Choosing an executive staff is quite different than the normal process of hiring employees. Executives are technically employees, but they are the people in the top-levels in your company. Since executives are some of the most important people that will drive your business to success, a lot of attention needs to be put into the recruitment decision.
Below are some recruitment tips for executive recruitment.
Before We Start
Before we start, we should elaborate more on the process itself and who these “people” are. As we mentioned, executives fill the top-level positions in your company, and these are:
- Chief Executive Officer – CEO
- Chief Operations Officer – COO
- Chief Information Officer – CIO
- Chief Technology Officer – CTO
- Chief Financial Officer – CFO
Executive recruitment is for hiring executive personnel, and it can sometimes be called C-Suite Recruitment. The importance of this process cannot be overstated as these people are critically important for the success of your business. These people will be making decisions that directly impact the culture and future of your business, so it goes without saying that C-Suite Recruitment is of the utmost importance for any large company.
How to Choose Your Executive Staff?
While C-Suite Recruitment is challenging, different, and more sophisticated, there are certain things out there that can make the process easier.
Tip 1: Understand the Job and the Industry
You start your exec recruitment process by drafting the most detailed-heavy job description you could. You should spend a lot of time on this as the right candidate should have a clear image as to what you need to be done from him/her.
In your mind, create a persona of the ideal candidate and define that in your job description. Define the traits and characteristics of the ideal candidate for the c-level position and start interviewing people.
Tip 2: Leverage Referrals
According to Gated Talent, a networking platform for executives used by global companies for headhunting needs, when it comes to recruiting executive personnel, it’s all down to networking. If your business is in need of C-level positions, then chances are your business is quite successful. When it this position, you can use the people around you for suggestions. You can even go beyond and leveraging personal contact, social media accounts, and even take referrals from your own company leaders.
Tip 3: Be Professional, Discrete, and Maintain Confidentiality
When C-Suit recruiting, the highest level of professionalism is needed when contacting potential candidates. According to a study, almost 80% of executives prefer to be contacted through their personal email addresses or social platform, then their current company accounts. Whenever you’re contacting potential C-level candidates, make sure to ensure that you will maintain confidentiality and discretion throughout the recruitment process.
Tip 4: Start Building Relationships
A large part of the recruitment process is to build a solid working and professional relationship with the candidates. To do this, you have to approach each candidate differently and appeal to his character. So, it’s safe to say that a personalized approach is needed if you are to succeed in building a relationship with each candidate. However, the candidate should always be the focus of attention during the recruitment process. Make sure to never sell your position immediately and try to get to know your candidate more first.
Nina Smith 
Nicola Holder