We use a Comprehensive Search when we want to ensure that we hire the very best candidate available. We use a Covert Search when we want to take a quick targeted approach for an immediate need. The Covert Search is a little more expensive but easy to justify; the Comprehensive Search gives the best value for the investment.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Professional Search Firm?
Number one: Determine how important it is to us to find the best candidates “in the market” and not just settle for whom ever is actively “on the market”. The level of talent dictates the level of the company - - that is our inescapable reality. We can only build with what we have. Mediocrity (or worse incompetence) can have a stifling effect on everything while having high-caliber people brings exciting growth and unexpected market penetration. The candidates recruited by the search firm are usually better than those found through common recruitment methods, thus reducing the risk of recruitment enormously. These achievers are seldom seen (of course not always) in the mobile talent market.
Number two: The search professional brings another gold mine to tap into in the form of valuable competitor information that will be gleaned in the process of interviewing and collaborating on the work to be done. The candidates presented by the search firm come with the proverbial golden platter of new business: a unique opportunity to explore marketplace intelligence, gain industry insights and contacts that could lead to yet further opportunities to build and grow the company.
Number three: Save time and with it, money. There will be a massive saving of time spent on low-level activities such as sorting and screening, preliminary interviewing and follow-up communications. Several successive hires may be required to adequately fill the one position. Instead starting with a search firm, will provide just a few of their top candidates, is faster, easier and more effective (than going through lengthy qualifying methods and massive numbers of resumes). This also allows freedom for the HR personnel to concentrate on their own professional areas where they can make their highest level of contribution to the company.
Hiring the one best available candidates in all the marketplace (who otherwise would be unavailable) for executive level positions and other critical jobs is extremely important - - it is a crucial decision that warranties the improved performance of the company. Hire enough of these top candidates and in due course we will build a magnificent leadership team… and what is that worth?
Good recruiters couldn't care less what the job market is doing. Their power stems from their ability to solve a company's problem. They look for employers that need help.
Going Above and Beyond the Ordinary
Many times the well-honed skills and experience of a search professional go well beyond what can be found in a typical personnel department. It stands to reason that someone who spends 50 hours a week for many years will have a better aptitude for search than an executive who only recruits part-time. It is most surprising the difference in the number of critical contacts the outside recruiter has compared to the in-house personnel officer. In those ever-expanding contacts lay the richest soil for unearthing truly amazing people. Mapping out the competitive playing field and gaining access to hidden passive candidates takes time, money, and resources. But more importantly it is a skill not readily found in-house either by the senior executives or the personnel department.
The problem most personnel departments run into is they are understaffed and overburdened. The administrative pressure is high and the time allowed for recruiting is low. Too often there is also inadequate training and skill levels in the very demanding nature of professional recruiting. In practicality “search” is often relegated to the role of an add-on responsibility. Certainly proper preparation and education in recruiting practices is seldom supplied either by the company or in business school.
Often personnel officers have to deal with too many applications and don’t have the time to prescreen and interview the top applicants. Indeed it is very difficult to even determine who would be the top matches for the position available. Seasoned search professionals approach resumes differently and know exactly what they are looking for. They pull different resumes out of the pile. They screen beyond the paper. They see fits others wouldn’t notice.
Job descriptions can be written too generically, too protectively (so as not to give away the company strategy and secrets) and too quickly, without really thinking through what exactly needs to be done and how. Many times the job descriptions are written by the personnel officer - - and not by the hiring manager - - so that what is critical is never explicitly put in writing. The exact aptitudes required to do the job well are often murky or even unknown. To use advertising effectively the executive recruiter uses a very specific language that will attract rather than repel the potential gems out there seeking a new opportunity. Writing career copy is a fine art and not easily explained.
One other main difficulty is that the recruiting function is too often only one of advertising and screening, not one of active search using the many different techniques that go beyond just posting a position for all to see. Knowing “who is out there” and how to go after them is something that many if not most personnel professionals don’t do. Only a percentage of the best people for the job will be identified through advertising.
The Peter Principle often comes into play as well. In the prescreen either the officer or a computer software program will look for keywords that will show a match to the responsibilities found in the position in question. The closer a person’s current or past job pairs or equals to the opening in the resume, the higher the interest. Hiring the person who was already done that work seems safe and wonderful. However, too often the close “computer matching” hides some bad reasons for changing jobs. The best candidates often have to step up to a new level of responsibility and challenge. By contrast the worst candidates are, unexpectedly, the ones who are only making a lateral move because they have already reached the peak of their potential. Failing to recognize the very best candidates for the position is a travesty for all involved.
