Key Takeaways
- The executive search process follows the same general steps: outline candidate requirements, build a pool, identify top picks, interview, and decision.
- The timeline of the executive search process varies depending on various factors but generally takes 30 to 40 days.
Successful companies begin with exceptional leaders—but finding the right leaders can be time-consuming and costly. By partnering with a recruitment firm, you can outsource your executive search process to experts in recruiting for C- and senior-level positions. They’ll create a shortlist of the best candidates while you focus on your company’s well-being.
Executive search firms take c-suite recruitment from start to finish, beginning with helping you finalize your candidate qualifications. They’ll then use those criteria to locate highly-qualified candidates, narrow down that list to the best choices, facilitate interviews, and support you and your new executive through the onboarding process.
Is your company in need of new leadership? Contact CMOx to learn more about our executive search services. Our search team can help you locate and hire highly qualified leaders in less than eight weeks.
Steps of the Executive Search Process
Below is a detailed description of the steps executive search firms take when locating qualified candidates for your organization.
Outline Candidate Requirements
The most important step of the executive search process is outlining your preferred candidate requirements. These provide a blueprint for your candidate search, so they should be detailed and complete when you give them to your executive search consultant.
Candidate requirements for executive roles usually include experience, education, certifications, and lots of soft skills. Leaders need to understand how to manage people and facilitate projects, so be sure to list out those skills in addition to industry-specific qualifications.
Build Candidate Pool
Once your executive search partner has your candidate requirements, they can begin building a candidate pool. This involves conducting a focused search to identify candidates that match your provided criteria—whether or not they’re looking for a job.
When conducting an executive search, candidates are rarely people who applied to the position. Rather, your executive search team will proactively identify qualified candidates and reach out to see if they’re interested in making a change.
Identify Top Candidates
After your executive recruiters have identified a handful of available candidates, they’ll then determine who on that list most closely matches your candidate requirements. When you receive the final shortlist of recommendations, there may be fewer than ten candidates to choose from—but you can rest assured these people are the most qualified to be a leader in your organization.
Begin Interviews
Conducting interviews is the best way to determine which shortlisted candidate is best suited for your company. Comprehensive interviews help determine whether a person is aligned with your organizational culture, and whether they’re prepared to begin leading on day one.
Choose Final Candidate & Work Out Details
Though you’ll conduct the interviews, your retained executive search firm will provide candidates with your feedback and reach out to the most qualified person with a job offer. They’ll also handle contract negotiations and help facilitate the onboarding process.
The Timeline of the Executive Search Process
Generally speaking, most executive search partners take between 30 and 40 days to find the right candidate. However, this timeline may be longer or shorter, depending on factors such as:
- Availability of qualified candidates
- Competition for leaders in your industry
- Scheduling challenges
Each company also has its own decision-making process and practices for screening potential candidates. Depending on how complex these are, they may facilitate or delay the executive search process.
Making the Executive Search Process Faster
For many companies, 30 to 40 days may seem like a lot of time (and money) to spend on finding the right candidate. However, it’s important to remember this person will be a leader in your organization—they’ll be responsible for the growth and development of employees across departments. Rushing the process and hiring an unqualified candidate could be detrimental to your company.
That said, there are ways to streamline your executive search strategies without cutting corners—most of which have to do with efficiency, including:
- Creating a list of qualifications and responsibilities before hiring an executive search firm
- Appointing one or two people to work with the firm—and communicating promptly
- Timely review of candidate lists, and setting firm deadlines for decision-making
Summary of the Executive Search Process
Executive search begins with a solid partnership between your company and a talented executive search firm. The firm’s consultants collaborate with you to outline candidate requirements. They then use that information to build a candidate pool and identify top candidates. Next, they’ll facilitate interviews with prospective candidates on the shortlist, consult on final candidate choice, and assist with job offer negotiations and onboarding.
When it comes to filling leadership positions in your organization, working with executive search firms like CMOx will save you time, money, and help ensure you recruit the best possible leaders. To take advantage of our deep industry knowledge and build your c-suite, contact CMOx today.
