Part - I

As some of the greatest job opportunities are entrusted to executive search consulting firms, it is a good idea for senior professionals to learn how to best use such firms to advance their careers. A hiring organization will only retain an executive search firm under a consulting contract for it’s most critical senior appointments. Top executives, who are called by a search consultant for an assignment, can leave a positive impact and build a good and rewarding relationship with a search firm by following a few simple rules.

Everyone is busy, especially a highflying manager like you. Remember, it is the search consultant’s job to call. He or she is just doing his duty. Getting a call just as you are about to make an annual presentation to your most important client can be surely annoying. But only if you can, take the call and give an optional time and try to stick to it. Or else, call back, if possible. Sometimes, it is appalling to encounter not so senior level managers who think that calling back a search consultant is the biggest favour they are doing. They could be light years from the truth! Search firms call you only because you are successful and they recognize your capabilities and your wisdom. They will call you for any of the following reasons: -

• For an assignment

• To reference a candidate

• Seeking general information about a company and industry if they know you well

• To understand or update your profile

• To get names and profiles of candidates who they are trying find for a particular search

Some candidates are wary, rightly perhaps, of giving their profile, without knowing the assignment. Merely sharing your details does not mean you are interested in a change or in looking out today, but just being open to possibilities that could emerge in the future. Things change in everyone’s lives. Tomorrow, you might wish to be close to your parents in Chandigarh, for instance. This causes you no harm, because if the firm does not know you well, they will not call you, not at least until they have called people whom they know. By which time, it could be too late!!! Even if you are the marketing head of a Rs.100 crore business, remember there are clients seeking marketing heads for Rs.1000 crore companies!

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The author, Diganta Barua, runs Credence Consulting, an independent executive search firm in Mumbai, which helps clients hire senior managerial talent.