ends in a candidate’s profile. As well, many agencies provide simulations and one-on-one sessions to help the aspiring manager find their inspiration. In all, recruiting agencies are a vital resource for potential retail managers.
Retail managers range from branch managers to department heads within a corporate office. Retail management, therefore, covers all aspects of a retailer’s management and can lead to great possibilities for the right worker. These professionals need to have a strong set of skills before embarking on management tasks. Organization, strong business acumen, and an ability to deal with fast paced work are all keys to a successful retail management career.
However, the most important skill is dealing with diverse groups of employees who all have different backgrounds and goals. The problem in finding retail management jobs is the high expectations that retailers have from professionals in these positions. Managers are at the front line of a corporation’s enforcement of policy and creation of revenue. The high standards for these positions, coupled with the large number of retail employees aiming for management jobs, means that there is high competition for each position.
The retail professional that is looking outside of their current company for management jobs can turn to a variety of resources. Job sites offer a general listing of retail jobs, including the latest in management openings. Connections through friends and family can lead to interesting job opportunities, though this is hardly a reliable method of finding a job. Retail professionals looking for management positions should work with a recruiting agency.
Recruiting agencies can help retail workers find their ideal job in the industry. Younger workers who have the experience will find that an agency’s exclusive job listings are only one aspect of their service to their recruits. Many agencies offer an evaluation of interview skills and CVs in order to polish up those rough corners and loose ends in a candidate’s profile. As well, many agencies provide simulations and one-on-one sessions to help the aspiring manager find their inspiration. In all, recruiting agencies are a vital resource for potential retail managers.
Sales Management
Sales Management training is not as common as it used to be, as more and more organizations think the sales management should already know it all. However, lack of training is the root to most companies' bottomline problems.Sales management training is just as important, if not more than, salespeople training.Top executive management are the leaders of the sales force and need to be constantly demonstrating the appropriate behaviours for their salespeople to follow. It is really a monkey see, monkey do situation.Are your sales leaders demonstrating appropriate behaviours?Do they have goals and a plan of action to accomplish those goals? Are they disciplined, motivated, energetic and enthusiastic. Are they the type of mentor that you would like to have? Are they going on prospecting calls with their sales executives, or even handling accounts on their own?Are they debriefing after a prospecting visit and providing feedback / coaching? Are they investing in their team or are they investing their time in moving upwards in the organization?Without proper training, sales management is not half as effective as they can be. However, like most training, for the training to be effective it also needs to be customized to organizational objectives, it needs and should be conducted on an ongoing basis with one on one coaching.Sales Management training should include following a sales results system, and demonstrating that system with their salespeople on an ongoing basis. For example, if sales executive management is always telling their salespeople what to do, who owns the idea and who is committed to making it happen? Also, what are the salesperson going to do with the customer - tell them as well?What if sales management training provided a system whereby sales reps would be engaged, come up with ideas, take ownership and make it happen. Then who is committed? Is that not the way you would want your salespeople to be with your prospects and customers - engaging and buying from you versus telling and selling where there is no ongoing relationship.Most organizations provide sales training, which is great, particularly if it is ongoing, but they forget salespeople management in the process. It will help management to hire top producers, and then allow them to motivate, mentor, coach, delegate, obtain ownership and commitment, build high performing teams, run effective meetings and provide for ongoing training, creating more winners.Sales management training is the foundation to ongoing sales results from selection, to coaching, training, rewarding and promoting. It is absolutely necessary
Writing an exective CV/Resume
The first step to searching for an executive position is to write an exceptional CV/resume. This will provide a potential employer an individual declaration of your educational and employment history, as well as information about your present and future employment goals. A great resume can quite literally mean the difference between landing the interview and having your CV/resume passed up or discarded altogether. The first section of your executive resume should include your name, address, phone number, and E-mail address. This will tell prospective employers who you are and how to contact you. Leaving it out may cost you an opportunity, as the employer or recruiter may not continue to look through your resume. The next item to include is an objective. This briefly outlines your current employment goal, and can be tailored to fit a specific position. For example, if you are applying for a advertising position, your objective might read “To obtain employment with a reputable company in an advertising position that will allow me to utilize my communication skills and sales experience to help promote and market products.” If you are not targeting a specific company, you could write a more generalized objective, but be sure it directly explains your intentions. The next section of your executive resume could include any special skills or attributes that could set you apart from other potential candidates. These might include: being self-motivated, self-disciplined, possessing excellent communication skills, and able to work well with a variety of different personality types. Be sure the skills and attributes you use are accurate and to the point. The next section of your resume could include your education information. Be sure to include all colleges or schools you have attended, with the most recent listed first, then continuing in reverse order so that the last school listed is the first you attended. The final section should include your work experience. As with education, you should list your current or most recent job first, then work backwards from there. You can add a section listing references, or, since most job applications ask for them, include a statement telling the employer that references are available upon request
Conducting a search for executives
Conducting a search for an executive job is now less complicated than it has been in the past. This is, in greater part, because of the Internet. Now there are literally hundreds to thousands of job sites around the globe that constantly update job postings, many of which are geared specifically for executives. Many of these employment sites include positions ranging from entry level to supervisory, and are designed to help you find the perfect job in a variety of highly competitive markets. The Internet also allows you the opportunity to network with other executives in your field, so you may share ideas, obtain information from those who have been in the business longer than you, and learn of potential job opportunities that may interest you. You may also learn about other positions in your field where you might have a good chance of starting out, and what you can do to begin your climb up the corporate ladder. Remember, as in any chosen field of employment, networking is essential. It not only lets others in your field know who you are and what you can do, but it can also help give you access to a wealth of information and possible opportunity in your future.
