Executive Search
Method
Executive Search / headhunting is a structured and proactive methodology where we, based on a set profile, map the market and actively seek out the most suitable candidates. At this point, I also catch the candidates who at the time are not actively seeking a new challenge themselves and I direct the search to relevant target companies. A major advantage is that we are given the opportunity to present an assignment in the dialogue with potential candidates - candidates who may not otherwise have paid attention to the current position.
Executive Search is best suited for higher managerial positions or for high-demand industries where ads rarely yield any results. It is, of course, the only method if the recruitment is confidential. It can also sometimes be applied together with an advertisement for a better reach.
My executive search process
I take responsibility for the recruitment as a whole. This includes all administration and contact with the candidates, delivery of the final candidates for the role to the recruiting manager as well as meetings between the consultant and the HR responsible / recruiting manager. Those usually involve a start-up meeting, a follow-up meeting with the so-called "longlist" and a status meeting with the final candidates. I usually try to stay in close touch with my customers and aim to have a status meeting every week.
Preparation
In a start-up meeting with my client, we gather solid information about the role, the team and the organization. Together, we discuss which education, experience, key competences and personal qualities are most important to perform the role in question as well as possible. The information is compiled into a job description that will give the candidates an informative and detailed portrayal of the culture, economics, responsibility and authority, but also of the challenges the role poses. Sometimes we perform a SWOT analysis where the strengths and weaknesses are clearly identified.
I often interview several people in the company to get a full picture of both the company and the personal profile. I also read the annual report and possibly the company’s business plan.
Candidate Search
At this point, I do a broad search for suitable candidates in my network and on the market.
This is where my long experience really comes in handy. With over 30 years in the business, 20 of which in headhunting, I am well acquainted with companies and industries. I usually know which companies have the skills sought or the culture that is in demand. I also use sources that can give me tips on suitable companies and candidates. I know that the search process must take time as the candidates I call may not always have thought of moving onto a next step. This is where I coach, support and am a career partner for the candidates. I usually send out job descriptions to the candidates so that they can have a think about it. I rarely call a candidate out of the blue without a thorough ground research work first. The research process is extensive and I usually identify around 50 candidates (sometimes more) before picking out at least 8-15 best ones.
Telephone interview
I tend to have a shorter telephone interview to begin with, where we talk a little more together and agree if there is interest from both parties to meet. If the candidate is located elsewhere, I usually do a Skype / Facetime interview for a more personal contact.
Personal interview
The next step in the Executive Search process is the interview. I usually do that in my office, or sometimes over at the customer’s office. It is important that the candidate feels comfortable and that the interview is conducted in a calm and quiet environment. I do an interview with in-depth questions to ensure that the skills, personality and the candidate’s life situation work well for the position discussed. It is, of course, important that the candidate also gets a chance to ask his or her questions.
Presentation
After the interview, Gröndahl & partners compiles a report of selected candidates to present to the client. We usually do not do the tests or references before interviewing the customer, as it is only then that both the customer and the candidate can know if they’re really interested or not. We care about the candidate and know that initialising the referencing process can entail some risks, so we hold off on that until the situation at hand is clear.
Tests / References
Gröndahl & partners uses tests and tools to assure the quality of each candidate in the final process. I only use tests approved by STP (Swedish Foundation for Applied Psychology) or by the Norwegian Veritas which has taken over the review process recently. I am a certified user of most of Assessio's test tools www.assessio.se and also the leadership tool Psytest developed in Sweden www.psytest.se. As an aditional option, certain work exams can be applied, such as the “post basket” exercises. The final assessment always includes a Personality Form with feedback to the candidate, and if necessary, proficiency tests (numeric, verbal and inductive ability).
Referencing is often done after the tests to allow for a discussion around the character-related results which came up in the personality test. Great emphasis is placed on a follow-up with the candidate so that they can feel a sense of security and openness. A good final assessment should hopefully give the candidate a better sense of self-awareness, insights about driving forces and possible improvement potential.
FINAL PHASE / Employment
I give feedback to all the candidates who unfortunately did not make the cut and keep in touch with the final candidates to provide feedback. Salary and compensation are negotiated between the client and the candidate, but I do offer advice and support if needed.
Follow-up
I follow up the newly hired candidates with telephone calls after 3 months and again after 6 months from the start of the employment. I also have a meeting with both the candidate and the customer one year after the initial employment to ensure that both parties are satisfied. These meetings are very enriching and educational to me – they give me the feeling that I am a crucial puzzle piece in people's development.
