EXPLODING THE MYTH - Page 1 of 3

Choosing and using the right executive search firm every business struggles today to hire enough qualified personnel to maintain its optimum level of operations. Many wise ones have opted to share the responsibility for acquiring critical talent with firms specializing in personnel search and replacement (call them executive search firms/corporate/recruiters/headhunters/search consultants/etc.) to assure a maximum effort to upgrade their level of productivity. Now that partnering with professional recruitment firms has become mainstream and necessary for companies to stay competitive, it is time to educate ourselves on which firm(s) to select and how to go about working with your headhunter of choice.

Having worked in the trenches of search firms for a couple of decades, it is my contention that corporate hirers can make their lives easier and the hiring of key employees more effective by considering these suggestions and/or avoiding these five great myths.
Great myth #1 - Using multiple search firms for an assignment will yield more candidates and better results.

Fact - The quantity of search firms in the USA has grown exponentially the last three to five years, making it even more difficult for you to find quality. Because there is so much noise out there, take your time finding someone that actually plays your kind of music. Realize that the majority of successful, experienced recruiters in business today refuse to take on an assignment from a client at the same time another search firm is already engaged on that project. There is simply too much demand for the services of a reputable headhunter to take a chance on an assignment that may be fruitless despite his/her efforts. Regardless of how time-sensitive your search is, choose your partner carefully.

If you do convince a recruiter to share an assignment don't expect their undivided attention or impressive results. Remember, you've made the decision to share your requirement with different sources. Expect that they, in turn, will be spending only a small portion of their time assisting you. Most headhunters work on a pay-for-results basis and are appropriately focused on searches for clients that value their expertise by providing them with an exclusive opportunity to service them. Your results will be impacted enormously by the quality of the relationship you establish with a well-chosen recruiter.

The bottom line is that you should not dilute your search by engaging multiple resources at the same time. There are better ways to qualify and select a search firm other than by "trying out" a few and seeing who comes up with the best candidates. Read on.
Great Myth #2 - The best headhunter for your assignment is the one you like the most.
Fact - It is very, very easy to confuse chemistry with results. In an ideal world, you would choose your search partner as your golfing partner too. But remember - what you and your company really need is a serious search professional who has a proven track record of successfully completing similar assignments for similar companies.

For example, if you run a software company and you need a new VP of Sales, find a search firm who has already filled VP Sales slots with your competitors or other software companies in your community. Then go a step further and reference the results of those placements. Did the VP they placed grow the clients' sales from $3mm to $30mm or did that placement "fall off" and result in turnover in the first year? Does this firm have a track record of repeating this success several times or was their placement a one-time wonder? Does the business specialize in placing VPs with software firms or are they hired guns just looking for their next big fee?

In essence, your best bet is to find a search partner who can talk to you knowledgeably about your business the first time. And remember - don't be afraid to ask them about their other customers and their own track record. If they're not able to clearly articulate some of their recent successes, how well will they really be able to represent a new client like you?
Great Myth #3 - Your boss or your board will know who the best recruiters are!
Fact - Most CEOs, founders and financiers of companies are brilliant businessmen and women. They are expert at overseeing, inspiring and, most importantly, leading. By definition their role is strategic and visionary, not tactical or tied to detail. Therefore, I have found that you are more likely to be referred to a capable search firm by those in the field, in the trenches, or those with whom you compete.

next >>