Executive search overview
Conducting an executive job search can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding goals you will ever accomplish. While the big picture may seem a bit frustrating at times, it is important to remember that it gets much easier when you break it down into smaller steps and goals. While it certainly isn’t all systematic, there is some strategy involved. You have to know where you are going before you can figure out how you will get there. This article will outline eight of the most important points that should be addressed before, during, and after your executive job search. There are several places to search for jobs, from the newspaper, to company publications, to cold calling, and now, of course, the Internet. The Internet has, in fact, become one of the most popular methods for conducting job searches, and there are many ways to search. Using the right keywords, as well as a variety of them, can help you acquire numerous job listings. You can also be directed to a particular company’s website where you will be able to “do your homework” so to speak, and learn more about the organization before ever writing your cover letter or going on the interview. Your resume and cover letter are two of the key ingredients to your job search, as they very often are the determining factors of whether or not you actually get an interview. You will be able to acquire resume and cover letter tips online, as well as see samples of well-written resumes and cover letters all before the initial contact is even made. This will all help you when preparing for the interview, and in following up afterward.
Check those references/exec search
My guess is that most of you have experienced huge frustrations in attempting to obtain accurate references on a prospective employee. Like many aspects of the hiring process, reference checking has become a minefield. Concerns of being sued by former employees, who have been denied employment because of negative references, cause many employers to give nothing more than "name, rank and serial number" to reference checkers.
Despite these frustrations, I'm sure that you, as an employer, will agree that checking references is essential before extending an offer of employment. This is because past job performance is the best predictor of future job performance. Speaking openly with previous employers about on-the-job performance is the single most important way for you to validate past performance and thus predict what future performance will be like.
Here are nine steps you can take to improve your reference checking:
Conduct reference checks only after in-depth interviews have been held. Checking references before the interview can be an effective screening device. However, checking them after the interview is a better selection tool. Only after interviews have taken place, do you have an understanding of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses. Take note of these and target your reference checking accordingly.
Do not delegate the important task of reference checking. Most employers agree that references are best checked by the manager to whom the new employee will report. The hiring manager is the best person within your organization to understand and verify technical matters related to the job. Typically, human resource and administrative departments should only be used to verify basic facts like employment dates, positions held, salary, and education levels.
Prepare reference questions in advance. Reference checking can support the interviewing process but only if you approach it in a targeted fashion. Prepare and ask questions that are directly related to the job. For instance, if the position requires the person to be attentive to detail, ask the referee to give you an example of a situation when the candidate was particularly attentive to detail. Like interviews, reference checks become more reliable if they are specific to the position.
Concentrate on work-related references only. You should always try to speak with individuals who have prior knowledge of the candidate's work history. Former bosses, employees, peers, customers, suppliers, and others who may have had close dealings with the candidate are in the best position to give you objective assessments of work experience. Generally personal references like friends, relatives, teachers and professors can be omitted, as they are not likely to provide you with any job-related information.
Verify accomplishments Candidates want to make a good impression during the interview. In doing so, some will exaggerate their accomplishments or take credit for more than they are due. You can verify the accuracy of these statements simply by asking: "The candidate told me in the interview that through his efforts and leadership, his branch achieved a 20% growth in sales last year. Is this true?" You will soon find out the accuracy of the statement.
Build rapport with the referee to get better information The best type of referee is one you know personally. Professional colleagues, acquaintances and friends will feel an obligation to you. They are more likely to give you a complete and accurate picture of the candidate because they do not want you to make a wrong hiring decision. Unfortunately, you may not be lucky enough to know all the referees all the time. How then do you ensure you are getting the right information? Establish a rapport with the referee. Be open, honest, courteous and professional. Because reference checking takes time, always ask the referee if they have a few minutes to spare before asking the questions or could you call them back at a later time.
Listen for non-verbal cues Pauses, voice tone, volume, stammering and hesitation may tell you more about the quality of a referee's response that what they are actually saying. Listen to your intuition. People are naturally hesitant to say bad things about other people, particularly in a reference. Also, most referees are quick to pass difficult references to their HR department, a move known as passing the reference. If this happens, dig deeper. Do not hire the person until you are satisfied with the accuracy of the information.
Don't be oversold by the referee Some referees may unintentionally oversell a candidate. Typically, these referees are so impressed with a candidate's past work history that their perspective becomes clouded. Don't let this fool you. The best way to guard against this is to simply have a good understanding of the job and clear questions about what you need to know.
Ask the proverbial question: "Would you re-hire this person?" Listen carefully to the answer. What's not said may in fact tell you more than what is said. For example, a long pause before answering, even though the eventual answer might be 'yes' can be a strong indication the referee would hesitate before hiring this person again. Dig a bit deeper. Ask the referee why he or she hesitated. If you still feel unsure about the person's answer, probe deeper.
Reference checking is frustrating, time consuming and costly. Yet hiring the wrong person for the job is worse. Carefully planned and properly executed reference checking will increase the probability of a good hiring decision.
Despite these frustrations, I'm sure that you, as an employer, will agree that checking references is essential before extending an offer of employment. This is because past job performance is the best predictor of future job performance. Speaking openly with previous employers about on-the-job performance is the single most important way for you to validate past performance and thus predict what future performance will be like.
