This is the most critical step of the process, one in which we come to appreciate exactly who you, and what your requirements, are. We seek to thoroughly understand your industry, markets and organizational environment, as well as the qualifications required for the position. In those opportunities where confidentiality allows, we endeavour to spend time with those who interact with the role to gain a stronger understanding of the team dynamics, and a clearer view of the personality best suited to the position being filled.

At this step, we prepare our Opportunity Profile, which serves to describe your organization, detail the nature of the position, and profiles qualities and experience of the ideal candidate. This document, once approved, serves as the preliminary marketing instrument to communicate the employment opportunity to the outside world throughout the search process. Our profiles are often cited as having played a major role in attracting the highest caliber candidates.

As consultants to the not-for-profit and corporate markets, our focused methods of research begin with identifying sources for potential candidates. We use a wide variety of resources and reference materials including networking within our own contacts, professional and specialized associations, in depth web research, and databases.

We now proceed into an exhaustive exploration of sources to identify those candidates who most closely align with the completed Opportunity Profile. We continue the process by developing a target list of potential candidates, those who might benefit most from exploring the opportunity, and then proceed to discussion of the Opportunity Profile detail with our broad range of potential candidates.

As interest builds within the potential target group, we delve deeper through direct communication via phone interviews. Through conducting initial phone interviews we are able to narrow the pool and develop a list of candidates with the greatest potential and qualifications to meet the requirements identified by the Opportunity Profile. Now having determined a candidate’s potential for face-to-face interviews, we move to a more formal face-to-face interview process. During these interviews, each candidate is evaluated against the criteria as set forth in the Opportunity Profile. We will also examine the candidate’s level of interest in the position, compensation requirements, career goals, fit with the position’s location and culture of the hiring organization. We will have comprehensively interviewed each potential candidate prior to presenting them to you for interview.

Prior to the presentation of potential candidates for formal interviews with the hiring organization, we provide you with a detailed Candidate Profile. Each Profile consists of the candidate’s resume, career overview and summary information gathered during the interview stage, along with other pertinent information including salary expectations and availability.

In preparation for your interview with the three or four most qualified candidates, we can assist in determining an appropriate interview process. Prior to the interview, we will deliver a copy of the Candidate Profile for each candidate to you, and assist in the coordination of all the logistical aspects of the interview process. Our scope includes assisting in travel, lodging arrangements and other details as needed to facilitate a seamless process for you. Our constant goal is to provide the most value to you throughout the process; and as such, we are also available to become part of the initial client interview team. We assist both you and the potential candidates. Acting as passive observers to the client interview process allows us to verify that the elements of the original target are being met, and that our evaluation process on the candidate side is accurate to your target as well. It also allows for immediate feedback with regard to any questions or issues that may arise during the interview process, thereby allowing for a quicker end result to the process.

Our search process includes the checking of three to four supervisory references for each potential applicant. This reference work is carried out at the point where you have expressed an interest in moving forward beyond first meeting into subsequent conversations with these candidates.

We strongly encourage our clients to interview their top one or two candidates a second time. Doing so allows others that may be close to the position an opportunity to meet the candidate(s), and for you to gain additional insight to assist in making a final hiring decision. This stage is also key to allowing candidates to ask and find answers to any additional questions that might have arisen since the original interview, and perhaps gain a fuller appreciation of the corporate culture within your organization.

Our clients often ask us to assist in structuring a compensation package or to act as a facilitator to address appropriate issues such as relocation. In a case where there might be hesitation to accept the offer, attempt to address any issues that might be a hindrance. Acting as the go-between during the offer period helps prevent any breakdown of communication during this courtship stage of the process, decreases any potential for misunderstanding, and actually increases the potential for acceptance of an offer by the best candidate.

We regularly follow up with both you and the successful candidate during the first year following completion of the search. We believe that, during such transition, an outside point of view can often be of value to address any open issues and answer any further questions.