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When should an organization engage a search firm?
That depends on a number of factors including:
The organization’s readiness to search
Losing a leader can be
traumatic, even if the leader was not particularly appropriate. Committing to
search requires an organization to make some very real sacrifices, in both time
and money.
The
organization’s resources
Placing effective leadership
requires the expenditure of resources, regardless of whether it is done
internally or by a search firm. Organizations with fewer resources often choose
to do the search internally, not recognizing the true cost of doing the
search. If an organization has the time, energy, and expertise to do the search
internally it may be in its best interest to run the search in-house, an
idea that becomes increasingly evident as both the level of the placement and
the amount of resources that can be dedicated to the search diminish.
In actuality, however, it
is often faster and more cost-effective to engage a search firm; here again
there is a direct correlation between return and investment as the level and
importance of the placement increases. Search firms are often better equipped
to deal with the necessary networking and negotiations. They also have the
requisite understanding of the industry to make the placements faster, as they
are able to penetrate the networks more effectively without violating trust.
The
importance of the position
As noted above, there exists a
relationship between the nature of the placement and the value of retained
search. At about the middle-management level or just below, contingency firms
make more sense. And at a lower level of importance, Internet-based solutions
might make the most sense.
For
top tier executive level
leadership, however, finding the right leader becomes literally a life or death
decision. There is a popular notion that the best leaders are found
internally. For some organizations internal candidates may make the most sense
to fill a particular position. Even in these cases a search may still be
necessary to ensure that the internal candidate is indeed the right choice.
The
urgency of the placement
Regardless of who does the
actual search, search is time and resource intensive. One of the benefits of
using an outside search firm is speed, since search firms can generally make
placements much faster than organizations that choose to do the search on their
own. Even when searches take longer than anticipated, search firms can find
more qualified applicants faster than organizations doing searches internally.
Conversely, if an organization has time to spare or isn’t ready to fill the
position, doing the search internally may be the best option.
Internal
organizational issues
For a search to be
successful, to be conducted on an internal or external basis, the organization
needs to have the will to actually dedicate the resources and make the
commitment to fill the position. Internal politics, interpersonal disputes and
management conflicts can have serious implications in filling executive level
positions. These factors can also adversely effect the outcome of the search if
the entire search committee or board isn’t receptive to actually fulfilling its
commitment.
Choosing a Search Firm:
Finding
the right search firm is in many ways as important as the search itself. Before
committing to the search process, you should do as much research as possible to
ensure you will find the right “fit:”
How long
has the firm been in business?
Has the
firm ever performed searches in your industry or sector?
How long
does the firm normally take to complete a search?
What is
the firm’s success rate with placed candidates?
How well
does the firm know your organization?
Does the
firm guarantee a diverse candidate pool?
Does the
firm’s mission and values align with those of your organization?
Ultimately, search should be a multi-step collaboration between the client and
recruiter. As a matter of course, all searches involve the following steps:
-
Evaluation of employment need
-
Research
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Candidate screening and reference checking
-
Candidate “short list” identification
-
Interviews
-
Negotiations
-
Hiring
What distinguishes a good search
firm from an exceptional search firm lies in the firm’s approach during the
in-between phases of the process. These
slight differences can have profound consequences both during the search
and after the placement.
The Boulware Advantage
Since our inception in 1990, we
have specialized
in finding the kind of leadership that progressive institutions
in all sectors and of all sizes need in order to thrive in a rapidly
changing economic and political landscape. The Boulware Group understands that
all organizations, like the people who comprise them, are unique and diverse; it
is that which gives
organizations and institutions their unique perspective and their ability to serve the
communities in which
they exist.
Though many organizations may share somewhat similar missions, each has
its own “personality” – a specific set of characteristics that makes it
distinctive
Our
clients turn and return to us for two reasons: the strategic counsel we offer
during all phases of the search; and our
history and experience in searching across sectors and boundaries.
The Boulware
Group differs from other search firms in three ways:
o Rigor
and Results. We are leaders seeking leaders: a firm whose senior
associates have themselves held leadership positions in their areas of
professional specialization. We have a reputation for delivering the gifted
senior executives whose contributions to their organizations not only meet but
also exceed client expectations. The key to delivering such results
consistently is the rigor of our search process.
o Insight
and Innovation. Our mission is to find excellence in leadership wherever it
may be found. This is not a matter of simply overlooking limiting boundaries –
racial, cultural, ethnic, gender, economic, and, sometimes, professional – but
of having a perspective on leadership that impels us to search across
them for genuine leaders who will meet our clients’ real needs. Since 1990, we
have been finding leaders in places where other search firms did not think to look.
o Values
and Diversity. The Boulware Group has a commitment to progressive
organizations promoting the public
interest. It is a commitment to honesty, integrity, humanism, and value-centered
leadership in our search process and also in the kind of leadership that we hold
in highest regard. At a minimum, this means that we place value on a candidate’s
commitment to the responsibilities that any organization has to the
community and public it serves. Since 1990, we have worked to develop diverse
candidate pools in every search we undertake.
Always, we engage our clients
in the process of learning about and evaluating candidates of diverse
backgrounds and cultures. In looking for leadership across boundaries, we focus
only on excellence. The result is that in over 60 per cent of our nearly 400
searches, our clients have selected as the final hire a professional from a
diverse culture.
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