Here are nine steps you can take to improve your reference checking:
Conduct reference checks only after in-depth interviews have been held. Checking references before the interview can be an effective screening device. However, checking them after the interview is a better selection tool. Only after interviews have taken place, do you have an understanding of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses. Take note of these and target your reference checking accordingly.
Do not delegate the important task of reference checking. Most employers agree that references are best checked by the manager to whom the new employee will report. The hiring manager is the best person within your organization to understand and verify technical matters related to the job. Typically, human resource and administrative departments should only be used to verify basic facts like employment dates, positions held, salary, and education levels.
Prepare reference questions in advance. Reference checking can support the interviewing process but only if you approach it in a targeted fashion. Prepare and ask questions that are directly related to the job. For instance, if the position requires the person to be attentive to detail, ask the referee to give you an example of a situation when the candidate was particularly attentive to detail. Like interviews, reference checks become more reliable if they are specific to the position.
Concentrate on work-related references only. You should always try to speak with individuals who have prior knowledge of the candidate's work history. Former bosses, employees, peers, customers, suppliers, and others who may have had close dealings with the candidate are in the best position to give you objective assessments of work experience. Generally personal references like friends, relatives, teachers and professors can be omitted, as they are not likely to provide you with any job-related information.
Verify accomplishments Candidates want to make a good impression during the interview. In doing so, some will exaggerate their accomplishments or take credit for more than they are due. You can verify the accuracy of these statements simply by asking: "The candidate told me in the interview that through his efforts and leadership, his branch achieved a 20% growth in sales last year. Is this true?" You will soon find out the accuracy of the statement.
Build rapport with the referee to get better information The best type of referee is one you know personally. Professional colleagues, acquaintances and friends will feel an obligation to you. They are more likely to give you a complete and accurate picture of the candidate because they do not want you to make a wrong hiring decision. Unfortunately, you may not be lucky enough to know all the referees all the time. How then do you ensure you are getting the right information? Establish a rapport with the referee. Be open, honest, courteous and professional. Because reference checking takes time, always ask the referee if they have a few minutes to spare before asking the questions or could you call them back at a later time.
Listen for non-verbal cues Pauses, voice tone, volume, stammering and hesitation may tell you more about the quality of a referee's response that what they are actually saying. Listen to your intuition. People are naturally hesitant to say bad things about other people, particularly in a reference. Also, most referees are quick to pass difficult references to their HR department, a move known as passing the reference. If this happens, dig deeper. Do not hire the person until you are satisfied with the accuracy of the information.
Don't be oversold by the referee Some referees may unintentionally oversell a candidate. Typically, these referees are so impressed with a candidate's past work history that their perspective becomes clouded. Don't let this fool you. The best way to guard against this is to simply have a good understanding of the job and clear questions about what you need to know.
Ask the proverbial question: "Would you re-hire this person?" Listen carefully to the answer. What's not said may in fact tell you more than what is said. For example, a long pause before answering, even though the eventual answer might be 'yes' can be a strong indication the referee would hesitate before hiring this person again. Dig a bit deeper. Ask the referee why he or she hesitated. If you still feel unsure about the person's answer, probe deeper.
Reference checking is frustrating, time consuming and costly. Yet hiring the wrong person for the job is worse. Carefully planned and properly executed reference checking will increase the probability of a good hiring decision.
Finding the right employees/plan and prepare
Hiring decisions are among the most important decisions you will make as a manager. To add to the complexity, these hiring decisions are highly visible. Your bosses and peers assess you in part by the quality of the people who work for you. Arguably the success of the people you hire, determine how successful you are as a manager.
Additionally, when you hire the wrong person for the job, the costs to your employer are significant. Studies show that the real cost of a hiring mistake is between two and four times the person's salary. This means that hiring the wrong person into a job could be as much as a six-figure mistake.
Hiring the right people is essential if you are going to succeed as a manager. And, while hiring mistakes can never be completely avoided, understanding how they happen lowers your risk. I have worked in the recruitment field for almost twenty years. Based on this experience, here is my list of the eight most common errors managers make when interviewing and selecting candidates:
1. Not defining the job clearly
Many employers will start the interview process without clearly defining the job duties and the requirements needed to succeed in the job. It seems pretty evident to me that if you do not know what you are looking for, the risk of hiring the wrong person is high.
A thorough job description should identify duties and responsibilities, reporting relationships, academic or professional qualifications, technical skills and personal qualities, such as interpersonal skills. A well-written document will help you develop systematic interview questions that assess an applicant's suitability for the job.
2. Stereotyping
Each of us is guilty of stereotyping to one degree or another. While interviewing, you may stereotype based on appearance, background, or personal circumstances. For example, I've overheard employers make these observations:
He played football in university; he must be aggressive.
All of her personal interests, outside of work, are individual activities therefore she must not be a team player.
He's wearing casual clothing; he's probably too laid-back for our company.
She has three children; there's no way she can work overtime.
When you make assumptions like these, you're potentially overlooking well-qualified candidates, as well as running the risk of being accused of discrimination. Be careful to assess each candidate only on their qualifications and experience relative to the job requirements.
3. Forming first impressions
How many times have you heard an interviewer state, "I knew in the first minute of the interview that she was the candidate we had been looking for"? Probably all too often.
