4 Must Do's When Hiring for a Leadership Role

Executive and leadership hiring should be planned for in advance. CEO of retained search firm Kraft Search Associates lists some key objectives used heavily in his firm's executive search procedure.

(PRWEB) October 2, 2004 -- As the economy continues its gradual climb upward and businesses look to expand, a growing demand for strong leadership and new executive roles will inevitably follow.

Filling a leadership role is a pivotal decision in a companys future. And it is one that is often not implemented with enough care or attention. Bradford Smart, Topgrading author whose ideas have been implemented by top executives at GE and Allied Signal, states that more than 50% of all hires fail to achieve the desired results. And, for the company, the cost of replacing a bad hire can often reach as high as 24 times the persons base salary.

Executive and leadership hiring should be planned for in advance, advises Paul Frankenberg, CEO of Kraft Search Associates, a retained search firm based in Nashville, Tenn. Take the time now to develop a thorough model so that you can address the hiring needs in proper fashion when they do arise."

Frankenberg lists some key objectives used heavily in his firms executive search procedure.

Four Must-Dos when hiring for a leadership role:

1.   Clarify the position -- Put all of those people responsible for hiring together to define the role & what the 'right candidates will look like from a technical & personality perspective. Discuss & write down ideas to ensure accuracy among members. The objective is to, as clearly as possible; discuss the 'soft and 'hard skills required.

2.   Create Recruiting Strategy -- This includes:
a)   Identify targets within your industry & outside of your industry from which youll recruit.
b)   Build a thorough Position Description, which will be shared with prospective candidates, highlighting your company, the role / responsibilities and experience and skills necessary.
c)   Develop a recruiting 'pitch, which will be your verbiage as you contact prospective networking resources and candidates. You must know what you are going to sell. Most companies simply 'wing this. Preparing properly and demonstrating a thoughtful approach will catch an individuals attention and speak loudly to those you reach out to.

3.   Clarify 'Hot Buttons and Verify Experience -- There are three things you should do once you have identified your short list of interested and qualified candidates.
a)   Conduct a 15-minute spouse conversation. This allows the spouse to hear details about the role and to ask questions important to him/her during the transition. Additionally, you will be surprised at the content and the quantity of content that the spouse will share with you specific to the familys personal and professional objectives.
b)   Discuss counteroffers on multiple occasions with the candidate(s). There is nothing more frustrating than having your ideal candidate accept a counteroffer from the current employer. You are dealing with people, so hiring is not a perfect process. However, make it a point to discuss counter-offers on multiple occasions with the final candidate(s) to understand whether a counteroffer will be discussed, listened too and possibly accepted.
c)   Verify degree(s)/certification(s) and discuss the offer before an offer is extended. Unfortunately several college football coaches and executives with many large organizations have forced us to recognize that things are not always as they appear. Even if degrees and certifications were earned 12+ years ago, verify the information.

4.   Follow up regularly for 12 months following the individuals start date. The recruiting process does not end once your offer is accepted or once the individual starts the new role. This is when 'recruiting truly begins. You must consistently talk with the individual about the transition, objectives, obstacles, political environment and competition. Everyone is busy and we all want to hire someone capable of hitting the ground running. You can find that caliber of person. However, ensure success through consistent and clear communication. Do not use email to conduct these conversations.

For more information, please visit www.kraftsearch.com.

Paul Frankenberg can be reached by phone at 615-782-4214 or by email at paul@kraftsearch.com.

CONTACT: Allison Shaw
(615) 244-8055

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