recruitment terms & services explained

Advertised Selection
Includes the preparation and publication in agreed media of a press or online advertisement for a given role or roles; either “blind” - that is, without disclosing the client company’s identity - or “branded”; followed by the management of response, collation and initial assessment of CVs, long-listing and short-listing according to the client’s instructions.

Assessment Services
Ranging from skills benchmarking to in-tray exercises to psychometric profiling, assessment services draw on a full battery of techniques used to predict individuals’ suitability for a particular role within a particular organisation. They are also of value in executive and workforce mapping, for example by identifying potential skills gaps in succession plans or business growth strategies.

Executive Mapping
see Strategic Leadership Services

Executive Search
also see Off-Limits
Classic ‘headhunter’ territory, executive search is more properly described as the process of identifying individuals currently or potentially able to perform a tightly prescribed role (which may or may not be at a senior corporate level), investigating their availability and level of interest, establishing and opening up contact on behalf of the client organisation, assessing in depth their suitability, and acting as intermediary in further negotiations. Notwithstanding its mildly sinister reputation in corporate folklore, search is governed by strict codes of conduct which are well respected: non-compliers tend not to last long enough to count.

Off-Limits
Applied to candidates inaccessible to search for reasons of actual or potential professional conflict of interest. Databases used by executive recruitment firms will automatically block lines of enquiry that could lead consultants ‘off-limits.’ The larger the firm, the greater its number of specialist divisions and the bigger its current caseload, the more candidates are made unavailable. The converse holds true, which creates a telling advantage for smaller, more agile consultancies. Such as, let’s say, the Anthony Gregg Partnership.

Research
In the context of recruitment, specialist services which comprehend the need for discretion while providing detailed assessments and reports on key figures and movements in target industries, markets or professions within a given geographical or commercial area. No consultant, however experienced, can live without current information. Access to information, especially in our increasingly internationalist field, relies on the linguistic, investigative, interpersonal, analytical and reporting skills of a first rate business research team .

Search and Selection
The identification of candidates matching a given profile with recommendations for approach, long-listing, short-listing and interview according to a clients’ instructions. Generally - if not always accurately - seen as the blue-chip compared to Executive Search’s gilt-edged offering, Search and Selection is a very effective means of winnowing out choice candidates from a more extensive potential pool.

Strategic Leadership Services (Executive Mapping)
The identification of current or possible future skills gaps, and untapped potential, within an organisation with a view to supporting change. By way of illustration, here are hypothetical examples of circumstances in which this service could answer crucial questions:

Scenario 1. - strategic growth
Organisation A has drawn up a thoroughly thought out and sound strategy to increase its turnover by 20% per annum on average over five years. Who within the organisation has the potential to grow with it? What additional leadership may be required, and where is it to come from? Nothing in life is certain: what are the risks to the strategy if key personnel should be lost?

Scenario 2 - recovery
Organisation B is haemorrhaging staff from a department that needs 150 people just to fulfil its SLAs. Previously this was a successful and happy team, notably low in turnover, with a management structure of three tiers. What changes in leadership have since taken place? Which, if any, were likely causes of loss of morale? And before we bring in a turnaround task force: has succession planning ensured that individuals are being developed and promoted, or are frustrated aspirations part of the problem?

Scenario 3 - merger or acquisition
Organisation C is in the process of integrating its staff with that of organisation D. With the overriding aim of creating one higher-performing entity taken as read, how can this be achieved fairly, seamlessly and as far as possible bloodlessly? What new opportunities could this open to talented people in both companies?