Like assumptions made when you stereotype, first impressions can also lead you down the wrong path. Several factors cause you to form first impressions in interviews including the greeting, the handshake, the candidate's manner of dress or appearance, or "small talk" between you and the candidate at the beginning of the interview.
Research does confirm that a decision about a candidate's suitability is often made in the early stages of the interview. But this can be dangerous. What happens is that you then tend to seek out evidence that proves you to be correct. You unknowingly ask questions and search for answers that support your initial impression. For example, if you feel a candidate is disorganized because of appearance or because they're five minutes late for the interview, you tend to elicit information from them that proves this to be valid. Often, the candidate doesn't have a fighting chance.
As an interviewer, you should seek out both positive and negative information and wait until you have completed the interview before making a decision.
4. Not preparing interview questions in advance
If you "wing it" by not preparing questions in advance, you will probably leave the interview without the information you need to make an informed hiring decision. Effective interviewers always prepare questions ahead of time that seek out relevant job-related data about the candidate. Reviewing the position requirements and creating questions from that list is a good way to prepare. And, because you are asking the same questions of all candidates, you are able to compare candidates with each other easily.
Likewise, you should record all the candidates' answers. There's a belief that if you take notes during the interview, you'll leave the impression that you're not listening to the answers. That's wrong. I believe that if you tell a candidate, at the start of the interview, you will be taking notes so you don't forget any important facts about their qualifications, the candidate will be impressed with your professionalism. Since studies show that over 50% of interview content is forgotten within 24 hours, taking notes is simply a sound business practice.
5. Accepting resume information at face value
Unfortunately some individuals feel the need to misrepresent or embellish the details on their resumes. Whether it is claiming they hold degrees they don't have or falsifying employment dates to conceal gaps in their work history, certain applicants will never give you the complete history.
Through structured interview questions, detailed reference checking, and confirming stated educational achievements, you can verify all resume information including education, dates of employment, positions held, and accomplishments. Time invested checking this information upfront, before you make the selection decision, can be time well spent.
6. Poor interviewing skills
Let's face it: many managers are thrust into the hiring process with very little training or the experience necessary to make such an important decision. It's a lot like asking a non-technical manager to evaluate and choose sophisticated production equipment for a manufacturing plant.
Inexperienced interviewers can commit any one of several possible errors. For example, you may inadvertently tip off a candidate by asking leading questions. I once heard an employer ask, "In this job, we need someone who is very organized. You're pretty organized, aren't you?" Guess what the answer was.
Or, you might overlook non-verbal behaviours demonstrated by the candidate during the interview. Poor eye contact, restlessness, and long pauses before answering can tell you as much about a candidate as what they actually say.
Or, you might simply talk too much - a common mistake of inexperienced interviewers. Interviewing is about exploring a candidate's suitability for the job through good questions and even better listening. To be effective in an interview, you should be listening about 80% of the time.
7. Insufficient evidence
Many managers make hiring decisions based on the results of the interview alone. While I do feel the interview is the most important step in the selection process, as it provides an abundance of information about the candidate, it fails to take into account valuable information gathered from other sources. Thorough reference checks, completion of personality assessment tests, and role-playing, all provide complementary evidence that will validate (or refute) the impression you have from the face-to-face interview. They should all be used in the final selection decision.
8. Rushing to hire
Finding good people has always been challenging. Add labour shortages, which will only become more acute in the years ahead, and it can be very tempting to hire the first person who comes along and meets the minimum requirements.
But jumping too quickly can be a trap. As much as you might want to fill a position fast and move on, doing so can backfire on you. You may have to increase employee workloads temporarily, but doing so will buy you time to make the right hiring decisions. Plus, if you have hired well in the past, your employees will understand the importance of careful hiring practices. Getting the right person for the job will more than make up any inconveniences your team suffers in the short term. So take the time you need to hire properly. Your reputation as a manager depends on it.
Additionally, when you hire the wrong person for the job, the costs to your employer are significant. Studies show that the real cost of a hiring mistake is between two and four times the person's salary. This means that hiring the wrong person into a job could be as much as a six-figure mistake.
Hiring the right people is essential if you are going to succeed as a manager. And, while hiring mistakes can never be completely avoided, understanding how they happen lowers your risk. I have worked in the recruitment field for almost twenty years. Based on this experience, here is my list of the eight most common errors managers make when interviewing and selecting candidates:
1. Not defining the job clearly
Many employers will start the interview process without clearly defining the job duties and the requirements needed to succeed in the job. It seems pretty evident to me that if you do not know what you are looking for, the risk of hiring the wrong person is high.
A thorough job description should identify duties and responsibilities, reporting relationships, academic or professional qualifications, technical skills and personal qualities, such as interpersonal skills. A well-written document will help you develop systematic interview questions that assess an applicant's suitability for the job.
2. Stereotyping
Each of us is guilty of stereotyping to one degree or another. While interviewing, you may stereotype based on appearance, background, or personal circumstances. For example, I've overheard employers make these observations:
He played football in university; he must be aggressive.
All of her personal interests, outside of work, are individual activities therefore she must not be a team player.
He's wearing casual clothing; he's probably too laid-back for our company.
She has three children; there's no way she can work overtime.
When you make assumptions like these, you're potentially overlooking well-qualified candidates, as well as running the risk of being accused of discrimination. Be careful to assess each candidate only on their qualifications and experience relative to the job requirements.
