Executive search & Recuitment Search

This is only likely to be relevant to you if you are in line for the higher management positions, have rare skills, might be regarded as a rapidly rising star or are a scarce commodity in an area with major management shortages - (eg a well educated and experienced manager in a developing economy).
If you are in such a situation you might consider putting yourself in the hands of a search organization.
If you are not - they are not likely to be interested in you - and will probably tell you that they only recruit against specific vacancies!

Top level jobs are not easy to find by yourself. Whilst they might be advertised, there will often be a search organization behind the vacancy. Unless you know them and they you - you will be an outsider. Its a good idea in these situations to get onto the books of a search/recruitment company. Do so as soon as you can, even if you are currently doing your MBA - as these processes often take a long time -and the right job will wait for the right appointee.

So, if you are a rare person, get known by a Recruitment/Search consultant. If you aim to select one -and have the time to meet a few - here’s what to look out for:

1. Their track record in the Industry/business sector that you are interested in - these organizations tend to specialize.
2. A commitment to you - even though they will be paid by the organization that recruits you. For example ask how they are going to handle you. Are they going to send your Resume around or will they wait for the right openings?
3. Exclusivity - will they allow you to deal with other Search organizations also - if not - be sure that they are really gong to put some effort into you - and agree a date by which something should have happened.
4. Reality - do they really know what you want? Ask them to give you a real example of a position they have filled recently which they think might have been of interest to you.

Once you are with such an organization - make sure that you are benefiting. If you are not impressed by the first opportunity they set up -let them know .If you are unimpressed by the second - then go somewhere else -as they have probably not got the measure of you - and/or don’t work at your level or in your field.

Getting known by Search companies is not like applying for an advertised job. Look to see who is advertising jobs in your area/at your level. Pick two or three at most and contact them . Send them something very brief and in the covering letter tell them that you are going to phone them in two or three days. Make the written material very achievement oriented - what you have done and what you aim to do. Don’t place too much emphasis on the fact that you are doing an MBA - they are unlikely to value it as much as you do. Your document needs to grab the attention - so put all the major points in an opening paragraph. This should show what benefit you will bring to an organization. Don’t load the document with your qualifications - but load it with names - people you have worked with and for.

A couple of days later - phone them and ask what they think. Don’t let them bluff you. Tell them neither you nor they have time to waste and so you want to know what category they are going to put to you in-

1. Possible candidate for a current vacancy that they are searching for.
2. Nothing available at present but they will put you on their database for future reference-
3. A hot property -and they will immediately begin to ring around their present and recent clients to bring you to their attention.
4. No immediate prospect - will you contact then again later when the market might have changed etc.

You should reject 4, and 2 also unless this is the response you have had from several such organizations.
If it is category 1 - get more details.
If category 3 fix a deadline for when they will get back to you.