Strong senior leadership is an imperative part of a successful company, as C-level executives play a major role in shaping their firm’s strategic vision.
According to the 2013 BlueSteps Executive Mobility Report, more than one-third (38 percent) of executives expect to be in a new industry within three years, and more than three-quarters (76 percent) are willing to change jobs immediately if a sufficiently compelling opportunity presents itself. Executives in the technology sector are the most willing to make a change, with 55.1 percent indicating that they would consider an immediate opportunity. Sales and marketing executives proved to be the most reticent, as only 43.8 percent said they would entertain the idea of a move.
Clearly, there are skilled leaders out there who are ready and willing to change positions if approached with the right offer, but these executives aren’t always easy to find. This is where companies can benefit from entering into a partnership with an executive search firm.
Why use specialized search consultants?
Specialized search consultants have a deeper reach than companies’ internal recruiters, and this gives them an unparalleled perspective on what motivates executives to pursue particular opportunities. They keep tabs on passive candidates who would fly under the radars of firms conducting less comprehensive search efforts, and generally have wider networks from which to draw.
Executive search firms act as intermediaries, working to satisfy the objectives of stakeholders on both sides. They allow their clients to maintain initial anonymity by handling candidate vetting processes, which means that only the best prospects reach the interview stage. By acting as a proxy, executive recruiting firms give organizations the option to explore the talent pool while safeguarding their competitive intelligence.
Sometimes, a prospective candidate who seems a perfect fit on paper ends up falling short in practice. Executive search firms can help their clients avoid this undesirable eventuality by deploying a variety of sophisticated tools to help gauge candidates’ fit, including behavioral interviews and psychometric tests. Ultimately, executive search consultants are so confident in their ability to hone in on the perfect candidate for a given role that they guarantee placements for one year, and are willing to find suitable replacements if necessary for no extra fee.
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