If you wish to enroll the assistance of an executive search firm to find a job, you should begin asking friends, professional acquaintances or human resources managers for references. You can also investigate in the Internet and with the AESC. Some firms work mostly with mid level management / executive positions, others engage only with senior positions, some are structured by functional area (financial services, consumer products and retail, etc.), and others have offices in other states / countries, should you wish to consider a possible relocation. Keep in mind however, that the firm’s clients are the companies that hire their executive search services, not the executives seeking a job. From time to time some firms will place job openings (for searches they are working on) in their own web page or another media. You may answer those ads delivering your CV or answering a questionnaire on line but do not expect a fast response. A good alternative would be to contact an outplacement firm.

On the other hand, should an executive search firm contact you, a different situation arises. Do not expect to be told the name of the prospective employer in a first meeting. The firm’s consultant that meets you wants to make sure that you are well qualified and truly interested in participating in the search process. Some tests, reference checking, and further meetings might be required. And then, only three or four candidates will be selected for presentation to the client. The consultant’s decision will not be based solely on your technical abilities, but will also take into account your cultural fit, management skills, emotional intelligence, and so on. Whereas you could be a top contender for a major firm seeking a leader to help it grow aggressively, you may not have the patience to succeed the founder of a family business seeking to bring in someone to show new ways to a developing second generation of line managers.

There are several other reasons to keep a search confidential. The position is not currently vacant and the client wishes to keep confidential the promotion or dismissal of the incumbent until his / her replacement has been hired, or there are market intelligence reasons for not letting the market know yet about a new business line being incorporated that will be led by the executive subject of the search.

Clearly, like in any other face-to-face contact, one of the most important benefits to derive from an interview with an executive search consultant is the ability to call on that individual in the future. Obviously you do not wish to pester him/her, but like a doctor is some one good to know. You will also be included in the database of the firm for future job opportunities and will probably meet other consultants that you will want to add to your network.

In your meeting you should expect the consultant to give you at least some basic information on his client. This should include ownership, industry sector, main product lines, sales size, market share and main competitors, number and location of plants and offices, headcount, organizational structure and personnel turnover. You should also be given a job description of the position they seek to fill, reporting lines, critical areas and success factors and constraints to perform. Then, you should alert what sort of candidate (profile) they are looking for, so that you may determine whether you are qualified or not for the position, or give additional relevant information on you qualifications. If interested in going further with the process, you should inquire about careers plans and further advancement opportunities. Finally, you should ask about the reasons behind the vacancy or replacement.

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