In recent years there has been a proliferation of companies which purport to provide executive search consulting services. Many are highly qualified but others do not follow the principles outlined in the AESC Code of Ethics and Professional Practice Guidelines. When selecting a search firm, it is important for a client to have a full understanding of the services to be provided, method of operation, limitations affecting the search, who is handling the assignment and the totality of fees, expenses and other expectations.

The number of firms and individuals declaring to be qualified to professionally handle a specific search assignment has created the need for guidelines for selection which focus on the quality, professionalism, reputation and track record of the search firm and that of the consultant managing the search assignment.

Ethics and Professional Practices

Code of Ethics and Professional Practice Guidelines

Clients selecting an AESC firm are assured of a special commitment to professionalism and a unique level of integrity required of AESC member firms which have passed a rigorous admissions screening process and must subscribe to the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice Guidelines. The member firm will represent the client, as well as the candidate's interest to the position, in a professional and ethical manner with the utmost confidentiality. The member firm will also provide full disclosure concerning any and all known limitations affecting the assignment before accepting it.

Recourse

Clients selecting AESC member firms have access to redress through the AESC's Ethics and Professional Practices Committee. When there is a miscommunication between consultant and client, this committee acts as a conduit through which misunderstandings are resolved.

Size Versus Capability

It is a generally accepted view that the number of offices or consultants an executive search consulting firm has does not necessarily impact on the ability to handle a search assignment successfully. There are many single-office firms which operate with ease on a national and international scale while there are multi-office firms which are regional in their focus.

What is more important than size is the overall capability of the firm to provide the resources needed by its professionals to research and identify the best possible candidates. Sole practitioners and consultants in multi-national firms have proven they can be successful at all levels of senior management. A critical factor is feeling convinced that an effective working relationship can develop with the individual consultant that is engaged to conduct the search assignment.

Limitations Affecting A Search

Full disclosure of any limitations affecting the search (such as clients or individuals that are off limits) is a must as highly desirable sources may be eliminated.

The search firm should demonstrate a commitment that information acquired about a company during the search engagement will be considered absolutely confidential.

Method of Operation

An executive search is a consulting engagement and not just a recruitment activity. Therefore, performance of at least the following services is the accepted method of operation:

• Meetings with the client to develop an understanding of the organization, its needs, and the open position
• Prior to beginning the work, written documentation of the position description, scope of services, search manager, general timetable and a statement concerning fees, expenses and cancellation policy
• After confirmation of the documentation, thorough independent research by the consultant or the firm's research staff
• Verbal and written reports on the progress of a comprehensive search including, scope of the research & feedback from the marketplace
• Thorough evaluation of potential candidates including; in-depth personal interviews by the search consultant, verification of credentials, and assessment of the individual's strengths and weaknesses with respect to the position
• Referral of appropriate candidates in writing for the client's review with discussions leading to the facilitation of their interviews with clients
• Prior to final selection, comprehensive reference checking on behalf of the client
• Active participation in the final negotiations to ensure that the client has the best opportunity to engage the selected candidate and a commitment to continue until such engagement takes place
• Follow up with the client and selected candidate after the start date in the position to assist integration of the candidate into the new job and the client's environment.

Overall Track Record

Quality, while seemingly elusive, is one of the key factors in selecting an executive search consulting firm. Just as a client will want background checks taken on candidates, references on the search firm are an important part of the selection process. The firm's reputation, and more specifically, that of the individual consultant handling the assignment, can be evaluated through comments on past performance. Completion rate and repeat business are indicators of a strong commitment to clients. In addition, understanding how a previous client feels when a search has not resulted in a hiring can be helpful in evaluating the firm. A search consultant cannot guarantee to fill the position, but can guarantee the quality of his or her own performance.

Guarantees and Liabilities

Executive search is a management consulting activity which may or may not result in the hiring of an executive. Therefore, it is misleading to guarantee that a position will be filled as the inevitable conclusion of an executive search consulting assignment.

However, it is appropriate to establish an understanding of the firm's policy about unusual situations. For example:

• Under what conditions and time frame will a firm replace a candidate who leaves voluntarily or involuntarily?
• If a candidate is hired now or later, for a position other than the assigned search, what is the client's obligation to the search firm?
• What are the factors that may cause a search firm to withdraw from an assignment or consider the job specifications to be sufficiently changed to warrant starting a new search?

The Search Manager

The client has a right to know who will be conducting the search. In some firms consultants acting in a business development capacity may not work on the assignment. An executive search is a complex consulting activity with a variety of requirements:

• Excellent communications (oral and written) with the client organization and potential candidates
• Sufficient industry and functional knowledge to make sound recommendations
• Inquisitive intellectual capacity to ask the right questions of client and candidate
• Adequate problem solving and staying power to accomplish challenging and difficult tasks
• Appropriate level of sensitivity to client needs, including cost consciousness
• A special rapport with those who will be making the final hiring decisions sufficient to ensure their respect for the consultant's recommendations

Managing a search to find a senior executive properly requires the skills of an experienced professional and the client should feel comfortable and confident that the assignment is in the hands of such an individual.

Client's Responsibility

Selection of an executive search consulting firm is clearly the client's task. However, within that framework lie certain responsibilities to enable the consulting relationship to be successful. Among them are:

• Taking every appropriate step to select the firm most appropriate for this search assignment in this company at this time
• Knowing in detail what services are being bought and conveying the full extent of expectations from the search consulting relationship
• Making sure the search consultant has enough information to fully understand the duties of the position and qualifications required
• Communicating all input (positive or adverse) and subjective cultural nuances which influence the selection process

Finally, choosing an executive search firm should not be a defensive move but an affirmative step toward solving one of management's many important problems.