5 Tips For Selecting A Dallas Executive Search Firm

Many businesses and organizations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and other business centers in Texas and throughout the country are very familiar with the reality that leadership positions and one-of-a-kind roles are getting harder and harder to fill. As a result, many are deciding to engage an executive search firm to provide assistance in the recruitment of these key positions.

The question is - with so many executive search firms, executive recruiters, headhunters and search consultants to choose from, how does one pick the right person or firm? Below are five criteria to consider in this selection process:

1. Experience, Experience, Experience

The process of finding and attracting the right people is often more art than science and experience plays a huge role. Seek a veteran executive search firm or consultant with a long proven track record and numerous client references and case studies. In the case of firms with many consultants, make sure the person that will actually be handling the project has the appropriate experience and that he/she is not just relying on the reputation of the firm.

2. Customization

When working with an executive search firm, a company has a need to fill a very important position, and it wants to make sure it hires the best person for the role. Even though some positions, titles, and industries may require similar backgrounds and capabilities, the company has a unique organizational culture. Companies should insist on a custom made search effort to address their specific needs, not a canned response based on assignments the executive search firm has completed for other clients.

3. Expect Professionalism

Find a consultant that appreciates the fact that they need to treat their clients with the utmost respect and highest level of client service.

4. Off Limits Policies

Off limits policies are simply assurances that the search firm will not recruit people from the client company during the assignment and usually for a designated period after the assignment is concluded.

This policy becomes a challenge with larger executive search firms which may have hundreds of clients. If these firms have off limits agreements with many or most of these clients, are the firms able to provide a new client with a thorough, objective search of the marketplace? The same issue applies to smaller more specialized search firms that have so many clients in their particular discipline or practice area that they are also blocked from providing a new client with a thorough, objective search.

5. Protect Company Reputation

One of the most important groups to consider in protecting and strengthening the client company’s reputation is the candidates who are contacted by the recruiting agents. In many cases, these candidates are asked by the recruiting agents to consider an opportunity within the company, and many of them are invited for interviews with one or more of the company’s representatives.

Unfortunately, many candidates are misinformed or oversold about the particular opening they are asked to consider. Other candidates are not provided meaningful feedback regarding their candidacy, and some people receive no communication after an initial contact or even after an interview.

This mistreatment and/or lack of communication with candidates reflects poorly on the client company. Engage a consultant who not only protects the client company’s image in the marketplace but may also enhance its reputation.

About the Author:

Carl Taylor is the president of Carl J. Taylor & Co., an executive search firm based in Dallas. For over 20 years, the firm has successfully completed challenging search assignments for clients of all sizes in Texas and around the country. For more information about this or other executive search related topics, please call Carl Taylor at (972) 490-7697 or email him at ctaylor@carltaylorco.com. The company website is http://www.carltaylorco.com.

Contact Information

Carl Taylor

President

Carl J. Taylor & Co.

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