3. Forming first impressions
How many times have you heard an interviewer state, "I knew in the first minute of the interview that she was the candidate we had been looking for"? Probably all too often.
Like assumptions made when you stereotype, first impressions can also lead you down the wrong path. Several factors cause you to form first impressions in interviews including the greeting, the handshake, the candidate's manner of dress or appearance, or "small talk" between you and the candidate at the beginning of the interview.
Research does confirm that a decision about a candidate's suitability is often made in the early stages of the interview. But this can be dangerous. What happens is that you then tend to seek out evidence that proves you to be correct. You unknowingly ask questions and search for answers that support your initial impression. For example, if you feel a candidate is disorganized because of appearance or because they're five minutes late for the interview, you tend to elicit information from them that proves this to be valid. Often, the candidate doesn't have a fighting chance.
As an interviewer, you should seek out both positive and negative information and wait until you have completed the interview before making a decision.
4. Not preparing interview questions in advance
If you "wing it" by not preparing questions in advance, you will probably leave the interview without the information you need to make an informed hiring decision. Effective interviewers always prepare questions ahead of time that seek out relevant job-related data about the candidate. Reviewing the position requirements and creating questions from that list is a good way to prepare. And, because you are asking the same questions of all candidates, you are able to compare candidates with each other easily.
Likewise, you should record all the candidates' answers. There's a belief that if you take notes during the interview, you'll leave the impression that you're not listening to the answers. That's wrong. I believe that if you tell a candidate, at the start of the interview, you will be taking notes so you don't forget any important facts about their qualifications, the candidate will be impressed with your professionalism. Since studies show that over 50% of interview content is forgotten within 24 hours, taking notes is simply a sound business practice.
5. Accepting resume information at face value
Unfortunately some individuals feel the need to misrepresent or embellish the details on their resumes. Whether it is claiming they hold degrees they don't have or falsifying employment dates to conceal gaps in their work history, certain applicants will never give you the complete history.
Through structured interview questions, detailed reference checking, and confirming stated educational achievements, you can verify all resume information including education, dates of employment, positions held, and accomplishments. Time invested checking this information upfront, before you make the selection decision, can be time well spent.
6. Poor interviewing skills
Let's face it: many managers are thrust into the hiring process with very little training or the experience necessary to make such an important decision. It's a lot like asking a non-technical manager to evaluate and choose sophisticated production equipment for a manufacturing plant.
Inexperienced interviewers can commit any one of several possible errors. For example, you may inadvertently tip off a candidate by asking leading questions. I once heard an employer ask, "In this job, we need someone who is very organized. You're pretty organized, aren't you?" Guess what the answer was.
Or, you might overlook non-verbal behaviours demonstrated by the candidate during the interview. Poor eye contact, restlessness, and long pauses before answering can tell you as much about a candidate as what they actually say.
Or, you might simply talk too much - a common mistake of inexperienced interviewers. Interviewing is about exploring a candidate's suitability for the job through good questions and even better listening. To be effective in an interview, you should be listening about 80% of the time.
7. Insufficient evidence
Many managers make hiring decisions based on the results of the interview alone. While I do feel the interview is the most important step in the selection process, as it provides an abundance of information about the candidate, it fails to take into account valuable information gathered from other sources. Thorough reference checks, completion of personality assessment tests, and role-playing, all provide complementary evidence that will validate (or refute) the impression you have from the face-to-face interview. They should all be used in the final selection decision.
8. Rushing to hire
Finding good people has always been challenging. Add labour shortages, which will only become more acute in the years ahead, and it can be very tempting to hire the first person who comes along and meets the minimum requirements.
But jumping too quickly can be a trap. As much as you might want to fill a position fast and move on, doing so can backfire on you. You may have to increase employee workloads temporarily, but doing so will buy you time to make the right hiring decisions. Plus, if you have hired well in the past, your employees will understand the importance of careful hiring practices. Getting the right person for the job will more than make up any inconveniences your team suffers in the short term. So take the time you need to hire properly. Your reputation as a manager depends on it.
Finding the perfect candidate
Your company prides itself on hiring the best.You consider your company a great place to work. Youpay well and provide what you consider tobe generous benefits. You train yourworkers, helping them to develop new skillsto keep up with changing conditions in themarketplace. But even with all your efforts,you've found that your best employees areproving increasingly difficult to keep. Youfind that your most talented colleagues areleaving for other companies and your humanresources department is finding it more andmore difficult to fill vacancies at every levelof your organization, even as your companyspends more and more on search firms.
No, you are not in the middle of a baddream. Consulting firm McKinsey &Company will tell you that you are in themiddle of a war, a war for talent. McKinseyconsultant Edward G. Michaels III presentedthe results of his firm's research into theissue of how companies are struggling toattract and retain talented executives at aconference on Leadership Capabilities forWinning Companies held in Philadelphia andsponsored by Wharton's Center for HumanResources and the Center for Leadershipand Change Management. McKinsey is not afirm that tends toward hyperbole; itsresearch and analysis led to the conclusionthat businesses are in the thick of battle fortalent and that battle promises to intensifyin the future.
