In today’s harsh business climate it becomes easier to identify the divide between the outstanding talent and the merely adequate. This is as true among Headhunters as it is in any other industry.
Like almost every other segment of business the Executive Search industry is going through a shake-down process to become leaner, fitter and more relevant to serve in the current environment. As this process continues many senior executives are finding that their key contact in the Executive Search firm has become more elusive, less tuned-in to their specific target market or worse still have suddenly left the field altogether.
Why stay connected at all?
Whilst most businesses are outwardly not hiring at all, the fact remains that exceptional talent remains a rare human resource. During these times good leaders of businesses and their human resource advisers will be focussed more than ever on ensuring that these resources are identified, developed and promoted to ensure that the business remains strong and vibrant.
Whilst some businesses have become much more adept at managing this process themselves the reality is that it is very inexact science. The current economics are stressing most business models as never before and in doing so we are seeing surprising results in how senior executives perform. Those that had seemed a certainty to succeed may be suddenly failing through behaviours that no longer appear to be relevant to what is needed today.
In this state of flux the relationship between the Headhunter and the CEO and Head of Human Resources is as important as ever. An experienced Executive Search professional will be strongly connected to the strategic imperatives of their clients business and therefore be able to help identify and source those scarce human skills that could make all the difference to achieving those aims.
Is it all about who you know?
For the clever senior executive with an ambition to succeed today’s troubled times being connected to the right Headhunter is an imperative. They understand that the Headhunter continues to have regular dialogue with their clients as hiring plans have become strategic, subtle and hidden. Access to these plans is often best handled through this skilled intermediary.
A great Headhunter will remain true to their chosen field, have relationships with a few key clients nurtured over many years based on deep levels of integrity in that relationship as well as their effectiveness to deliver. That relationship will more often than not be a very personal one rather than built between business brands.
Are you connected with the right Headhunter in your market? If not now is the right time to discover who the real players are.
Rob Stephenson is a Managing Partner at Maven Partners, a specialist recruitment services business.
No comments:
Post a Comment