Executive recruiting isn’t like your typical recruiting efforts. You’re on the hunt for leaders that can fill top-level roles that are responsible for shaping the company and leading it forward. That’s why when it comes to recruiting your next Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chief Technical Officer (CTO), etc., you need to make sure that you are hiring the right person.
Of course it can be difficult enough to find the right candidates for a standard position, let alone for an executive one. That’s why a number of companies rely on the expertise of professional executive recruiting firms to get the job done. You can see the difference a capable executive recruiter gets from their recruiting efforts vs. the standard stuff you might be doing now.
Passive Recruiting
It’s never been harder than ever to find top talent, and most of them are already nicely settled into their own positions. But does that mean that you shouldn’t try recruiting them? Not at all. Passive candidates can be a great way to find the top talent that you’re looking for.
A passive candidate is someone who isn’t actively looking for a new job. You might initially be wondering why you would try to recruit them, then, but there are definitely advantages. First of all, you won’t likely be competing with any other company to hire them, and secondly, people are more open to opportunity than you may realize.
When approaching passive candidates, do so on social media sites like LinkedIn or contact them via their private email address. It would be even better if you could get in touch with them via a mutual acquaintance. Discretion is important for most candidates, especially when you are making the first move.
You also don’t want to come on too strong. Focus on building a relationship with the candidate first and take a highly personalized approach. Take the time to discover what their motivations are and get them talking about their role and their accomplishments. You’ll find that with this tactic you’ll discover what it takes to get them interested in what you have to offer.
Take Your Time
When executive recruiting you might be tempted to hire the first good candidate that you see, but it’s important to slow the process down. You want to get the best person for the job, and they aren’t going to come around right off the bat.
In fact, expect it to take months to find the right candidate that you’re looking for. It’s all about networking, building relationships, and coming up with the perfect offer that they won’t be able to resist. Be willing to go the extra mile by listening carefully to their wants and needs and trying to accommodate them.
Remember, hiring a new executive is one of the most important things you’ll do, and you want to get it right the first time around. Not feeling patient? Then look at hiring an executive headhunter to get the job done for you. With their extensive network and knowledge, they’ll be able to find you the perfect candidate before you know it.
About Carson Derrow
