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How to work with an executive recruiter

In today's recruitment environment, it can be difficult for businesses to find the right candidates, especially for hard-to-fill C-level openings. As a result, many turn to retained executive recruitment firms for help. If your organization is interested in making such a move, consider a few key strategies for establishing and navigating a recruiter-employer relationship.

Accept that you can't go it alone
Some human resources professionals bristle at the prospect of bring on external recruitment assistance, The Huffington Post reported. And, even those who welcome third-parties are reluctant to relinquish control when it comes time to start the hiring process.

Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is most organizations aren't getting it done when it comes to hiring the right people. In fact, companies choose the best candidates only 18 percent of the time, Gallup discovered.

So, before you begin your search for an executive recruiter, accept that you can't do it alone and need an ally with copious industry connections and, most importantly, time. Everyone needs help sometimes, even human resources people.

Recruiters help employers find the right candidates.Recruiters help employers find the right candidates.

Do your homework
There are myriad executive search firms ready and waiting to take on new clients. However, only a select few will fit your specific needs. So, be sure to interview prospective firms. Consider their recruitment track records, current clientele and industry knowledge. You want a hiring partner that not only succeeds in finding and placing high-performing contributors, but also represents its clients well, Inc. reported.

"Find a firm that will represent you and your firm's culture in an ethical and honest way," Timothy Augustine, principal at the engineering consulting organization Atwell, told the publication.

Once you've narrowed the field, contact available references and get a feel for each firm's inner-workings. Most operate within the bounds of the standard recruitment process, which includes roughly four phases: sourcing, screening, interviewing and evaluation and selection. Additionally, many third-party executive recruiters use common benchmarking metrics like interview-to-offer ratio and retention percentage to measure success.

Define who you need
For company human resources personnel, recruitment often begins with a simple job description. On the other hand, recruiters ask for more detailed information before kicking off the hunt, Entrepreneur reported. While it's important to provide skill and experiential requirements, also offer personality traits that might help prospective employees succeed in your workplace culture. Identify the type of person you're looking for.

Disclose internal challenges
Modern candidates expect employers to be transparent, and many start mining for information minutes into interviews. It's easy to understand – no one wants to join a sinking ship or one packed with mutinous personnel.

Chances are, your organization is fairly stable and filled with personable staff. However, every company has its problem areas. If you know a few, disclose them to your recruitment consultant. Such details, though slightly damaging, factor into the hiring process. Plus, with these issues in mind, your recruiter can work to find someone capable of addressing internal struggles.

Take responsibility
Though recruiters shoulder much of the responsibility when it comes finding top talent, employers also play an essential part. They are responsible for shaping the search, providing key recruitment information and sealing the deal. So, remember to stay engaged in the process and work side-by-side with your retained executive search firm. Just like you, these organizations can't do it alone.

Interested in connecting with a top-notch executive recruiter? Contact YES Partners. To see some of the roles we have already successfully searched for and placed, click here.

Finding people is easy, but finding the RIGHT people is not. YES Partners helps companies FIND the right people – for all company functions, across many industries and globally.

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