Positioning your company is always challenging.
Finding leaders with the right mix of skills, experience and cultural compatibility is absolutely critical. Unrestricted movement of management talent is necessary and allows companies to take full advantage of the deep pool of well-educated, highly skilled executives in the marketplace. Companies, though, often find it difficult to take the time to analyze their needs or to develop the extensive recruiting program that attracting these highly sought-after leaders requires. To help them build the leadership capital they need to thrive, many companies now turn to retained executive search firms. In this case, the search firm acts on behalf of the client company seeking the right senior manager for a specific role.

The Search firm provides a company with domestic and global knowledge of the managerial market for the sector, as well as a network of contacts to identify suitable candidates for each assignment. These relationships are established and developed on an ongoing basis, allowing the search consultant to know the candidates both in and out of the traditional interview setting.

The search process also involves working with clients in long-term partnerships and in a strategic planning process to understand their businesses, organizations, inner culture and thinking. A top search consultant not only advises on a strategic hire, such as that of a chief executive officer, but often contributes to the development and implementation of major strategic human resource programs as well.

Corporate clients benefit from commitment to delivering the right manager-- whatever the challenges, confidentiality and discretion, as well as specialist/insider knowledge of the industry and the ability to secure the most qualified professionals exactly as needed. Word of mouth from satisfied clients is the only way to succeed as Executive Search consultants, so each position is a test, where there can be no failure or disappointment.

The Internet is a great sourcing tool, but the Best candidates are already working and they will not risk getting their resume online. However, they may tell a reliable recruiter they would be open for a change. Many employees are open to discussing a change "for the right opportunity," but they'll never tell you that.

A good recruiter looks for long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, and over time, has spent a lot of time with each of them. This is a powerful screening tool, because the recruiter can observe candidates' behaviors at trade shows in the off hours, and also learn more about the corporate culture of the companies the individual served.

Pinpoint your competitive advantage as a business. Integrate this into recruiting and retention strategy. Your company mission and goals say much about the organization's values and objectives. They also position the company within the industry and become a vision statement within and external to the organization that will help you draw the best candidates. Berg Recruiting is well positioned to assist industry leaders in translating these concepts into HR strategy.