5 Questions You Need to Ask Search Firms Prior to Partnering with Them

If you have ever retained an executive search firm to fill an important position on your leadership team, you have probably asked about track record, references, how long the search will take and the pricing structure. To dig deeper and ensure you’re working with the right partner, here are five more questions you should be asking:

1. How would you describe our company and this position to candidates?

If the search partner doesn’t understand your space and how you add value, they aren’t going to be able to overcome objections from candidates, or even garner their interest initially. A good tip here is to keep a close eye on how they represent their own business — Do they start with why and are they clear with their message?

2. Who will be a) reaching out to candidates, b) interviewing and meeting these candidates, c) closing the candidate of choice?

This is something that gets taken for granted. Search firms will often send in their best pitch person to win the search and gain trust. When it comes to sourcing the role and meeting with candidates it is often left to a less experienced headhunter who may not represent your brand in the same light. To ensure you secure the preferred candidate, you want a thoughtful, well-trained negotiator representing your company and building trust throughout the process.

3. Are there are any searches that you haven’t completed and, if so, what did you learn?

This seems like a question to catch them out but it’s not; hopefully you want to be working with a partner who strives to continuously improve and not repeat past mistakes. It is unrealistic to think they will have completed every search they’ve taken on, but the important part is what they took away from the experience.

4. What is the incentive for you to continue working on this if you aren’t successful in the first 90 days?

This question relates closely to the pricing structure and can help you negotiate a deal which keeps both sides incentivized. If you are paying 100% of the search cost regardless of whether the company fills the position, there is little to motivate them to keep sourcing this role when the going gets tough.

5. Do you have hands-off agreements that would restrict you from representing candidates from our competitors?

If the company has an extensive track record, it is likely they can not poach from certain companies. If you’d like someone from one of your competitors and this company has an agreement with them, it’s best to know that before going into a partnership. It may be a non-issue, but will help you get of sense of whether the company operates ethically.