Executive Recruitment : The talent quest

Recent surveys have indicated alarming numbers of staff are looking at changing jobs.
Retaining high performers, lifting productivity and hiring the right talent are three of the biggest challenges facing companies this year, says Marc Burrage, executive general manager for Hudson NZ. The first two are very much dependent on the ability of an employer to provide employees with learning and development opportunities, he says.
“A lack of development opportunities is currently the number-one reason why an employee would choose to look elsewhere. This lack of engagement also has negative impact on productivity.”

Attracting the right talent
In terms of hiring the right talent, Burrage says it is critical that businesses understand their unique offering to candidates in an increasingly competitive market, then effectively promote that and ensure that the reality lives up to the promise.
While it may appear to be good market for employers, Sheffield director Christien Winter says it is challenge to sift through and find those candidates who truly have the right fit for both the particular role requirements and an organisation’s culture and values. And, she says, executive-level candidates are generally cautious about moving and thorough in their due diligence.
“Stability and job security is obviously key concern in this market. However, leadership talent will also want to be certain about the opportunity for accomplishment, the organisation’s reputation, its potential and its people. They want to be part of an organisation that is successful and that makes them feel proud. Organisations won’t be able to attract the best candidates if their messages don’t address their target audience’s interest and motivational drivers.”
Winter says how candidates are treated during the recruitment process will also shape their view of the work environment they may be moving into. “A well run interview process that recognises that candidates are also doing their due diligence is an important determinant in getting the right candidate to say ‘yes’. Our experience is that many organisations do not fully appreciate the extent to which they need to meet applicants’ requirements in this two-way process.”
Stephen Leavy, director of executive search company Hobson Leavy, says the recruitment market for good executives has always been very competitive one, even through the recession. “We are part of the Australian market and we lose good talent to that market faster than we can replace it. This means proactive strategies such as executive search are essential. We spend lot of time approaching senior Kiwis offshore with opportunities to entice them back and expand the talent pool here.”
He says while there was an influx of former bankers who returned home during the GFC, it did not result in marked increase in the number of successful executives coming back. “To attract Kiwis back, boards and CEOs need to make conscious effort to seek out senior New Zealand executives offshore. Too often they have ‘not invented here’ attitude whereby they consider only foreign executive can have the expertise and gravitas required. If that is the case why are so many expat New Zealanders in top roles overseas?”
Frog Recruitment director Jane Kennelly agrees good people are still hard to find so savvy organisations need several strategies in action to give their organisation the recruitment edge over their competitors. She says an important element of this is workforce planning. One area of this which has grown exponentially over the past three years and become much bigger part of Frog’s business has been talent search.
“Once the domain of search firms, this is now performed across wider range of roles and more levels to actively source the talent needed. Technology, talent market mapping tools and social media platforms have assisted in making this an affordable, attractive proposition.
“Social media platforms [LinkedIn, twitter, Facebook] have had as much impact on the world of recruitment as the telephone did. Like it or not, social recruitment is here and in force. Knowing where talent can be found and understanding their motives is vital ingredient in the process and involves much more than just placing an ad on job site.”
Tony Wai, managing director of Crackerjacks, agrees multi-channel resourcing is key to attracting the best talent for your business. “A channel is any avenue that will help you connect with individuals, whether it is networking function, an industry publication, job board, specific discussion forums or social media dialogue. It’s useful to map out the channels that’ll connect with professionals who have key skills for your business. Have think about where these people will be – and communicate your message clearly to them.”
Matthew Hullett, managing consultant for Drake Executive, says companies wanting to ensure you are attracting the right person need to determine:
• The core values of their company and whether candidate is aligned with those or if they just have the right skills?
• Personality type – this is especially important if the role will be team based.
• Key competencies required – it is not just enough that someone has worked in similar role or industry before. How can they prove that they have the key competencies required for the role?
He also recommends starting the talent search internally, either through the use of an established succession plan or by tapping into internal networking systems.

Retaining good people
First and foremost good selection process is critical to retaining talent, argues Sheffield’s Christien Winter. “Good selection leads to better retention. The information gathered in the selection process is the basis for an ongoing development programme that will be the key driver of retention after remuneration.
“Progression and career development are very important part of the retention equation. The best organisations evolve and change, providing challenge and opportunity for their leadership teams. It is the innovative companies that seize opportunity that attract and retain the best talent.”
Creating positive working environment where managers can really contribute to the business and where positive things are happening is key to retaining good people, says Stephen Leavy. “Too often the environment is negative and it eventually exhausts people.”
Megan Alexander, general manager at Robert Half, recommends regular reviews or “check-ins” with staff to understand them as individuals and find out what their individual growth plans and aspirations are. “It is important they perceive that there is enough challenge or opportunity to keep them engaged.”
She says communication is key and should encompass:
• Ensuring the leadership team is demonstrating shared vision – people are looking for companies that provide stability and direction in today’s market.
• Sharing successes across all departments, from the top down.
• Focusing on people values. “We have seen occasions where individuals have felt companies have lost sight of the people and sometimes focused too much attention on the bottom line,” says Alexander.
Drake’s Matthew Hullett says identifying the key drivers for turnover in the organisation is an important part of improving retention. Exit interviews are useful although too often the wrong questions are asked, they are not completed consistently, are done in an environment that doesn’t allow the individual to be honest and most importantly are not reviewed. Hullett says online exit interviews can overcome many of these shortcomings and maximise the information gathered.
As we move out of recession and many organisations are starting to think about hiring staff again and developing new strategies and goals, now is an ideal time to gain feedback from internal staff surveys, says Hullett.
Jarrod Moyle, managing director of Moyle Consulting, suggests staff engagement survey will