With the tight talent market, we’ve updated this blog post about the 9 advantages of using a Retained Executive Search Firm with some new content for our readers. See below for updates.
If you have a high level position that you are trying to fill, it may be worth considering bringing in a Retained Executive Search firm. Here are 9 Advantages to Using a Retained Executive Search Firm.
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You get the best talent available, not just the best talent that responded to your opening.
Job postings can be effective for certain roles but they only reach active candidates. Often the best candidate is the one currently working for one of your competitors, and they aren’t looking at your postings. Update: With the unemployment rate for professionals hovering around 1.7% the effectiveness of job postings has diminished greatly with some job postings now receiving less than 10 applicants.
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The best candidates drive revenue and success and have more impact on your top and bottom line.
You get what you pay for. And you pay for what you get. A good candidate will “pay for themselves” and if you utilize a retained executive search professional to seek out the best talent, the return on investment will be much higher than simply hoping that person who applied will work out. Update: Retained search is not a cost, it is an investment in your company.
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Passive candidates are not looking. You need an opportunity marketer to get their attention.
High level “A” players are out there. They might be interested in joining your team but are unaware of your opportunity because you’ve chosen passive solutions like job boards and postings on your site. You need a retained executive search firm to get their attention and engage them on why your opportunity is one they should consider. Update: this is more important than ever, opportunity marketers are key to success in filling positions. We have one of the highest passive candidate conversion rates in the retained search industry.
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Good Retained Executive Search firms SEARCH– they don’t “post” jobs and give you the best of what came in to the posting. They are hunters.
There are many “recruiters” out there and the title is misleading – they don’t “recruit” at all. They rely on inbound talent and hand over what they think are worthy in the bunch. Your Retained Executive Search partner will actively seek out the best talent for your opportunity, engage them, and bring you multiple candidates to choose from.
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Decrease the “noise” and increase the quality.
The 300 applications/resumes you’ve received from your job posting may seem like a blessing at first. Until you start sorting through them to find that few if any will match your needs. And the time you’ve taken to sift through your inbox could have been utilized to grow your business. A good Retained Executive Search firm will only bring you 3-5 candidates who have been researched, interviewed, and screened for success. How much is your time worth? Update: Some companies are now receiving less than 10 candidates to consider on their openings from job postings.
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Say goodbye to average performers and stop settling for less.
Research, research, research. Those are the first three things a good Retained Executive Search firm will do when beginning your search. Their job is to find out who the “A” players are, engage them, and get them excited about joining your team.
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A good Retained Executive Search firm places candidates with talent development in mind and a goal to greatly reduce turnover.
It’s not just about finding a talent who will grow your business; it’s about finding a talent who can grow with your business. Every talent will be looked at from the perspective of present and future success. You want talent who will be with you and make a positive impact on your business for years. And only a good Retained Executive Search firm will look for your talent with that perspective.
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Solutions, not resumes. What is your company trying to accomplish by hiring this candidate? Is the candidate you are seeking the candidate you need?
The first question we always ask is “why”? Why are you seeking a particular talent? That seemingly simple question can provoke a myriad of interesting answers. A good Retained Executive Search firm will ask questions about the goals of your company and partner with you to find the talent that you need to move forward, not just provide you with resumes that match certain keywords or bullet points.
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Your company is unique and your search should be as well.
A good Retained Executive Search firm will approach your search with fresh perspective. It’s not about having a large “database” of resumes. It’s about finding a talent solution to foster your company’s success and then knowing where to quickly find, engage and bring that talent to you for consideration. Update: We also have a great talent community to draw from for our client partners to consider in addition to a great research methodology and a great referral network.
If your company is struggling to find talent in this tight talent market, it might be time to consider a Retained Executive Search firm to partner with.