If after meeting with a consultant, the candidate decides not to pursue the position, his name is not mentioned to the client. Some agencies send resumes to companies without first alerting the would-be candidate. If a person registers with a few agencies, his resume could be multiply submitted to a company thereby making him seem too hungry or desperate for change. This would never happen in the search field because the candidate has to okay any referral of his credentials. Executive search is a highly confidential process.

A search consultant presented a candidate to the head of human resources. Impressed with him, he referred him to the line executive. Also favorably disposed, he bumped the man upstairs to his manager. This fellow recognized the executive’s name. Four months earlier, an employment agency had sent an unsolicited copy of his resume for a different position. It had been returned with a note saying that they had no need for him.

The senior manager reluctantly met with this candidate—primarily because others thought he had ability. He thought the gentleman had shown poor judgment in registering with an agency and in allowing his resume to be circulated. However, he liked the candidate and hired him. But the man’s leverage to negotiate a higher salary was weakened. The manager felt that he had been aggressively looking for a job—and had done it in a less than professional way.

Executive search firms write the resumes of all candidates whom they will present to a client, even if the individual has his own. They refine them, adding information relevant to the search in question and deleting the extraneous. Agencies generally do not have the time or expertise to do this. Headhunters often write personal evaluations too. They include information about a candidate that is legal, though usually not found in a resume, such as his appearance, attire, personality characteristics, style, and how he might fit in with the client and his executive team.

A prospective employer may list a position with several agencies. He will, however, spend considerable time doing this, taking their inquiry calls regarding candidates and reviewing resumes. Similarly, if an employer runs an advertisement and gets over 100 replies, he has to wade through them, judging the abilities of unknown executives by their letters and resumes. If a search company is retained, they will serve up a few qualified candidates, thereby eliminating duplication and saving enormous amounts of time. Headhunters check references and put their findings in writing.

Related posts:

1. Executive search consultants are experts in their fields

2. The Basics of The Recruiting Process of Executive Search Companies

3. How Executive Search Works – An Overview

4. How executive search consultants are paid

5. Executive search less frequently serves certain groups

6. The Major Executive Search Firms usually Have a Research Staff

7. Job Search Strategies – Research

8. Work for a Quality Company and Preferably in A Major City

9. Learn How to Create a Search Engine Positioning Service

10. The Basics of External Sources of Recruitment – Private Agencies and Consultants