Blueprint for Executive Hiring Jeff Markowitz

Plan Well Working with Candidates

Referencing Process

Compensation Offer

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The Five Stages of Executive Hiring

Planning

 

-  Think about the key hires

you may need.

-  Develop a prioritized list.

-  Plan for surprises.

Create a 12-18 month Roadmap

   

-  Meet with people at top companies in the role

you are trying to fill – learn what great is.

-  Prepare to speak with candidates before you are

ready to hire.

Start Early

*Ask yourself: “Why are you looking to fill this role?“  

Candidate Process

First Meeting

Offer

Timeline

First Meeting

Offer

Ball Control

Timeline

 

-  Take control of the candidate process early on

and maintain control throughout.

-  Maintain a balance between buying vs. selling

candidates.

-  Stay organized. Always have next steps for the

candidate.

Ball Control

First Meeting

Offer

Ball Control

Is candidate closeable? - Pushes & Pulls

Timeline

Aspects of current job that candidate is dissatisfied with.

Ex: Hit a ceiling for career growth, bad culture fit,

change in management, lack of confidence in

direction of company

Identify Pushes & Pulls

Pushes

Pulls What is driving them toward your company? Ex: Desire for intellectual stimulation, opportunity

for growth, enthusiasm for company mission

Listen Intently  

-  Candidates may not talk openly about pushes, but

listening carefully may give you a good sense of

what they are.

-  Uncover all questions and concerns about joining

your company well before the offer is made.

*Ask yourself: “Is this candidate closeable?“  

First Meeting

Offer

Ball Control

Is candidate closeable? - Pushes & Pulls

Reading the candidate (Point A to Point B)

Timeline

 

-  Ask candidate to create a list of all the

reasons why he/she would or would not move

forward.

-  Allow time for your candidate to visit and

resolve each of their concerns.

-  Know what they are thinking at each step of

the process.

Reading the Candidate

First Meeting

Offer

Ball Control

Is candidate closeable? - Pushes & Pulls

Reading the candidate (Point A to Point B)

Mini Board Meeting

Timeline

   A Mini Board Meeting is a chance

for your prospective executive to present a strategy plan to your leadership team or board, ensuring both parties are aligned.

 

-  Ask the candidate to prepare a plan that outlines

how he/she will approach the new role.

-  Do this before making the final offer.

-  This works for any executive position; not just a

CEO reporting to a board. A VP candidate should

do this with the CEO.

Mini Board Meeting

Work to disagreement. The goal is to make sure you and the candidate understand how to work through situations where you disagree, prior to formally working together.

Referencing

Referencing is the best predictor of a successful hire. Even more than interviewing.

 

-  Look for patterns. Find developmental areas.

-  Dig deep into candidate’s past experience.

-  Don’t be afraid to ask:

“What?”, “How?”, and “Tell me more..”

A 360 Degree Process

*Ask yourself: “Do I want to manage this person?“

The goal is to eliminate surprises after the hire.

Compensation

 

-  Learn the candidate’s expectations early on. Ask

about compensation in his/her last few roles.

-  If you are worried about your ability to close the

candidate at this point, start to work on their

expectations and see if you can get them more

aligned with where you believe your offer will

land.

The Compensation Trap

 

-  Continue to develop a clear understanding of the

candidate’s situation.

-  At the end of the process, once all other issues

have been resolved, give the candidate a sense

of what the compensation package will look like.

-  This should be the last thing you discuss before

the final offer.

The Last Thing

Offer

Image: www.flazingo.com

 

-  By the time you are ready to make your offer, the

candidate should be able to look you in the eye

and say “I want the job.” If the person can’t do

that, you have more work to do.

-  If you sense hesitation, figure out the source of

reluctance and manage it.

Reading the Candidate

 

-  Once you’re confident all concerns are addressed,

you are ready to make the offer.

-  At this point, you should have confidence that

when you make the offer it will be accepted.

-  You should be able to sense a high level of

enthusiasm and commitment from the candidate.

The Final Step

*Note: Always make the offer in person.

Don’t ask:

“Are you ready for an offer?”

Do ask:

“Are you ready to join the company?”

Thank you.