Recruiting through headhunter for maximum return

Recruiting through headhunter for maximum return

Pri Notowidigdo, The Amrop Hever Group, Global Executive Search,
e-mail:jakarta@amrophever.com

If you are the CEO of a company and are seeking top talent to
reposition your business, think about using a "headhunter," the
popular term for an executive search consultant.

He will find executive talent for your management team. A
seasoned headhunter with a demonstrated track record will apply
market research, investigative techniques, business acumen,
industry knowledge, and tap on his extensive network and market
intelligence to identify and select the right professional. Using
an experienced headhunter effectively will bring you a maximum
return on investment.

If you are a corporate client using a headhunter's services,
what can you do to ensure that you will derive added value to
your search? Before the search begins:

1. Start with goals and strategies rather than a position
specification.

2. Be honest about the problems, issues, and challenges facing
your company. Discussing these matters in the beginning will
ensure that the headhunter, as well as the candidates,
understands the qualifications being sought.

3. Hire the kind of people you need and not the kind you already
have.

4. Invest in the headhunter by letting him spend time with your
employees. This will enable the headhunter to understand the
corporate culture and appreciate any problems and issues.

5. Help the headhunter sell your company to candidates. Let the
headhunter learn the advantages of the company, its strengths,
and the reason why people enjoy working there. This will help him
present a positive image of your company to the candidates. The
best candidates are people who didn't apply for the job, but need
to discover its attractions.

During the search:

1. Take joint responsibility for the success of the search. The
headhunter represents you and it can only do its best job when
you take an active role.

2. Give specific feedback to the headhunter about each candidate
short-listed.

3. Respect the candidate by giving him timely feedback through
the headhunter.

4. Respect the headhunter by deciding yes or no to each candidate
presented.

5. Focus and re-focus on 3 key skills most urgently required of
the candidates - cultural fit, reputation for results, and
communication skills. While other factors are as important,
experience and research has supported the three above mentioned
skills as critical to success.

As a corporate client, make expectations clear at the
beginning. Understand and agree on respective roles as well as
explicit ground rules on the conduct of the search. All this
points to the conclusion that you must regard a headhunter as
your business partner. In this regard, expectations for both
sides should be responsiveness and openness.
Choose a headhunter with a business orientation as well as an
understanding of people. Choose someone who communicates clearly
and demonstrates respect for people. In the final analysis, ask
yourself whether the headhunter has a common vision with you of
your business and the talent required to make the business a
success.