FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE
What emphasis does the recruiting firm place on defining your performance expectations and recruiting candidates who match that performance profile? What methods do they employ and how effectively do they define and screen prospects for performance objectives and underlying competencies?
DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS
How long has the firm been in business?
UNDERSTAND THE FIRM'S PROCESS
Take the time to insure that the recruiting firms methodology, milestones, terms, strategy and communications policy are in concert with your expectations.
FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Does the firm encourage your people to stretch beyond their normal patterns of thinking? Does the firm challenge your perspective and provide added insight throughout the defining, planning and execution of the process? Or does the firm merely "take your order"?
BUSINESS REFERECES
Does the firm offer professional references from satisfied clients? Explore the length of relationships and nature of assignments.
BREADTH OF CAPABILITIES
Can the firm access a broad range of competent consulting capabilities to assist you, the client, through any challenges that might surface during the process?
SPECIALIZATION
Established track record and resources in a particular industry or functional area does not necessarily dictate success but can be helpful, particularly when speed is an issue.
HANDS OFF
Has the firm freely disclosed source restrictions and any other limitations that would affect their effectiveness in completing your assignment?
CONTACT
How involved is your consultant in the search? Is he/she the prime contact throughout the assignment? In how much of the search process does he/she participate?
COMMUNICATIONS
Are the firm's expectations for client participation and communication compatible with yours?
RESEARCH
Does the firm conduct research in house or outsource? What methods are employed? What ethics are practiced? What impression do their researchers leave? Search in confidence?
CANDIDATE REFERENCES
What are the depth, timing and nature of candidate references conducted by the firm on your behalf?
GUARANTEE
What is the spirit and the letter of any guarantee provided by the firm? How often exercised?
CONTINGENCY
How does the firm conduct business? Retained only? Contingency? Both? Since there are very professional firms conducting both contingency and retained assignments it is important to understand the fundamental differences between the two methodologies, determine which is best for your situation and know that you are getting what you expect.