Professional recruiters focus purely on targeting top talent in the market, active or otherwise, that is not generally available through traditional recruiting methods. It is a service generally reserved for more senior or niche roles. An effective professional will selectively work on perhaps 20-30 searches per year. This fluctuates on the degree of difficulty of each search, whether candidates can be locally sourced or require international resources. An executive search firm is best to use when jobs are hard to fill and proactive steps are needed to fill them. Good recruiters couldn't care less what the job market is doing. Their power stems from their ability to solve a company's problem. They look for employers that need help.
Methodology
The Hiring Manager
One of the first things we do when given an assignment is to sit down with the hiring manager responsible for the decision. During this interview we learn many things that go above and beyond the job description given to the personnel department. These items are intangible and often the key variables to the hire. Some of them are:
- “chemistry”
- past experience and lessons learned
- future aspirations that are seldom put into writing
- a lot of it is just “feel”.
The initial interview with the hiring manager also sets the stage for the strategy and tactics that will be used until the assignment is completed. It also defines the relationship and usually relieves the hiring manager of burdens and responsibilities he would rather not carry.
Phone contact (usually short conversations) with the hiring manager is maintained as needed; further, written reports of the search’s progress is given on a weekly or bimonthly basis according to the nature of the assignment.
Advertising, budgeting and candidate salary & benefits is discussed and decided upon. Sometimes a compensation survey will be required for proper positioning. In a comprehensive search usually two newspapers, one national, are utilized but there are many variations. We discuss with the hiring manager what needs to go in and what needs to stay out of any particular career ad, and most importantly, why. It’s really a matter of knowing what the hiring manager truly needs and wants; it is not so much about the generic mumble jumble found in too many job description yawners. The focus needs to be on the-job-to-the-done and what kind of person can really do it well. Knowing the crucial intangibles is going to make all the difference in the world. This discussion is critical if we are going to recruit the right kind of active applicants.
The Digital World
In certain very specific ways we make the most of internet job boards (and there are too few that are really effective in producing the right kinds of job seekers) along with networks such as “Linked-In” (which tend to be much more effective than the job boards). Again, utilizing these tools the key corporate intangibles need to be brought to the forefront. Specificity is going to attract or repel. Great care is taken to target precisely what’s needed - - to save time and energy. It is possible to become very busy and distracted by an overwhelming amount of paper; instead we have to be spending our time doing the actual work needed to find the exact candidates who can do the job exceptionally well. We differentiate between active and passive aspirants.
Active candidates are either unemployed, and hopefully for good reason, or else for a variety of reasons, they are simply looking for an upward or lateral move from their current job. We will often find a few gems; they can be precious beyond their skill level by nature of their character, leadership style and personality.
We will also uncover individuals unsuitable for the position in question but who nonetheless are remarkable talents for another position in the company (or for whom we will create a special position). It is remarkable how often a collateral hiring is made during the course of a recruiting campaign. There is a certain delight in hiring two for the price of one, so to speak.
Telephone
We do our very best to talk by phone to each and every individual emailing in their resume. If we cannot phone, we go out of our way with each of the applicants to let them know they are not in the running, at least at the moment. We believe very strongly that every respondent to our advertisement is treated with dignity and respect and not just be left dangling there like some kind of number. Over and over such people end up helping us with our current search or sometimes end up being later hired for another position. They know their industry and often nominate people they like who might be suitable and/or interested. Instead of feeling rejected they often end up being very positive and cooperators and contributors. This creates a flow of energy.
For those applicants that are of interest, the phone call gets us off on the right foot in a rather robust way. A relationship begins to be built in a very comfortable, friendly manner as initial details are exchanged. We get a “feel” for each other. These phone calls will continue until a top candidate pool is generated.
The Resume Binder
Once the resume submission deadline is reached all the resumes are examined, ordered, and tabulated into about five categories: for example, “top five, next ten, qualified, unqualified, and key people of interest”. They are all presented in a three ring binder for the hiring manager to re-sort according to his own taste and intuition. Clarity begins to evolve as the re-sort is discussed.
The resume binder will also contain individuals from the passive “job bank”. These are the people that we have actively sought out on our client’s behalf. They may be someone we have just met in the last few months or someone we have known for years. It is from this bank that we so often find the very best of the talents. Often they are “nominated” by the people we are out there talking to in casual search conversation. More work can be done over a cup of coffee than can be imagined. It’s all a matter of ongoing collaboration for both now and in the future. Seemingly, everyone sees the value in sharing with their “headhunter”. An ongoing list of opportunities for themselves, their friends and their networks is the result. It is also a chance to discuss changes and developments in the industry which can prove most valuable.
