When it comes to finding the right candidate for your company, many recruiters are too focused on making a placement by only matching a resume to the job description. On paper, it may look like a potential executive hire is the ideal fit for your company. However, if time is not invested in knowing the “whole candidate”, they may end up being part of the 45% of executive placements that fail within the first 18 months. To help avoid this pitfall, recruiters need to go beyond work experience to understand the candidate’s motivations, interests, family situations and requirements in order to accurately assess their fit to the opportunity, company and community. At Kinsley Sarn, we don’t just check boxes. We understand that behind every resume is a person with interests and goals as well as needs and fears. A new job brings new stresses, new environments and new people. That can be overwhelming for an executive, especially when they’ve uprooted their life and the lives of their family to start a new job. Understanding these variables and helping to address them will enable your new executive to focus their time and talents on assimilating into the company. Failing to do so, or failure to plan their effective assimilation into your company, will have an adverse impact on your productivity, leadership, your company’s culture, and ultimately, the bottom line. Follow along below to learn the importance of selecting the right fit for your company, rather than simply focusing on the find.
To understand the ripple effects, let’s take a look at the personal story of Kellie Sarn, the Managing Partner at Kinsley Sarn.
“As a child, I personally experienced 13 different moves across the United States. Each move was a new career opportunity for my dad; however, each new opportunity had a direct impact on uprooting a wife and three children. It was hard to start over in making friends at the new neighborhood and school. My mom struggled with starting over with finding a new pediatrician, dentist, schools, after school activities… not to mention the simple things like knowing where the bank, cleaners and post office were located.”
As you can see, a new executive hire is more than just a new hire. Behind their well-rounded resume and years of relevant experience, there’s a life filled with cherished loved ones who are being uprooted, friends and support networks that are being left behind, and everyday comforts and routines that will need to be reestablished.This is all in addition to their workplace, where they are likely to experience individual growth and challenges, moments of pride and self-doubt, as well as the highs and lows of their new environment and subordinates. If the executive, or their family, begins to experience dissatisfaction with their new home, community or career, this can cause significant complications within your work environment. You don’t want to risk losing this highly sought-after executive — so why not make sure they’re the right fit for your company, its culture and the community during the hiring process, rather than being surprised after they are hired?
From the perspective of your company, finding the ideal candidate is crucial. This person must have the skills, experience and determination to fill a key piece of your leadership puzzle. They are also responsible for enhancing your culture, encouraging teamwork and collaboration and identifying and developing critical talent. Most importantly, if this executive hire is misaligned, they can directly affect your bottom line — which is not something you, or any company for that matter, should take lightly. In your search for this candidate, what do you value most? You don’t need someone who’s there and gone in less than a year. Or even someone who has a detrimental impact on your culture, company, and employees. However, if you turn a blind eye to the ripple effects made by an uprooted executive, the reality of that scenario happening to your company becomes even more probable.
So, how do you bridge the gap?
At Kinsley Sarn, we go beyond what’s expected of your traditional executive search firm. Our process ensures that we know and accurately represent your opportunity, company, culture and community to each potential candidate. This allows us to assess their fit and identify specific needs and expectations that can be resolved prior to hiring. Furthermore, we include transition services, which provide personalized assistance to executive hires moving into a new job. This ongoing coaching and counseling post-hire ensures that the executive is assimilating well into the role and culture. This also provides an opportunity to facilitate open communication and address any challenges before they become problems.You see, we know exactly what it’s like to be an uprooted hire, having been relocated as children and relocating as adults for our professional careers. We know the struggles the candidates and their families face during this difficult — often frustrating — transitional period. We also understand your company, your values and what you’re looking for. That way, when we place one of our candidates into your role, there’s peace of mind on both sides. At the end of the day, the find doesn’t matter if the fit isn’t right. It’s as simple as that. If you’re looking to add an executive to your company, trust the team at Kinsley Sarn to find the perfect fit for you. You can trust us to fulfill your position with a candidate that lasts. Contact our team to learn more about how our services can benefit your company.
