More importantly,
good headhunters do not like to be treated as servants. If you choose
a suitable firm and are willing to pay them a fee - let them earn
it. Use them as a sounding board for prompt and accurate feedback
after each interview. How does the candidate perceive my opportunity?
How interested is the candidate in us? Why? Why not? Then share your
feelings with your recruiter about that candidate. If they are right
or left of the target, tell them where to aim next.
Keep in mind that the best executive recruiters are absolutely results
driven. So don't be afraid to make them accountable and hold their
feet to the fire by establishing a time frame by which you expect
qualified candidates to be produced and presented for interviews.
But, in turn, provide them with personal access and a two-way communication
with you so that they can truly assist you on the most crucial aspects
of hiring.
When it comes to negotiating a desired candidate's compensation plan,
an experienced headhunter has invaluable expertise. Unless you are
personally hiring dozens of executives every year, your search partner
is likely to be much more familiar with the formal, stressful, often
complex task of closing a candidate on your employment opportunity.
Let them assure you that your offer is equitable and acceptable by
having them "trial-close" your candidate before you present
the actual offer letter. They should be able to instruct you on what
components of the offer are most and least important to each unique
candidate.
Plus, do not overlook the inevitability of "counter offers"
in this ultra-competitive climate for top talent. Your recruiter should
be used as your partner in eliminating surprises throughout the entire
hiring process. And, the counter offer is probably the most damaging
surprise that your recruiter needs to be able to help you avoid and
outmaneuver so you don't lose your next coveted employee after an
enormous amount of time and work on your part.
The best client I ever had asked me to interview and assess every
person that he considered hiring regardless of how that candidate
was sourced. When his new boss asked him why he'd pay me for the candidate
that I didn't recruit he responded simply by saying, "Well, we
all have blind spots and Jordan knows how to help me reduce mine."
The trust in that relationship took years to develop, but that's a
far cry from seeing us as a resume outlet. (By the way, that same
client was the VP of Sales that took his company from under $3mm to
$30mm in sales revenues in less than 5 years with a software company
in Denver).
Like any other personal services professional (a lawyer, doctor, etc.)
a good corporate recruiter needs the customer's trust. If you try
to control too much of the process you're liable to wind up with limited
results and short-term relationships.
In Summary
When you consider the use of an executive search firm keep in mind
the priority of the hire involved. The difference between an A player
who joins your firm for the right reasons and a mediocre employee
is the biggest differentiator between you and your competition.
Headhunters spend their days doing three main things:
- assessing
the credentials and personality traits of candidates
- listening to
those candidates about their motivations for staying or leaving
their employers
- helping companies
define job descriptions and position their opportunities in the
best light.
So why not let
a proven professional help you judge which candidate to select? If
it's truly a critical hire, why not improve your odds of hiring with
excellence by looking at a competitive candidate or two even if you
have found one on your own?
In short, let us do what we do best. Yes, the ultimate responsibility
of hiring sits squarely on your shoulders. But you can make that decision
clear by utilizing a well-screened, well-chosen search consultant
to do almost all of the hard work leading up to that selection. Some
headhunters, not all, have reached the level of professionalism we
all yearn to find in a doctor or lawyer in our times of need. Just
as you would not attempt to defend yourself in court or repair your
own broken bone, you shouldn't try to identify, screen, evaluate,
trial close and acquire your next Vice President or even Branch Manager.
So go find yourself a competent, experienced search consulting partner
you can trust and sleep much better after your new hire comes on board.
Helpful Reminders
Helpful hints to remember when qualifying search and placement firms:
- Network thoroughly
to determine which firms are available and appropriate to consider.
- Screen two
or more - face to face if possible.
- Choose one
and establish clear guidelines, expectations, and terms for doing
business.
- Don't pay for
fluff. Pay for performance and keep them on a short leash.
- Let them in!
Don't be afraid to share your real needs with them.
- Keep yourself
available to them and respond when called upon.
- Pay them immediately
if they perform. Lose their number if they don't.
by Jordan Greenberg
Jordan Greenberg,
President of the Denver-based firm The Pinnacle Source, has been in
high-level executive search since 1981.
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