What ESS does differently to reach the top of the talent pool: How ESS produces optimized results...

What does it take to reach top talent? The answer is optimization. ESS technology and methodology increases the scope of a project expanding the search to include the top of the executive talent pool while at the same time meeting or exceeding project deadlines.

This talent can only be identified through an exceptional research effort. ESS can make this exhaustive effort because the proprietary technology it has developed to execute the project quickly allows a greater focus on research, while still meeting project timelines.

Exec.nu: a proprietary web posting methodology. This is an individual web page devoted to your search position with a unique url. Developed by design and web recruiting experts to market the full potential of your opportunity.  A web based multimedia presentation.

Top talent demands a commitment to security and confidentiality. The ESS Talent Pool and Search System software suite are not accessible directly from the internet, and no third party has direct access. ESS maintains on site storage of all sensitive materials as well. This is an effort to protect both sensitive candidate information and the investment you have made in commissioning an exclusive retained search.

What keeps a retained firm from doing the best possible work: How to choose a retained executive search firm...

Recruiters are responsible for too many projects simultaneously. In addition to your assignment, the recruiter may be working on twenty other active searches. Your assignment, accordingly, gets 1/20th of the recruiter's time and attention and research, execution and the scope of the search suffer.

Existing client base is too large. Firms with large client bases create conflicts of interest that keep them from recruiting from your major competitors and sector leaders. One top firm, for example, has over three thousands clients and counting. Add to this the individual divisions served in each of these three thousand clients and the number of off-limit entities grows exponentially.

Outdated or inappropriate technology, or none at all. Some firms use off the shelf software or simple look up data bases that don't model the retained search process. A large number of firms don't use computers at all during the execution of a search, but rather rely on paper based systems, believe it or not.

Ineffective web strategies. An automated commodity approach to recruiting at senior levels is proving less effective than anticipated. The latest published success to candidate rate: one-half of one percent.  This approach is reminiscent of a "scorched earth" recruiting methodology that is unfocused and produces similar success rates.

What keeps you from getting the top 10% from your recruiter: How to choose an executive recruiting method...

Conventional Contingency search - not always appropriate - especially at higher levels. Contingency search is not appropriate for higher level executive assignments. Contingency recruiters must produce candidate submittals at all costs and working strictly by numbers - the more submittals - the more probability of a placement. For example, a contingency firm I am familiar with requires a minimum of 25 candidate submittals a week. Each submittal is generally for a different search. That is five searches a day - 25 separate searches a week, every week, minimum, that the recruiter is responsible for. In order to meet these requirements and increase the chance of a placement, recruiters at these firms will sometimes "kite" promising resumes to hundreds of firms without the permission of the candidate. Hence the reluctance of senior level candidates to risk their careers by working with firms of this nature. The top ten percent of the talent pool will not. Also, these firms do get into legal problems often regarding fees, when a specific candidate was submitted by whom, for example, which can jeopardize careers on both sides of the equation. Lastly, these firms experience turnover rates of over 300% a year in their recruiting staffs. It is strictly a numbers game, akin to playing the lottery, for clients, candidates and recruiters using this type of recruitment.  exec.nu -  the right approach for senior level search - addresses these deficiencies: Nominations are vetted, short-listed and targeted Candidates are submitted for exclusive consideration Candidates are guaranteed to be unique to the client Resumes are released only with prior express permission Experienced retained recruiters manage the process Exclusive ess assets are included in the process Procedures are exactly the same as a retained project

Bigger is not necessarily better in retained search - especially in today's market. Oddly enough the firms at the other end of the spectrum, the major legacy retained firms, have similar problems. Generally the person a client will meet with from one of these firms regarding a search is never the person who will conduct the assignment. That person, the recruiter or researcher that does the actual work back at the office, is usually responsible for a similar number of projects and faces the same pressures the contingency recruiter does. Albeit a better environment regarding confidentiality, the level of detail accorded an assignment can be no more than that a contingency firm would provide. Add to this the problem of too many clients limiting the target firms the recruiter can source on your behalf, and it is easy to see why bigger is not necessarily better in retained search.

Use of Public Resume Banks and Job boards. Recruiting firm's employing these methods exclusively offer little added value to the client.  The highest quality candidates will not publish their resumes for public review, and don't really have the time to do the tedious registration and on line searches required to find positions posted on these services.  The candidates that do display their resumes on these services are constantly reviewed and courted by your competitors, and candidates responding to postings are responding to your competitor's postings, along with your own. Top caliber executive talent is more elusive - that is why it is so valuable - it is anything but a commodity...