Finding, recruiting, and hiring the right candidate for a senior executive position is a challenging process: make the wrong choice, and the negative effects could linger for years. In the process, your organization will squander time and money.
Some leadership teams are reluctant to work with Executive Recruiters. This may stem from a lack of experience working with executive recruiters.
While understandable, these objections shouldn’t prevent businesses from taking advantage of the services of an expert search firm. These eight reasons to hire an executive search firm should help your team overcome their worries and focus on the benefits of using outside assistance to find an executive leader.
Reach
Search committees and internal department heads may have strong networks and connections to draw from, but they won’t have the reach of an executive search firm. While you have a roster of candidates in mind, they may not have the time to conduct an international executive search or the ability to identify “passive” candidates. Sometimes the best person for the job is not actively looking for a job.
Impartiality
An executive search firm has no axe to grind other than finding the perfect person for the role your company must fill. Using a third-party search firm to source and vet candidates eliminates any suspicion that those recruited simply have the right connections. A search firm will provide diverse candidates with the best potential to match the competencies required, match the company culture and bring the energy to the position.
A search firm can look at candidates from the broader perspective of the available pool. While internal experience is valuable, it may not be broad and substantial enough to stand up to the demands of your open senior position.
Professional search firms have well-developed processes to ensure all candidates receive fair treatment and to keep the process clear of unconscious bias. An experienced firm will identify candidates both active and passive. From there, they will bring your organization a vetted selection of leaders who can maximize the position’s impact for the betterment of the entire organization.
Industry Expertise
Reputable executive search firms rely on recruiters with substantial industry expertise. These recruiters stay current in their areas of expertise and may have more up-to-date information on skills, new technologies and industry innovations than internal managers coping with operational demands. Businesses can draw on this knowledge to find leadership candidates that can advance their organization and enhance their success.
Confidentiality
Passive candidates are more likely to talk to a third party to protect the confidentiality of their interest so as not to threaten their current position.
Legal and compliance issues can arise, as well. If your company is engaged in high-level merger or acquisition talks, a whisper of change in executive leadership can destroy the deal. And if you’re in the unenviable position of replacing an underperforming incumbent, the planned move simply cannot become public before you secure a replacement and settle things with the current position holder.
Network and Access
Executives can have a positive experience with the professional search firm that found their dream job at a company that offered a perfect fit and an attractive compensation package. These satisfied leaders are more willing to stay in touch and provide referrals of prospective candidates. Positive relationships like these can last for years and help build a robust database of potential candidates for a large variety of leadership positions at your organization.
Focus
Does anyone on your team really have time to dedicate all day—potentially for weeks on end—to the candidate search process? A prime reason to hire an executive search firm is their complete focus on the task of identifying, recruiting and closing the deal with the perfect person for the job. Your search will be a priority for the search team until your new executive is comfortably ensconced in their new leadership role.
Pitch
Executive leaders have options. Your business may compete with others in the same industry for a similar pool of talent. A critical part of an executive search firm’s brief is to secure a “yes” from your top choice candidate. This process involves identifying candidates for your organization, your location, and the unique opportunities associated with the role you’re looking to fill.
At the beginning of your business’s relationship with an executive recruiting firm, these professional executive search partners will dive deep into your company culture, your immediate and long-term leadership needs and the challenges facing your organization. They’ll advise you on what it will take to secure the best person for the job, whether that’s long-term potential compensation and cross-functional opportunities.
Onboarding and Retention
The best search firms stick with you beyond helping you sign your top candidate. They’ll ensure a smooth onboarding experience and follow up with the selected leader to enhance long-term success for your team.
Battalia Winston is an executive search firm with over 50 years of experience helping Fortune 500 companies, midsized companies, family businesses, and non-profits thrive. We work to match executive talent with organizations where they can achieve both their personal career goals and exceed their new employer’s expectations for results and innovation.
If you find your search has hit a wall, Battalia Winston can help you secure the leader you need without compromising the comprehensive nature of our process.
Our industry-specific knowledge can address both your immediate needs and your long-term strategy to ensure you have a strong pool of candidates to choose from. We will help you find the leaders who can move your organization through and beyond a five-year plan toward truly sustainable growth and success. Contact us today to speak with our consultants about your company’s unique needs and discover how our recruiting experts can help you secure the executives you’re looking for.