Romance
As we uncover interested passive candidates we go through a different kind of relationship, almost like a courtship. Intimacy, understanding and opportunity thinking will develop. This will help both sides in the negotiations when it comes to demonstrating how they will do the job together. These type of negotiations are not about who can get the most out of the situation, but rather how everyone can work comfortably together.
Five Blitzkrieg Interviews
Everyone is kept in the loop as the top 15 are reduced down to an initial five candidates that the hiring manager will pick to interview. Often he will see all five in one day for about an hour each. We are there with the hiring manager to assist him with observations and our own judgment. There will be a cursory discussion between us in the half hour between interviews and then more detailed discussion later.
The one hour interview is structured roughly as follows:
- In the first quarter the hiring manager discusses the critical nature of the work that needs to be done and what it takes to succeed at it. He may also discuss past or potential future reasons for failure. It is work focused, not personality and history oriented.
- In the second quarter the candidate asks clarifying questions about the job to be done. Pre-meeting he will have been briefed on the position and will have done his own homework. (If he had not done the needed preparation he would have demonstrated his disinterest or lack of proactivity).
- The third quarter is for the hiring manager to ask the candidate how he would approach the job. Again the idea is to stay pointed on the work not the person. He is not going to ask how he did similar work in the past but rather how he would do things in the job he is being hired for. What are some ideas that could be used?
- In the final quarter the candidate is asked to do a “project” that would demonstrate how he would actually do one of the tasks of the job. This is the candidate’s opportunity to shine in a real-life sort of way. A time is then booked for the aspirant to make his presentation. Typically it takes about two weeks to get it ready but that can vary greatly according to the nature of the work. (In a few instances one party or the other will have disqualified themselves and will no longer be a candidate for the position; instead of a project they will be given warm thanks and be sent on their way.)
Choosing
Final selections are going to be largely based on the follow-up presentations by the candidates. The hiring manager (along with any of his invited staff) will get a sense of feel for each of the presenters. He will be weighing not only skill level and creativity but also the intangibles for people to get along and work compatibly, energetically and responsibly together. His gut will tell him whether this will work or not. The hiring manager and the hiring manager alone is responsible for which candidate to pick. No one can tell him that - - he alone knows... and he is the one who has to make his choice work out. In most cases it’s really not that hard - - usually the right person is obvious.
References
Once a candidate is chosen, but before a written offer is made for the position, a thorough reference check is conducted. We usually run about seven references although it could be double that in certain situations. We ask for two personal, two clients, one or two supervisors, two coworkers and two subordinates. We may also request references from professional colleagues currently aware of this particular situation. This should ensure technical or professional competency. In some few cases we will also run a criminal record check and investigate all public records such as military service, bankruptcy and credit history.
We begin the reference interview by asking about the history and nature of their relationship. We then ask what are the factors that make the finalist unique, i.e. what dominates when describing him. What are his key strengths? How does he learn? In what ways has he demonstrated creativity? How does he handle conflict? What is his interpersonal style? What happens when he is frustrated? What role does he like to play on a team? What kind of an achiever is he?
Last but most importantly, we ask the referee what he thinks are the most important areas for further growth and development of the candidate over the next 1 to 3 years. The last question gives license to the endorser to speak freely and in a way that he believes will help the aspirant’s career. A floodgate of information usually gushes out. This knowledge will help the hiring manager accommodate the distinct ways and methods of the new hire. In rare cases, the new found facts will serve as a warning to make certain adjustments or perhaps to not hire the individual at all. Sometimes what’s inside the box is just too much.
Compensation
After the results of the references are examined in detail and hashed out as necessary, the hiring manager can discuss salary, bonuses and incentives. The goal is to be both fair and attractive. Most individuals are not so much interested in money as they are in an opportunity to show what they can do and what will be like to be part of a highly skilled team. At the same time if compensation is too low there is a distinct tone of a lack of respect. Building the right culture is always part of job one.
Once the nature of the position and the new hire’s role has been negotiated in considerable detail, the money settled, and a starting date set, then it is time to involve the personnel department. Corporate policies and procedures can be enumerated in detail and general benefits outlined.
Support
After the start date the successful candidate will usually need more initial support than is generally understood. There is always a certain anxiety involved in any change but here a whole new life is being launched. Dependent on the nature of the assignment, we can act as confidant and counsel for the new hire, or else the company can assign some type of initial mentor. The important thing is to have someone helping the newbie be as comfortable as possible. The first week and the first month are supercharged for him.
