With All the Headhunters Knocking on My Door,
How Do I Pick One to Work With?
1. Be careful about working with too many at the
same time. The Recruiter realizes this, and he or she works
closely with those Clients who work closely with the Recruiter
-- the Clients where the Recruiter's Candidates get hired!
2. TMT has never run newspaper ads to attract
Candidates. Stable contributors are successful enough where
they are. They are treated well and are mature enough to know
the grass is not always greener. Looking at help wanted ads,
or internet recruiting web pages is mostly a disconcerting distraction
for these busy high-quality people.
3. TMT has always believed that the value we bring
is to identity, and directly approach (scout) people who would
not otherwise present themselves to you. For example, we will
identify and introduce the strong people at the specific firms
the Client targets with us.
4. For this kind of recruiting work, there is
a bad impression made if multiple Executive Search Consultants
contact the same person for the same position.
5. The executive search customer/vendor relationship
is a bit unique. If you buy a computer, it performs the work,
and the company you buy it from maintains it. The same is true
of a car or a T.V. If you purchase most services, the service
is as good as the product or the worker or consultant who performs
it. In recruiting the Recruiter merely makes an introduction
and that is all too often the end of the Recruiter's role.
6. Does it have to be that way? What additional
value-added can the Recruiter who introduces the Candidate bring?
This is where TMT differs from most other executive search firms.
7. We started our business providing problem preventing
employment contracts, Rules of Employment, and personnel and
salary systems. Consulting also included terminations and problem
employee solutions. Those are our roots. That remains what we
are true to.
8. We know that if a Client wants to get someone
on board at any cost -- waiving the (too short) probationary
period, "guaranteeing" a certain pay level, meeting
a request to divide total pay by 12 instead of having the at
risk summer and winter bonus as it is applied to general staff,
or providing a golden parachute should the operation be closed
in Japan -- the Client is planting the seeds of failure. Such
things are usually requested by potential hires for the wrong
reasons.
9. For over 20 years, TMT has placed at least
one manager in over 650 foreign capitalized firms. In our
publications there are detailed, signed testimonials
testifying to placing over 50 people, or over 40 people in a
single client firm.
10. I don't think that is enough of a reason
to use us. Other executive search firms can also introduce
you to qualified candidates. I think our greatest strength is
that about half of our revenues come from non-recruiting consulting
that anticipates, prevents, solves people problems, and gives
our Clients a strong foundation.
11. If a person introduced and placed by TMT does
not work out, our clients know that we have the professional
expertise to fix the problem. (Unfortunately we cannot charge
a fee under those circumstances!) It is a built-in quality control
mechanism that keeps our Recruiters productive, ethical, and
on their toes. This may be a good reason to entrust TMT with
your critical executive search assignments.
