Comparing notes with three internal global executive search leaders at leading IT companies.

ITEP had the pleasure to interview three ‘’in-house’’ executive search peers in light of research for one of my global clients.  Comparing notes and best practices is always fun, invigorating and enlightening. Although I am not able to disclose the names of my colleagues for obvious reasons, here are just some remarkable take-aways of how Executive Search is conducted by some of the best:

1. Finding the ‘best of the best’ executives for their companies is a group-wide endeavour. 

Everyone within the executive suite has to do succession planning.  The goal for most is to select/target one internal potential successor and to have at least two potential external ‘candidates’ top of mind.  

2. The importance of finding as well as retaining great talent is a huge undertaking. 

This is why most of these companies have more than 500 internal recruiters, with titles varying from executive talent manager, talent acquisition executive, HR business partner and strategic growth director.  Next to their search for talent, they are also tasked to maintain relationships with executive recruitment boutiques like ITEP

3. Taking a ‘’holistic’’ view of the entire IT market and engaging in ‘’talent mapping’’ is a key  responsibility for my colleagues. 

Executives/Candidates  are pro-actively identified, are invited to connect and kept in a data-base. It’s the ‘’drink your own champagne show’’ for some of the companies I interviewed who are able to leverage their own software tools to harness this talent.  This database is pure gold to them!

4. Executive candidates are treated like Kings. 

Making their ‘’CeX” Candidate eXperience literally and figuratively as smooth a (Limo) ride or flight (private jet)  is a top priority.  These companies realise that everyone is after this small, delicate and sometime spoiled pool of highly wanted executives.

Although only one will get the job,  even silver and bronze medallists must be happy about their ‘’CeX’’ because their company’s reputation is key.  Many candidates, they realize, may become clients, partners, business associates, and someday may be called on again  when new job openings occur. And inversely, they may someday get approached for a hot job opportunity by one of these candidates!