Executive Search Process & Pricing
EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROCESS
David Kant, DSC President, describes the 10-step process followed by DSC to complete a successful executive search mission within 4-6 weeks on average
Understanding the Need
DSC will meet with the Hiring Manager and all other relevant stakeholders participating in the interview process and hiring decision to capture accurately:
- Company Profile: This includes any good or bad press DSC should be aware of, either to highlight or to understand how best to address issues as candidate questions or concerns arise;
- Position Description: If your organization already has one we will provide feedback and make any needed adjustments; if you do not have one, we will happily create one for you;
- Selling points: Why someone should be excited to work for your organization, and why this particular career opportunity is unique and enticing;
- Review the position’s Compensation and Benefits Package and provide feedback as to whether any adjustments should be made to be competitive for the target candidate in today’s market;
- Identify if there are industries, competitors or target companies you wish for us to recruit from, as well as if there are clients, partners or any organizations or industries you wish for us not to recruit from;
- Review Process Timeline and set milestones to ensure both sides are aligned and on track to achieve the deliverables. Interview Availability is the most common delay in the interview process; therefore, we will identify the best days and times that work for the hiring managers for weeks 2 and 3 of the process.
Next, we will compile the above information and create the Company & Position Profile and submit for your review and approval. This document will be used to market the opportunity to prospective candidates as well as serve as a quality metric against which candidates will be screened and only presented if aligning against most or all of the requirements. (Note: for confidential searches a Confidential Company & Position Profile will be created excluding information that would give away who the organization is. Once the candidate signs DSC’s NDA, the full Company & Position Profile will then be shared).
Research
- ❖ DSC has a rich and broad database of executive candidates, making it rare for any search to be a from-scratch effort. In many cases, we either have candidates in mind or have contacts we can leverage for referrals.
- ❖ That said, we do not rely on our network and do not have a "contingency mindset": i.e., recycling the same resumes that did not get hired from past searches. By definition we are an executive recruiting firm and actively target top passive talent. If the talent exists, DSC can get to them. Within 2 business days, our team compiles a target list, typically of 250+ candidates, and submits it for your review.
Recruit
- ❖ Years of experience in executive search firms taught us that recruiting is a contact sport, and one of persistence: the best candidates often taking 5 or more calls before being open to having a conversation. DSC is politely and professionally relentless in staying after top candidates, and is adept at delivering compelling presentations to engage and ultimately attract them. This step is typically complete within 5 business days.
Screen & Present Candidate Shortlist
- ❖ We thoroughly screen each candidate with both skills-based and behavioral interview questions tailor-made from the Company & Position Profile. This step in the executive search process typically takes about 3 business days as we narrow down the top 15-20 candidates to a shortlist of the top 5-8. DSC continues to present additional candidates as needed until the client is satisfied they have a pool of options from which they can make a decision.
Manage Interview Process
- ❖ DSC will assist in scheduling and coordinating all interviews for hiring managers and candidates throughout the process until the top candidate is selected.
Conduct Reference Checks
- ❖ Prior to extending an offer to the candidate selected at the outcome of our executive search process, DSC provides at least 3 reference checks providing differing perspectives (1 supervisor, 1 peer, and 1 direct report).
Offer Acceptance
- ❖ Extending an offer is arguably the trickiest and most sensitive part of the process, where things are most at risk of falling apart. For this reason, DSC pre-closes the candidate multiple times from the 2nd interview onward to ensure there are no surprises and that a recommendation can be made to the client to ensure the best chance of offer acceptance.
Counter Offer
- ❖ Counter Offer is also covered with the candidate multiple times throughout the process to ensure no unexpected change of heart occurs at the last minute. DSC educates the candidate of the pitfalls of accepting a counter offer as statistics show most candidates who stay end up leaving in less than a year, as (1) the reasons they had for looking were only temporarily relieved with a slight pay increase, and (2) the relationship and trust with the company is broken and when layoffs come around, this candidate is the first to go. In cases where the candidate accepting a counter offer is likely, DSC will notify the client early and recommend proceeding with another candidate.
Conduct Background Check
- ❖ Once the candidate verbally accepts the offer, a formal offer is contingent upon a successful background check, which includes a federal and local criminal search, driving record search for DUIs and traffic violations, and degree verification. Credit and other checks are available dependent upon the role and upon request.
Onboarding
- ❖ DSC will stay in touch with the candidate to ensure as smooth a transition as possible is made, from the moment the offer is accepted through to the candidate’s first day.
- ❖ We also check-in at 90 days and 180 days with both the client and candidate to ensure both sides are happy with the placement and if any additional assistance is needed.
Pricing
With our Client First core value in mind, DSC has modified the traditional retained pricing structure in a way that mitigates the client’s risk while still allowing us to provide a high level of service:
- First 1/3 of the fee is due at the start of the search to pay for our time and dedication of resources.
- Second 1/3 is due upon submission of 3 qualified candidates that align with the agreed-upon position description established at the start of the search.
- Final 1/3 is due upon candidate’s start date.
- All expenses included in the fee, so there is no additional costs at the end.
- 18-month Replacement Guarantee for Manager and Director level, 24-months for VP and C-level.
