The Importance of Listening, Transparency, and Software
FOR ANY EXECUTIVE SEARCH, AND ESPECIALLY FOR STARTUP EXECUTIVE HIRING, FINDING VISIONARY LEADERS WHO FIT THE POSITION TAKES PRE-WORK.
Do it right and you can move very quickly. Ask questions. If your executive recruiter doesn’t understand your business, how can the candidates?
Be transparent. You’ll reach a faster shortlist if everyone understands the full picture. Use job market data. Know the landscape before you start to make offers. Don’t limit the search to active candidates only. Great recruiters find amazing talent who aren’t searching for opportunities on LinkedIn.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
When armed with the right information, headhunters can move exceedingly fast. Executive search partners should combine careful preparation, industry-leading market intelligence, and an uncommonly transparent process to put qualified, interested, vetted candidates on your desk in 48 hours. Search consultants shouldn’t focus on just checking boxes based on knowledge and skills. They aren’t just finding the right fit for the role. If they’ve done their job right, they’re matching your company’s culture and values, sourcing talent that will advance your vision. You know your company best and so should your agency partner.
Recruiters should ask: What are your challenges? What are your expectations? What is your process? What is your culture? If your executive recruiter doesn’t listen actively, proceed with caution.
TRANSPARENCY
Transparency opens the door to the best possible executive candidate fit at this discovery phase; two-way transparency speeds the process. What details could impact a candidate’s decision? Your executive search agency needs to know! For example, what led to this open position? Are there internal reorganizations? Is the company experiencing challenges or leadership changes? Is this a startup hiring rapidly to scale a sales team? The more we know, the faster your recruiters can deliver candidates who are primed to excel in your environment. Being honest cuts both ways. Does your executive recruiter share details of who they’re considering? Who are they getting on the phone? Why are some candidates interested? Why aren’t others?
“Sometimes, the reasons people decline an opportunity are more revealing than their motivation to pursue an opportunity.” —Tracy Nickell, Founder, Summit Search Consultants
THE POWER OF SOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE
Is your agency partner using more than LinkedIn? AI and Machine Learning-driven software can immensely impact your access to a wider talent pool and to have a clear idea of who’s out there. That’s when the true head-hunting begins. The main benefit of this software? A MUCH bigger candidate pool.
Don’t limit your search to just going after people actively looking for jobs. Don’t limit yourself to candidates on LinkedIn alone. Emerging proptech, medtech and insuretech startups are looking for top executive talent and want to review the ENTIRE talent pool, not just people applying to job boards or responding to InMails on LinkedIn. If the opportunity is a great match, and you’ve built a strong candidate profile, you’re equipped to approach people who are generally happy in their current roles.