How is the executive search process different from the search process for professionals?
The search for a manager is a process with a different project management methodology than the usual search for specialists. The project leader for the managerial search also needs to have different competences and experience, and the duration and modalities of the selection process differ. In order to carry out the executive search process properly, recruitment firms need to have a steady workload for this type of search and to be in constant contact with senior executives. If executive search is an infrequent project for the recruitment firm, then expertise may be limited and hinder the proper management of the executive search process. There are 3 main differences between executive search and specialist search:
1. Duration of the selection process
Executive searches take much longer than specialist searches. This is due to several factors. First of all, even selected candidates usually have strategic commitments to their current employer, so their transition can take up to 30 working days or more. At the same time, the executive search process takes longer, as executive search firms’ clients usually want to conduct 4 or more interviews with executives before a decision is made. In the process of searching for professionals, 3 interviews are sufficient. At the same time, more decision-making roles (shareholders, heads of departments and divisions) are involved in the executive search process, which makes the process even longer. While a normal search for specialists might take 30 working days, a search for a manager should be planned for 40-55 working days.
2. Dedicated executive search specialists
Communicating with top executives requires good preparation and experience. Executive search firms need to be able to represent the client company well, to know the professional field of the executive to be selected and to be able to discuss the candidates’ professional topics. The number of such direct executive search professionals is very small, so their importance is huge. Unlike in specialist search, the amount of contact with the candidate in the executive search process is incomparably higher, so the importance of the role of the executive searcher only increases.
3. Negotiating the position
Negotiating terms and conditions in the final phase of an executive search is usually much more intense than in a specialist search. The needs of managers are linked to the long-term objectives of the company, they expect a shareholding, a high degree of discretion, a budget for development, etc. Such negotiations require a good ability on the part of the employer to balance interests and to understand the limits of the selected manager’s interests. This is where an executive search firm’s specialist, who accompanies both the candidate and the employer from the very first interview, helps both sides. Once the trust of both parties has been built up, the executive search professional helps to bring mutual expectations into line more quickly.
Executive search is certainly different from specialist search, both in terms of the process, the leader of the process (the executive searcher) and the duration. Perhaps the most important factor is a dedicated executive search specialist who deals with the day-to-day processes of executive search. Employers can then be confident that they will be adequately represented in the passive category of managers in the labour market, which is the most desirable category for employers.
