Article courtesy of Gordon Advisors, P.C.
Even in times of relatively high unemployment, finding the right candidates for executive positions can be a real challenge. Members of the executive team need to possess a special set of characteristics, and they need the right attitude and the ability to get the job done.
Given these requirements, it is no surprise that so many companies struggle to match the right candidates with their open executive positions. That is why executive recruiters are such a valuable part of the process, but simply hiring an executive recruiter is no guarantee of success.
In order to be successful, the executive recruiter must be persistent. By definition, the individuals targeted by executive search firms are in very high demand, and in most cases they will already be gainfully employed.
The ability to convince those highly qualified and in demand individuals to join a new team is what sets the most successful executive recruiters apart from their less competent counterparts. The persistent executive recruiter may contact a single individual dozens of times in an attempt to gather new information and communicate new opportunities. When a less persistent and less experienced recruiter may give up after a few contacts, the successful recruiter will work hard to foster a long-term relationship with their most promising recruits.
Those successful executive recruiters recognize the value of the long-term relationships they create. They understand that the unique skill sets and knowledge their most promising recruits possess are rare, and that this rarity makes them extremely valuable.
They also know that their long-term contacts retain their value even if they have no interest in moving on. Executives who are happy in their current careers can still provide valuable insight into the executive recruitment process – and recruitment candidates to fill those unfilled positions.
A high value executive contact may know dozens of prospective candidates. Those candidates could be perfect for open positions, making them valuable contacts for any executive recruitment firm. As a highly-placed executive, they have a front-row seat from which they can watch the growth of these junior executives.