C-level management search

The recruitment and selection process needs to be standardised, but it is inefficient to have a single process for finding specialists and top managers. There are differences in the search channels, the number of candidates on the labour market, their motivation to change jobs, etc. The main distinguishing features of the search for C-level management are the following:

The direct search (headhunting) channel becomes the main channel

Both public and direct (headhunting) search channels can be successfully used in the search for professionals. Publicity is often not possible or not useful in searches for top-level executives. In this case, direct search becomes the main search channel. Of course, this does not mean simply contacting directly the top managers of interest. Even without a public search, it is necessary to create a highly representative position description that will be used to formulate a direct message to the top managers. At the same time, you need to know the employer’s plans for the position very well, as the top managers will be more interested in the company’s prospects, planned investments and development than in the day-to-day work itself. Thus, a direct search requires a well-formed message and advance preparation to answer the strategic questions of the managers.

Strategy for preparing for an interview with a top executive

The role of the candidate and the employer in a c-level management search is absolutely equal, so the employer’s preparation is crucial. There is a good chance that the interviewees will be top executives who work in a similar or even larger business and will therefore have a lot of very specific questions. This is why an executive search professional must be experienced in high-intensity interviews and must be fully briefed on all the non-confidential details of the position. At the same time, top executives are extremely time-efficient, so it is essential to agree on the entire structure of the selection phases and to brief the candidates in advance.

The role of the employer in the top level search process

The employer is always under a magnifying glass in the top-level executive search process. Every working manager takes a risk when moving on to the next position. That is why the first interview with the employer can both confirm and refute his fears. A good executive searcher’s work needs to be followed up by the employer, and here both sides need to work together. All communication with the candidate must be unified and the employer must be fully aware of the content of the first interview with the recruiter. The role of the employer is crucial, as top managers are choosing from their current and potential future employers and are critical of any ambiguous information.

Submission of a managerial job offer

The search for top executives always ends with an offer being made to the selected candidate. Unlike in specialist level recruitment, preparation for the negotiation and anticipation of what the employer will have to do if the selected candidate receives a better managerial job offer than his/her current employer is crucial here. The presentation of the offer is often organised during a live interview, with both the financial and the prospect part. This allows for better monitoring of the candidate’s reaction and for real-time decisions to be made on how to modify the managerial offer in line with the candidate’s expectations