Executive Search Assignment Steps

Before meeting with the client carry out research to achieve an understanding of their place within their market and how their organisation is viewed externally.

This includes: 

• Corporate history  
• Products & Services  
• Leadership & strategy  
• Organisational strengths and weaknesses 
• Employer brand 
• Competitors
• Potentially online site reviews – Glassdoor

The second part of the executive search process is the client meeting. Here a meeting with the HR team and/or the relevant hiring manager is required to better understand:

• Any strategic or operational aims this hire is hoping to achieve
• A understanding if this is a replacement of the skills/duties of the prior holder and if the aim is replication or a pivot
• The company’s unique working environment, succession planning issues, diversity challenges, culture and values  
• The team dynamics, working style and approach 
• The specific role requirements from a technical and managerial perspective 

From this vacancy notes are produced to support the applicant selection process. 

Done well, this stage enables us to work as an effective advocate for your business in the marketplace, accurately representing and promoting your employer brand.

Create an ideal candidate profile based on the research conducted during stages one and two of the executive search process. This will form the basis of the search and selection stages.

The profile should focus on personality and the technical, professional, managerial and cultural aspects of the ideal candidate.

In addition to the main responsibilities and requirement of the role, the profile supports the job description used in any external advertising (if one is used).

Taking the ideal candidate profile and your unique requirements as a starting point a map of the market across geographies, industries, competitors and any suitable internal candidates can be created.

This will help to identify appropriate target companies, their organisational structures, key individuals and role profiles.

Special attention should be paid to companies and individuals which match or complement your client’s organisation and the role(s) in scope.  A focus on competitors can both strengthen our clients’ position and weaken a competitors.

Make use of a range of innovative attraction techniques, targeting both active and passive candidates.

This could include referral and recommendations, proprietary database search, job portals, industry-focused advertising, professional forums and social media.

The overriding goal should be to identify the best possible candidate(s) for the role, not the most actively available.

Depending on our client’s requirements it may require extending the search beyond the domestic market.

From the research carried out during the market mapping stage, present your client with a long list of up to 10 candidates, including internal candidates if appropriate.

This report should include names, companies, positions, responsibilities and contact details, as well as notes on the suitability of each candidate.

Candidate testing plays a part in many executive search process, providing an objective assessment of the individual’s key competencies and preferred working style.

There are a huge range of providers available, covering a whole host of different tests.

Assessments cover technical or theoretical expertise, cognitive ability, personality and emotional intelligence.

Whichever provider is chosen the tests should provide an engaging, straightforward and positive user experience for the candidate and useful easily understood information for our client.

Present the client with a shortlist of around 2-4 candidates. Accompany this with a detailed outline.

The report should include candidate CVs, analysis and the results of the testing conducted during the previous stage.

Likely including consultant notes based on our own candidate pre-screening.

Design a robust and consistent interview framework based on your client’s specific requirements.

Depending on the location of the candidates, this stage may involve a combination of telephone, video conferencing and physical interviews.

If appropriate, take a lead role in each interview or provide support in the form of organising, monitoring and reviewing the separate stages of the interview process.

The offer stage can be beset with pitfalls and troubles, where a role is Equity Partner there will likely be a buy in etc.

Managing this effectively can mean the difference between hiring the best person or having to start the lengthy and costly executive search process all over again.

Once the successful candidate has accepted the offer help maintain dialogue between your client and its new hire.

An experienced mediator you will ensure any negotiations are smooth and ultimately successful. This will protect against the risk of a successful counter offer – and even competing offer.

Done effectively, this not only mitigates the risk of dropout but also increases the opportunity for the candidate to hit the ground running when they begin their new role.

Vetting is a critical stage in the executive search process.

High standards of communication between the background check provider, your client and the candidate are crucial in speeding up completion times, mitigating the risk of applicant dropout and enhancing the employer brand.

Some clients prefer to do their own vetting.

Based on the client’s specific requirements, we can design procedures which are robust, transparent and uniform, ensuring new hires are compliant to begin work by using outside verification firms.

a. Onboarding

Ideally digital contract management service is utilised for a fast and efficient process.

This should include document download and upload facilities and a legally-binding electronic signature system.

b. Relocation

If the successful candidate has been sourced from overseas you should have already given careful consideration to whether you will provide relocation support.

Even this late in the executive search process the candidate can still dropout if he or she feels they are not being given adequate assistance.

Support can range from providing information on the local property market, schools, nurseries and other local amenities to organising a familiarisation visit, a search for a new home or even a full concierge service.

We can work with our partner ensuring regular communication with the candidate throughout the process.