Back to Latest Posts

It Is NOT The Job Description

Search number 600+ started last week.  The client is a wonderful organization that we have worked with before.  We have had the privilege of placing and/or working with most of their senior team.  We have worked with them for over eight years. 

They are like many of our clients . . . . . medium in size (I know – everyone defines that term differently) and privately held.  In this case, they are family-owned as well.  They are unique in structure, marketplace and, most importantly, culture. 

Our client was prepared for the search intake meeting . . . . . they have done this before with us.  They sent us a job description.  It resembled their past descriptions in format; their descriptions resemble our specifications in format. 

Here is what we ask 

They are ready to discuss the role; we are ready to discuss Critical Success Factors, what we call the cultural fit.  We are also ready to discuss their definition of success.  We ask about past successful hires and past unsuccessful hires.  We want to know what differentiates them (successful candidates versus those that are not) - even though we have worked with them in the past.  We assume the person that was there had the right experience . . . . . that is rarely the reason for turnover. 

We have great intake discussions 

While we need people with the right experience as candidates, the successful person for our client (any of our clients) will fit them culturally.  They (the candidate) will understand what will define fit and success – together.  Neither can exist alone. 

And that’s why we call it search