McKinsey's study, which has appeared inthe McKinsey Quarterly, focused on 77 largeU.S. companies in various industries. Theteam's focus was on the human resourcesdepartment within each company and whattheir talent-building philosophies, practices,and challenges were. The team alsosurveyed nearly 400 corporate officers and6,000 executives from the top ranks ofthese companies. In addition, the groupconducted case studies of 20 companiesthat were perceived to have considerabletalent. The study concluded, "What wefound should be a call to arms for corporateAmerica. Companies are about to beengaged in a war for senior executive talentthat will remain a defining characteristic oftheir competitive landscape for decades tocome." The report's even more troublingconclusion was that "most companies areill-prepared, and even the best arevulnerable
No, you are not in the middle of a baddream. Consulting firm McKinsey &Company will tell you that you are in themiddle of a war, a war for talent. McKinseyconsultant Edward G. Michaels III presentedthe results of his firm's research into theissue of how companies are struggling toattract and retain talented executives at aconference on Leadership Capabilities forWinning Companies held in Philadelphia andsponsored by Wharton's Center for HumanResources and the Center for Leadershipand Change Management. McKinsey is not afirm that tends toward hyperbole; itsresearch and analysis led to the conclusionthat businesses are in the thick of battle fortalent and that battle promises to intensifyin the future.
McKinsey's study, which has appeared inthe McKinsey Quarterly, focused on 77 largeU.S. companies in various industries. Theteam's focus was on the human resourcesdepartment within each company and whattheir talent-building philosophies, practices,and challenges were. The team alsosurveyed nearly 400 corporate officers and6,000 executives from the top ranks ofthese companies. In addition, the groupconducted case studies of 20 companiesthat were perceived to have considerabletalent. The study concluded, "What wefound should be a call to arms for corporateAmerica. Companies are about to beengaged in a war for senior executive talentthat will remain a defining characteristic oftheir competitive landscape for decades tocome." The report's even more troublingconclusion was that "most companies areill-prepared, and even the best arevulnerable
Meeting with Executive recruiters
Information to pass on during your meetings with executive recruiters
Firstly you should give the recruiter an overview of your organisation, tell them the company life story, where you have come from, where you are looking to achieve, what your business strategy is. Then you should look at how you are going to achieve this, through what means, what are your tactics. Then you should consider the objectives, when you are looking to hit certain milestones, when will you get there and how these milestones will be measured. Furthermore it is worth discussing your company’s succession plans, what are the limitations of the other people within your senior management team, what are the strengths. As part of the brief it is also important to highlight the development and training that will offered to the the successful candidate, what guidance and direction will they get, if this direction will be given by you, other internal resources or will this training be outsourced to third party providers. By spending time discussing the above, you will yourself develop the “recruitment policy” for this appointment. The recruitment policy which is typically made up of 3 key areas: Motivations/ Aspirations of the individual, the desired skills and desired qualifications are what the recruiter will need to be armed with in order to run the project successfully.
The key areas to cover in the brief
What your organisation does, its turnover, number of employees, hierarchical structure.
The history of the business.
An overview of your competitors.
Your organisation goals/ business strategy.
Your company’s business tactics i.e. how your organisation is to achieve the company goals.
The business objectives, when milestones will be reached, how they will be measured.
Your internal succession plan.
The job description.
The person specification
The timescales you have set for your recruitment, the candidate start date.
Questions to ask the recruiters following the brief
At this meeting, make sure you also ask the agency about their own business – how long has it been operating? How much experience do the consultants have within the manufacturing and engineering sector? What areas within the industrial recruitment market do they particularly specialise in? What recruitment process will they adopt? Can they recruit online as well as by traditional means? What are their charges? What are their success rates on retained assignments? How do they interview, do they use competency based interviewing techniques? What media will they advertise in? Do they know which media gives the best results when seeking manufacturing and engineering candidates? Which job boards give best value for money? Is this an assignment for traditional media? All of these questions will help to form an opinion as to whether this agency will be a good one to work with. See if you can get some references or case studies on similar projects they have completed in the past. It might also be appropriate to introduce the recruiter to other key stakeholders in this hire, individuals who will have a decision as to which candidate you opt for as these people might have slight variations on what they feel are important considerations. Use this meeting as an interview; look at how the consultant questions you about your business as a guide to whether or not you think they can get the relevant information out of prospective candidates. Once you have seen several executive search agencies, set out the pros and cons of each, taking into account how you interacted with the consultants as well as the bare facts about their business. If you feel like you’ve established the beginnings of a good relationship and their business has taken the time to understand yours, and has all the things in place to provide a good recruitment service, then you’re likely to get what you want from them. Lastly, once you have chosen your recruiter it is important to lay out the rules of engagement. What is the project plan, what timescales are you working to, how the communication shall be carried out. This process itself will take time; however it is certainly a valuable step when looking to recruit a key individual who will have a huge impact on your business.
Firstly you should give the recruiter an overview of your organisation, tell them the company life story, where you have come from, where you are looking to achieve, what your business strategy is. Then you should look at how you are going to achieve this, through what means, what are your tactics. Then you should consider the objectives, when you are looking to hit certain milestones, when will you get there and how these milestones will be measured. Furthermore it is worth discussing your company’s succession plans, what are the limitations of the other people within your senior management team, what are the strengths. As part of the brief it is also important to highlight the development and training that will offered to the the successful candidate, what guidance and direction will they get, if this direction will be given by you, other internal resources or will this training be outsourced to third party providers. By spending time discussing the above, you will yourself develop the “recruitment policy” for this appointment. The recruitment policy which is typically made up of 3 key areas: Motivations/ Aspirations of the individual, the desired skills and desired qualifications are what the recruiter will need to be armed with in order to run the project successfully.
