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How To Maximize Your Relationship with an Executive Recruitment Firm

Statistics show that job growth has outpaced workforce growth by more than 10% and that there are more jobs open (about 10,000,000) than there are people to fill them. Companies are dealing with this talent war by hiring executive search firms in the hopes that a professional recruitment agency can find them what they can’t find. Very often, due to these workforce conditions, companies are using executive search firms for the first time with little or no understanding of the service these firms provide or of how to use a firm's value-added services to the company's best advantage.

Typically, a company views an executive search firm as an extension of their own HR department, as a required but undesirable third wheel in the recruitment process, or as a brain to pick in order to figure out the company's own direction. Rarely is the use of an executive search firm seen as a partnership between the company and a highly trained staff of professionals, but that's exactly what it is. The company who does understand this will get its money's worth and successfully fill its important positions.

When the decision is made to use an executive search firm, a company should be willing to take the time to meet with the recruitment consultant who will ask key questions of the client company pertaining to job criteria flexibility, salary flexibility, candidate screening support, and, most important of all, responsiveness level of the company hiring managers. This preparatory stage is key to a successful relationship as it allows the recruitment consultant to educate the company about current industry hiring practices while at the same time taking information that will permit thorough preparation of candidates. Once a relationship of trust is established, the client company can feel confident that the next steps in the process will be carried out according to the company's criteria without the company needing to be involved or distracted.

This next step in the process is where the valued added services come in and it is here and then later in the process, when a prospective employee needs to be closed, that an executive search firm's worth is truly evident. The recruitment consultant will thoroughly prescreen candidates and discard any who are not a fit. Then, once an interview is set up, the candidate will be prepped for the interview including a pre-interview with the recruitment consultant for high-level positions. A client company can be confident that when a candidate comes in from a qualified recruitment firm, the candidate has detailed knowledge of the company, its hiring practices, requirements and culture.

The other key stage of the hiring process where the executive recruiter's services can be extremely effective is the closing of the candidate. Often, a company will make a mistake by making a candidate an offer at an initial or secondary interview without obtaining the advise of the recruitment consultant who has worked with the candidate throughout the entire process. This can result in all kinds of snafus including a candidate declining the offer. This can be avoided if the company continues to trust the established relationship and the professionalism of the executive recruiter.

It is in the executive search consultant's best interest to make sure that both the candidate and client are happy with the offer, that it is a win-win situation for both parties so no matter how dicey the negotiations become, both parties feel they are being taken care of and served. An experienced recruiter will be able to smooth over any rough spots, keep the candidate interested and close the candidate. This is value-added service and this is the level of expertise a company pays for when it hires an executive search firm.