23 Nov Executive Search Consultants: more than one hat
When thinking of Executive Search Consultants, the most common description that comes to one’s mind is that their activity focuses on strategically important roles. They attract highly skilled senior management talents to an organization considering the background, experience, technical and soft skills that best match the customer’s culture, organization, and role requirements. But is there more to it? Relaying on an Executive Search Partner is more than that. Let’s have a look at the different hats that Executive Search Consultants wear:
Relationship Expert
A good executive search partner is able to build strong relationships both with the customers and the candidates. This hat represents the foundation of a Search Consultant’s activity as it has to do with trust, essential element that cannot be underestimated or missed otherwise Consultants will not be able to fully perform their role of being a trusted Advisor both towards the customers and towards the candidates. Also, such hat helps Consultants create and maintain a network of high-qualified professionals that would otherwise not be accessible.
Strategy Expert
Search Consultants have a lot to do with strategy, in many ways. First, they need to know their customers’ strategy so to understand the context that the new hires will join and be able to evaluate candidates accordingly. Second, Consultants have to determine their search strategy based on the market they are scouting and their customers’ needs. Conducting specific and targeted research into well thought companies and sectors will help find the most relevant prospects in terms of skills, qualifications, and experience.
Business Model Expert
In line with the above-mentioned hat of Strategy Expert, Consultants also understand different business models and need to investigate their client’s models in order to be able to find a candidate who is aligned with it. If a prospect comes from a different industry whose business model has a similar logic, then it could be a good fit. If the models are different Consultants will evaluate the potential. This hat represents a complete understanding of the business and it helps Consultants provide clients with a more personalized approach and potential matches.
Marketing Expert
Such hat includes two marketing aspects: on one hand the analytical part and on the other hand the employer branding sphere. As marketers investigate the market of reference and study relative analytics, so do Consultants when mapping the market where the new hire will be allocated. Understanding the logic and the dynamics of a specific market segment and understanding how people move in such context is essential to spot the best fit. In today’s global and extremely competitive job market, employer branding can make a difference in attracting and hiring the best employees. Search Consultants contribute to the clients’ employer branding as their work and professionalism will impact the candidates’ perception of the company. In this perspective, it is very important to choose the Search Partner that best understand and represent your organization.
Mediator
Search Consultants behave as bridges that link talents and companies, and this hat perfectly symbolizes such connection. Throughout the entire search process Consultants mediate between the candidates’ needs and professional growth desires and the companies business models, requirements and visions. This hat is Search Consultants’ biggest satisfaction as their goal is to make both parties happy and excited for a new professional adventure.
Relaying on an Executive Search Partners is a 360 degree experience in which different hats are played at the most appropriate time to best reach the mission: helping both people and businesses grow.
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