Executive Search Tips for Better, Faster Placements

Here are 6 tips for placing top executives faster:

Have your most senior leader lead the way.

Employees tend to mimic the behaviors of senior leaders. If your senior leadership demonstrates that finding and engaging with top talent is a priority, the rest of the team will follow suite. Your CEO or president doesn’t have to do all the work of recruiting, but they should attend executive search meetings and make some calls here and there to try to assist.

Create a strong pipeline

You never know when you’ll have an opening at the executive level. Whether you’re hiring or not, you need to build a list of executives and cultivate real relationships with them. When you do have an opening, having a list of candidates that you’ve already connected with will give you a solid jump start.

Set a goal of connecting with or interviewing 2-4 people a month

If you’re not currently hiring for an executive, it’s easy to let talent sourcing fall by the wayside when things get busy. That’s why we recommend setting an objective, measurable goal to make sure you don’t lose sight of identifying candidates and building these relationships.

Prioritize Face-to-Face or Zoom Meetings

It’s great to exchange emails or connect on social media. We’re all busy and that’s really convenient, but if we really want to build relationships and gain trust with executives, it’s important to have conversations that feel a bit more personal. Obviously in person meetings are ideal, but in an age of COVID-19, Zoom meetings are the next best thing.

Look for Great Candidates Who Aren’t Getting the Right Opportunities Internally

If you talk to someone who really impresses your team but isn’t interested at the moment, stay in touch. Recruiting is all about timing. The best executive search consultants know that the key is building relationships so that when the time is right, your ideal candidate is open to a conversation. In the corporate world, attitudes toward a company or job can change very quickly and it’s quite common for leaders to feel they’ve hit a wall for opportunities. You want to be there for a discussion when that happens.

Find Good People at Struggling Companies

When a company is struggling, it’s a natural tendency for qualified, driven individuals to look for new opportunities. Keep an eye on the news and an ear to the ground in your industry, and bear in mind how shifts will affect the talent landscape. The sooner you open lines of communication, the better.