Better Headhunting: Choosing An Executive Search Firm For Your Business Is Best

By Author: Tracy Narvaez
Total Articles: 348
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One of many human resources tasks you face is discerning how to walk through the process of choosing an executive search firm for your business. There are so many of them calling, after all. It sometimes seems easier just to work with all of them, but on an arbitrary basis. It isn't easy to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Relations with executive search firms come in two flavors, contingency and retainer. With a contingency relationship there is no promise that that firm won't be one of two dozen, all looking for that childhood development therapist you want to fill in the staff. The retainer relationship, by comparison, is exclusive. Make them earn it.

Let's say a recruiter calls you, saying that she represents a therapist on a hospital staff with drug and alcohol rehabilitation experience. As she is somewhat knowledgeable about your medical office, she thought she would see if you had any need. You say no, but then tell her about your interest in a therapist with a childhood development background. You describe the person you're looking for in more detail.

You feel you're ready to move on to the bit ...
... about the 15% standard fee you offer, having described the person. However, the recruiter has more questions. The questions might seem peculiar. She wants to know whether the therapists often socialize after work, or take lunch together. She asks about expectations of pro bono work, about whether any of the therapists practice integral approaches. It's getting annoying. It seems the recruiter is making a nuisance of herself. In fact, it's the moment you should first begin to realize that this recruiter isn't just another headhunter, but a cut above.

One thing you shouldn't doubt is that she has an entire shelf full of therapists with childhood development backgrounds. A mediocre headhunter will at this point just whip out a resume, give you a thumbnail sketch of his background, and try to talk you into interviewing him or at least seeing his resume. This is without having asked anything about the position or the practice which you didn't offer. The person he wants you to see has been rejected several other medical practices. Your time is being wasted.

A good recruiter got the necessary information from you the first time, and should not need to call back twice every day asking for further details. When he calls you back, and it could be as much a two weeks later, it should be with a dazzling candidate. Further, the recruiter should be able to answer any question you could conceivably have about that candidate.

In talking fees, she should have requested 25% or 30% of the salary for that first year. You might think you're saving money with a 15% standard fee offered to one and all. Actually anyone who'd work for that is suspect.

His candidate should show up perfectly prepared, the model of professionalism. The recruiter has made sure she would be prepared. Whether she ends up being your next office manager, who knows. What ought to be clear is that you should now be finished choosing an executive search firm for your business.