From the Desk of Jen Schneider – How to Collaborate with a Professional Search Firm for an Effective Hire
By Jennifer Schneider – Senior Search Consultant, Sales, Marketing & Administrative
Finding and retaining Top Tier talent for your team can be a challenge for any company. It might be time to consider partnering with a professional search firm if adding to your team is affecting your business operations.
The conversation that surrounds partnering with a recruiting firm is often paired with, “how can we maximize time spent with recruiters for an effective hire?” As a Senior Search Consultant at Chesapeake Search Partners (CSP), I support our clients who are looking for Sales, Marketing, and Administrative talent. Prior to conducting a search with a client, it is important for us to take time to prepare the hiring team by identifying your pain points throughout the hiring process. The result – an effective hire and a retainable one at that.
Being Open to Partnering with a Search Firm
The first step is recognizing that the search is a challenge. Being open about your goals and why you’re reaching out to a firm will effectively kick off your new partnership. Make a list of what has happened during your search thus far, if you’re seeing any quality candidates, and any roadblocks that have come up.
Kick-offs are Key
When looking for the right search partner, pay attention to the kick-off process. Your search consultant should be spending ample time with you to get as much information as possible. This goes well beyond reviewing the job description and includes discussing elements like your company’s culture, organizational structure, current employee roles, and more. Setting both teams up for success is key.
Sense of Urgency
Given the current state of the recruiting market, a sense of urgency is essential on all sides of the equation. Responsiveness to each other’s emails and phone inquiries will lead to an effective hiring process for all.
Sharing Feedback
Share your notes on any resumes received and interviews conducted. What experience/qualifications do you value? Are the candidates’ salary requirements within a comfortable range for you? As a search firm, are we meeting your expectations (if not, why not)? Detailed feedback is critical to the continued success of an effective search process.
Regroup and Reset
A couple of weeks into the search process, if there is little to no headway, schedule a reset. Discuss what needs to be done or shifted to successfully execute the search. This can involve changing the search criteria, the process, changing the compensation, and more.
Personally, I find these resets are a way to get creative. Oftentimes my client and I come out of these meetings feeling recharged and armed with new ideas to execute the search successfully.
Maintain the Relationship
It’s important to keep in touch with your search partner well after you find a great candidate. We want to hear if the hire was a good fit and how your business is doing.
Our team at CSP is successful when we are an extension of your company. We get to know you and invest in getting to know candidates in our respective verticals. We make meaningful connections for you that lead to quality hires and ultimately, the growth of your business.
A collaborative relationship will lead to the most effective, and efficient hires. If you’re interested in learning more or want to start a search for your company, contact me at jschneider@chesapeakesearchpartners.com.