The key areas to cover in the brief
What your organisation does, its turnover, number of employees, hierarchical structure.
The history of the business.
An overview of your competitors.
Your organisation goals/ business strategy.
Your company’s business tactics i.e. how your organisation is to achieve the company goals.
The business objectives, when milestones will be reached, how they will be measured.
Your internal succession plan.
The job description.
The person specification
The timescales you have set for your recruitment, the candidate start date.
Questions to ask the recruiters following the brief
At this meeting, make sure you also ask the agency about their own business – how long has it been operating? How much experience do the consultants have within the manufacturing and engineering sector? What areas within the industrial recruitment market do they particularly specialise in? What recruitment process will they adopt? Can they recruit online as well as by traditional means? What are their charges? What are their success rates on retained assignments? How do they interview, do they use competency based interviewing techniques? What media will they advertise in? Do they know which media gives the best results when seeking manufacturing and engineering candidates? Which job boards give best value for money? Is this an assignment for traditional media? All of these questions will help to form an opinion as to whether this agency will be a good one to work with. See if you can get some references or case studies on similar projects they have completed in the past. It might also be appropriate to introduce the recruiter to other key stakeholders in this hire, individuals who will have a decision as to which candidate you opt for as these people might have slight variations on what they feel are important considerations. Use this meeting as an interview; look at how the consultant questions you about your business as a guide to whether or not you think they can get the relevant information out of prospective candidates. Once you have seen several executive search agencies, set out the pros and cons of each, taking into account how you interacted with the consultants as well as the bare facts about their business. If you feel like you’ve established the beginnings of a good relationship and their business has taken the time to understand yours, and has all the things in place to provide a good recruitment service, then you’re likely to get what you want from them. Lastly, once you have chosen your recruiter it is important to lay out the rules of engagement. What is the project plan, what timescales are you working to, how the communication shall be carried out. This process itself will take time; however it is certainly a valuable step when looking to recruit a key individual who will have a huge impact on your business.
Selecting an Executive Search Company
The first step would be to get a few recommendations from people who have utilised the services of sector specific head-hunters who operate within the Manufacturing and Engineering market. Working with a recruiter that specialises in the placement of manufacturing and engineering jobs, who has a good understanding of the nuances within the sector is vital, otherwise how would they able to benchmark the abilities of a candidate? It is also worth considering speaking to people who have experienced manufacturing and engineering recruiters as a candidate, and asking questions such as: How professional was the company? What was the communication like? How did they represent their client? Did they demonstrate a thorough understanding of engineering and manufacturing? Would you class them as experts in manufacturing and engineering recruitment? Once a number of possible manufacturing and engineering recruitment companies have been identified, the next important step is to have initial conversations. Like any project, the compatibility of the project team is critical and by having a short discussion you should get a feel as to whether you could work with these businesses or not. Following these calls you now should have two or three potential recruiters who you should then meet face to face. Within these face to face meetings it would be advisable to give the recruiters an insight into your organisation and the role you are looking to fill before then asking the recruiters up front as to how they would run the assignment and fill the job. Typically in these meetings, organisations will often spend time discussing the technical aspects of the role, the desired skill sets, the desired knowledge base of prospective candidates and their qualifications. However, in order to get the best out of your recruiter, there is other important information that you will need to pass on.
Information to pass on during your meetings with executive recruiters
Firstly you should give the recruiter an overview of your organisation, tell them the company life story, where you have come from, where you are looking to achieve, what your business strategy is. Then you should look at how you are going to achieve this, through what means, what are your tactics. Then you should consider the objectives, when you are looking to hit certain milestones, when will you get there and how these milestones will be measured. Furthermore it is worth discussing your company’s succession plans, what are the limitations of the other people within your senior management team, what are the strengths. As part of the brief it is also important to highlight the development and training that will offered to the the successful candidate, what guidance and direction will they get, if this direction will be given by you, other internal resources or will this training be outsourced to third party providers. By spending time discussing the above, you will yourself develop the “recruitment policy” for this appointment. The recruitment policy which is typically made up of 3 key areas: Motivations/ Aspirations of the individual, the desired skills and desired qualifications are what the recruiter will need to be armed with in order to run the project successfully.
The key areas to cover in the brief
What your organisation does, its turnover, number of employees, hierarchical structure.
The history of the business.
An overview of your competitors.
Your organisation goals/ business strategy.
Your company’s business tactics i.e. how your organisation is to achieve the company goals.
The business objectives, when milestones will be reached, how they will be measured.
Your internal succession plan.
The job description.
The person specification
The timescales you have set for your recruitment, the candidate start date
Information to pass on during your meetings with executive recruiters
Firstly you should give the recruiter an overview of your organisation, tell them the company life story, where you have come from, where you are looking to achieve, what your business strategy is. Then you should look at how you are going to achieve this, through what means, what are your tactics. Then you should consider the objectives, when you are looking to hit certain milestones, when will you get there and how these milestones will be measured. Furthermore it is worth discussing your company’s succession plans, what are the limitations of the other people within your senior management team, what are the strengths. As part of the brief it is also important to highlight the development and training that will offered to the the successful candidate, what guidance and direction will they get, if this direction will be given by you, other internal resources or will this training be outsourced to third party providers. By spending time discussing the above, you will yourself develop the “recruitment policy” for this appointment. The recruitment policy which is typically made up of 3 key areas: Motivations/ Aspirations of the individual, the desired skills and desired qualifications are what the recruiter will need to be armed with in order to run the project successfully.
