SEARCH PROCESS

HOW WE WORK - THE SEARCH PROCESS

We are committed to bringing best practice and international standards to executive search in India. Our search process, and the standards, procedures and ethical practices we maintain are central to this.

Although every client assignment is unique and our approach is tailored accordingly, the following is our standard method of working and the process we go through to ensure an efficient and thorough completion.


1. Understanding the Client and the Brief

We spend considerable time at the outset of any assignment understanding our client's business, the background that led to a search being commissioned and the expectations they have for the person they are recruiting. From these discussions we write a letter of engagement which clarifies our understanding of the situation, the position and its responsibilities and the background the new incumbent will need. This letter will also include an estimated time schedule and our terms of working.

After the formal authorization to proceed we define a detailed position specification which will be used as the basis for discussion with suitable sources and candidates. The specification will cover background on the client company, the role and its responsibilities, reporting structure, targets - both quantitative and qualitative and the qualifications we are looking for in the successful candidate.

2. Research

We tackle our research in two main ways. The primary research is carried out by talking to people in the market, our sources and contacts. The secondary line of research is by using on-line resources, directories, databases and previous work. Searches have the highest chance of succeeding when the research is done quickly yet thoroughly.

Through our primary research we begin to take informal references on candidates which we will use in our assessment of them. Formal references will be taken at a later stage.

The objective of the research is to have a clear picture of the best qualified individuals in the market so as to produce a 'longlist' of candidates, showing their career history, initial references and achievements. This list is used to produce a target list of candidates we will approach.

3. Approach Calls & Interviews

After reviewing the results of our research with the client and agreeing on the target candidates we approach the individuals to discuss the role, assess their initial suitability and complete our understanding of their background. We hold face to face interviews with those candidates who are most qualified for the position. Our interviews are always thorough and are normally conducted by two of our consultants to cross check our results. Our interviews are structured to assess competencies that are most crucial to the position we are recruiting, for such as depth of management experience, turnaround situations or sales ability.

4. Submission of Shortlist & Written Reports

Based on our interviews we then submit detailed candidate reports which provide a career summary and CV, as well as our assessment of the candidate's suitability for the role. Our assessment focuses on each candidate's strengths and weaknesses relative to the original position specification, as well as their personal motivations to move, their compensation, both current and anticipated, and any other issues that are pertinent to attracting them to this position.

Preliminary reference checks focused on leadership and management style, achievements, career history, ethics and attitude, are taken and will be included in our report.

5. Client Interviews

After the client has reviewed our written reports we arrange for meetings with the short listed candidates. Prior to these meetings we make sure all the candidates are fully briefed on the organization and the role and clarify any final questions they may have. We arrange all meetings between the two parties and provide feedback as appropriate to both sides.

6. Closing

After the client has agreed on the candidate who is the most accurate fit for the position we conduct comprehensive reference checks. Referees include bosses, subordinates, clients and peers. On taking satisfactory references we will work closely with the client to structure an offer to attract the preferred candidate and act as the negotiating buffer between the two parties. At all times we put the interest of our client first. Our primary goal is to ensure we hire the best qualified person in the market for our client, and that the successful candidate enjoys a challenging and long term career with them.

7. Follow Up

After the completion of an assignment we stay in close contact for a period of a few months with both the client and the successful candidate to ensure a smooth transition into the new job. This will often involve helping the successful candidate through the resignation process, and liaison with the client for an assessment of the candidate's performance and our own processes, so as to fine-tune our approach for our next assignments together.