7 Executive Search and Hiring Tips for Success, Part 1

Finding and hiring the prefect individual to fill a position has never been an easy process, and it has only become more complicated over the past decade thanks to a turbulent economy which has flooded the candidate pool with under qualified applicants all chomping at the bit for any position that becomes available. And who is to blame them. However, this has meant that, in order for their hiring procedures to remain efficient, employers have had to begin reevaluating their methods and implement new systems and techniques to simultaneously cut down on the time it takes to source candidates, review an overwhelming stack of resumes, and interview selected individuals. In the vein of helping companies find this efficiency, here is a look at seven tips put together by executive search firms to guide employers as they begin restructuring their candidate sourcing and hiring processes.

Companies should never have to settle for anything less than the perfect candidate for a given position. However, before such an individual can be found, employers will first need to what it is exactly that they are looking for. Therefore, at the very outset of the hiring process, employers will need to sit down and draw out a list of the exact qualities they are seeking in a candidate, as well as the skills and experiences necessary to fill the position in question. In order to get a better idea about what should go into this list, employers should discuss the position with employees who work closely with it and have a firsthand knowledge of the duties and responsibilities involved. This list can then be used to draw up a detailed job description for use in the candidate search.

Next, employers will need to decide what qualities are most important in order for an individual to fit within a company’s corporate culture. This will include identifying those moral and ethical standards on which a company relies to guide their business practices and define their internal brand. Once these factors have been identified, the employer will then need to draw up question to be used during the interview process designed to assess whether or not a candidate possess these necessary points. This can be further accomplished by having current employees sit in on and participate in interviews to help better assess the candidate.

Networking is a highly important step in the executive search and candidate sourcing process, and can help dramatically reduce the time spent in these procedures if a company has developed their professional network successfully. In recent years the internet has proven itself invaluable in this means, with social media networking sites providing an ideal means for companies to begin developing and extending their networks through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus. However, as instrumental a role as the internet may now play in these procedures, employers should still continue to build physical networks through industry related conferences and events.

For four more tips on how to improve your hiring procedures, look for the second half of this article.