Summarizing – Five Phases
The comprehensive search most often takes about three to four months but this can vary according to the seniority of the position being filled and other variables. There are about five distinct phases to the recruitment process:
- Develop & approve the position specification; capture the details and intangibles with the hiring manager. Discuss which newspapers’ career sections will need to be used, draft the advertising copy, have it approved and then placed by a professional buyer. This takes about 3 to 6 weeks.
- Map out the hiring company’s competitors and other companies who are potential sources of quality candidates. Get out on the street and start talking to people about what’s going on in the industry generally, and more importantly, what individuals are thinking about doing. Involve the hiring manager, his colleagues and networks, as well as other executives he collaborates with. They are an immense source of wealth gone untapped. Then start seeking out nominations for the position. Sometimes the nominators become the nominees themselves for this (or other) positions. The passive job market is combed for opportunity seekers. This takes place at the beginning of the first month but continues right until the reference checks are finished.
- In month two resumes from newspaper advertisements, trade journals and Internet job boards are gathered. Initial contact is made by phone and serious candidates are identified. One test of seriousness is the candidate’s willingness to do detailed research on the company and completely rewrite his resume for the position in question. The active job seekers are blended with what we have found in the passive market. Ongoing conversations take place until a legitimate candidate pool is developed. This takes at least three weeks but more often takes six weeks.
- In month three we move from the gathering stage to the selection process. The hiring manager is presented with a resume binder. Usually 15 individuals are picked for closer scrutiny and then that number is whittled down to about five top candidates. An initial face-to-face meeting with each of the five asks them, if interested, to put together a presentation of their skills to do the job in question. Typically that presentation is made about two weeks later and then the hiring manager begins to see clearly. Frequently a top candidate stands above everyone else but sometimes two or three names have to be worked down to just one. Negotiations follow and a choice is comfortably made. References are then checked on the final candidate to affirm that everything is as it seems. The candidate may also seek out his own general counsel and advice on the terms and conditions of the new position. He may also seek details from the personnel department.
- The final closing stage sees the candidate accepting the position, giving notice and then arriving on the starting date. Meanwhile the hiring manager makes the necessary preparation and adjustments based on his own observations, our notes, the reference checks, and what was negotiated. In this stage the candidate may have to cope with a certain amount of buyer’s remorse, counteroffers from the company, outside influencers with their hidden agendas, and good old-fashioned natural anxiety that comes with any major change. Special care needs be given to orienting the candidate while providing a high level of initial and ongoing support. Handholding makes a great deal of difference; it keeps the candidate’s mind focused on all the great reasons for making the move. In this way a successful transition is ensured.
Our Relationship
Throughout the entire engagement, contact will be maintained with the hiring manager both by unscheduled phone updates along with regular periodic written reports (once per week or twice per month is the usual).
In addition to these management reports, other working files and papers will be kept organized; draft reports will be offered for “discussion purposes only”. Legal documents include:
(1) the working proposal,
(2) the signed contract along with any amendments,
(3) invoices itemizing billing hours, advertising charges, disbursements and agreed upon expenses
(4) indexes and documentation of the management reports referred to above
(5) the resume binder described earlier, and
(6) our final report.
In the career advertisement our phone number will be readily accessible; it also will be clear we have been engaged by the company to take responsibility for the hiring process on this particular position. This includes handling internal and external candidates equally. Both our client’s logo and our logo will appear in the ad.
Payments for our engagement reflect the value of the work we do on your behalf. As the complexity, seniority and intricacies of a position rises in rank, so do the hours required to fill that opening. Senior management positions generally take more time and skill to secure the right individual than do the professions. Likewise middle management jobs require more intensity than lower level technology occupations. All are valuable and important; some just require more wherewithal to find the right match. The hours required to fill the position are longer. We do not charge by the hour but rather give a set fee based on our estimate of how much time it will usually take to complete the whole assignment. That way our clients don’t have to worry that they are being charged every time they pick up the phone. Instead they can relax knowing the fee is fixed and they can talk as much or as little as they like. We encourage back-and-forth chit chat about every little thing; it helps a lot.
We require our fee be paid in three stages, 35% for the retainer, 40% at the time the top candidates are presented, and the last 25% when the final candidate has accepted the position. Advertising may be paid directly or through us. If more than one candidate is hired in any particular search there is no additional charge; this is all part of the same service being paid for. Likewise if other candidates are later hired from this search, it is still part of the same fee already paid. This is one of the ways that a Comprehensive Search is less expensive than a Covert Search which charges on a per capita or per person basis.
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