The key areas to cover in the brief
What your organisation does, its turnover, number of employees, hierarchical structure.
The history of the business.
An overview of your competitors.
Your organisation goals/ business strategy.
Your company’s business tactics i.e. how your organisation is to achieve the company goals.
The business objectives, when milestones will be reached, how they will be measured.
Your internal succession plan.
The job description.
The person specification
The timescales you have set for your recruitment, the candidate start date
What is Executive Search
What is an executive search firm? An executive search firm is a professional company, online or otherwise, that attracts, hires and develops people as leaders for the purpose of holding responsible positions in organizations and companies, specifically for positions where the job entails planning and taking action on behalf of the employer. The firm is hired by an organization or company, not the potential employment candidate.
The executive search company headhunts for candidates based on identification of them as being suitable for such a potential position, qualified to do that position and able to provide a suitably aligned verbal or written presentation regarding their suitability for the position in question.
One of the most important tasks that an executive search entails is in assessing the fit aspect of the potential candidate to a specific position. It is important that this search is done efficiently, saves time and can identify key aspects of suitability such as qualifications, experience and the ability to lead.
The firm will usually contact possible candidates via telephone, which may have resulted from recommendations given to the firm by a third party within their firm or another agency. The best firms aim to provide hard work in their tasks of finding and updating their potential contact lists in order to begin quickly on any given new search and be able to promptly line up possible candidates. Also, the firm will use research techniques to find candidates who may also be employed by other companies in the field and position that their client has available. In fact, these firms have found that the best referrals have come to them through people who themselves could be potential candidates for the same position, but for personal or other reasons may not presently be seeking further employment.
Executive search firms follow similar etiquette when it comes to phone calls to potential candidates in that they have a great deal of respect and will note the name of the person for future searches, if that person can recommend someone else for the position. In the end, the result can be that in future searches the firm will turn back to that same referee and end up with that person becoming a candidate for another position.
Most search firms use retained and contingent searches. Contingent searches are defined as a fee based search earned only the locating and presentation of a potential candidate to a client, or headhunting. The search is not about finding the exact fit, but more about finding a broad range of candidates for the client to choose from. This may or may not be contractual in nature and fees can be based on the first year’s salary that a hired candidate earns. Also, the client is not bound to one search executive search firm, allowing the client more flexibility, choice of candidates and ultimately more work in choosing the right one for their job position. It should be noted that with executive positions, this is not considered to be the ideal form of search. Retained searches are defined as a more structured and contracted search for specific candidates that fit the criteria for a particular job position, as defined by the client. Clients are usually bound by contract to use only the executive search firm that they have assigned to the task, and the firm bases their search on clearly defined job styles, job experiences and skill sets. Generally speaking, this type of search generates repeat contracts from each client.
Executive search firms are specifically designed to help varied employers or clients look for high level management or above job candidates that suit the specific needs of their job positions. Searches can involve networking with people already in similar positions for potential leads and the majority of these are done on retainment, allowing for clearly defined job attributes versus the more random headhunting
The executive search company headhunts for candidates based on identification of them as being suitable for such a potential position, qualified to do that position and able to provide a suitably aligned verbal or written presentation regarding their suitability for the position in question.
One of the most important tasks that an executive search entails is in assessing the fit aspect of the potential candidate to a specific position. It is important that this search is done efficiently, saves time and can identify key aspects of suitability such as qualifications, experience and the ability to lead.
The firm will usually contact possible candidates via telephone, which may have resulted from recommendations given to the firm by a third party within their firm or another agency. The best firms aim to provide hard work in their tasks of finding and updating their potential contact lists in order to begin quickly on any given new search and be able to promptly line up possible candidates. Also, the firm will use research techniques to find candidates who may also be employed by other companies in the field and position that their client has available. In fact, these firms have found that the best referrals have come to them through people who themselves could be potential candidates for the same position, but for personal or other reasons may not presently be seeking further employment.
Executive search firms follow similar etiquette when it comes to phone calls to potential candidates in that they have a great deal of respect and will note the name of the person for future searches, if that person can recommend someone else for the position. In the end, the result can be that in future searches the firm will turn back to that same referee and end up with that person becoming a candidate for another position.
Most search firms use retained and contingent searches. Contingent searches are defined as a fee based search earned only the locating and presentation of a potential candidate to a client, or headhunting. The search is not about finding the exact fit, but more about finding a broad range of candidates for the client to choose from. This may or may not be contractual in nature and fees can be based on the first year’s salary that a hired candidate earns. Also, the client is not bound to one search executive search firm, allowing the client more flexibility, choice of candidates and ultimately more work in choosing the right one for their job position. It should be noted that with executive positions, this is not considered to be the ideal form of search. Retained searches are defined as a more structured and contracted search for specific candidates that fit the criteria for a particular job position, as defined by the client. Clients are usually bound by contract to use only the executive search firm that they have assigned to the task, and the firm bases their search on clearly defined job styles, job experiences and skill sets. Generally speaking, this type of search generates repeat contracts from each client.
Executive search firms are specifically designed to help varied employers or clients look for high level management or above job candidates that suit the specific needs of their job positions. Searches can involve networking with people already in similar positions for potential leads and the majority of these are done on retainment, allowing for clearly defined job attributes versus the more random headhunting
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