Guest post written by Adam Shaw, Managing Director of Assured Recruitment
The recruitment sector is thriving at the moment, and companies are looking for smaller (but stronger) teams to drive their business forward. This has led to a rise in demand for executive level candidates, to support and nurture businesses through this difficult and unpredictable economic climate. But this demand has also triggered a more rigorous selection process, increasing the pressure on recruiters to deliver against their clients' recruitment needs.
Top tips for aspiring executive recruiters:
- Know your market sector
An extensive knowledge and understanding of your market sector is imperative, and will enhance your ability to succeed in recruiting executive candidates. You should be following key media within your sector for the latest news and announcements, as well as taking note of changes in the corporate world. Keeping up-to-date with who's moving-up and who’s looking to move on will help you to stay one step ahead of the game.
- Enhance your network & build relationships
It's important to spend time on expanding and developing your network, so that you are positioned to advise your client on whom you think is most suitable for the role they are offering. LinkedIn is a particularly useful tool for this, and a large proportion of influential and sought-after executives will be using the professional site themselves, allowing you to make contact and begin building a relationship with that prospect. But although LinkedIn is excellent for building your network, it can only show how a candidate’s qualifications and experience match the candidate criteria at a relatively superficial level.
- Consider the culture
Sourcing a candidate with a perfect skill set is only half of the challenge; the other half is how the new appointment works out. It's no longer enough to simply place a candidate based on their skills and experience, you need to determine their cultural fit: is their personality and ambition united with the company that's hiring them? When a candidate fits the culture of an organisation, the likelihood of a long and successful relationship increases significantly.
