Retained Executive Search Services
Chapel Hill Solutions specializes in providing retained executive search services to clients across many industries and verticals.
Our methodical approach to executive search and unique process allows us to find and build relationships with leading industry talent and deliver the best fit candidates for your strategic and key hires.
ABOUT RETAINED SEARCH
WHAT IS RETAINED SEARCH?
A retained executive search is the ideal recruitment solution when you are looking to hire for a key position or make a strategic hire, usually at the Director level and above. A retained executive search firm will partner with a client on a monthly retainer basis (between 2-3 months) to identify, engage and appoint the best talent that fits both the position and the company.
A retained executive search firm will serve as a trusted advisor and manage the entire search process to assure milestones and timelines are met, candidates have a positive experience and guarantees fair representation for both candidates and clients.
WHEN TO USE RETAINED SEARCH
Many companies have in-house recruitment teams that manage the recruitment, onboarding and talent management process. These teams do an adequate job at filling junior level positions quickly. When hiring for a more senior level role, the recruitment process normally takes longer and will require a very hands-on approach.
Executive Search firms are able to deliver exceptional talent and provide a high-touch experience to candidates and hiring committees that in-house talent acquisition teams may not have the capacity for. Candidates are usually more invested and trusting of the recruiting process when working with a search firm instead of working directly with a company, as they feel they have someone advocating for them.
TRUSTED ADVISOR & PARTNERSHIP
When hiring for a key or strategic role at the senior level, making the right hire the first time is crucial. A mistake at this level can be very costly to the client. Our search consultants have worked with hundreds of companies to find and appoint qualified, experienced and available talent and will guide you through the entire search process from beginning to end.
A retained search firm will approach every search as a partnership. Since the search process will take several weeks to complete, a retained search firm will serve as an extension of your brand and Employer Value Proposition (EVP) to candidates. The retainer structure commits all parties to consistent communication and seamless collaboration between search firm and company when identifying and engaging with talent.
OUR PROCESS
Our retained executive search services are tailor-made to each client's specific needs for finding candidates and senior executive talent at the Director level and above. Below is a general summary of our process.
Strategy
Chapel Hill Solutions begins every executive search with an in-depth discussion of your talent needs. The strategy helps set the direction for the rest of the search to find the right candidates with the necessary competencies, skills and experience. The strategy phase informs where we will find and seek out potential candidates such as companies or specific industry verticals.
Research
After the strategy phase, we create a benchmark profile and list of research criteria. The benchmark profile is the "perfect candidate on paper." We use this profile as our guide to find and measure candidates' skills and experience against. During this phase we search through our talent networks, source referrals from industry leaders and build a comprehensive list of candidates.
Outreach
After we have built a comprehensive list of candidates from our research criteria, we conduct initial outreach and interviews. In this stage, Chapel Hill Solutions serves as an intermediary between your company and candidates. This allows for us to have discreet and honest conversations with candidates and gauge interest without exposing your brand or the candidate. We begin to build more meaningful relationships with candidates on your behalf.
INTERVIEW
Once we have concluded the outreach phase and connected with all qualified candidates, we deliver a short-list of identified and vetted candidates that most closely match the benchmark profile. We provide clients with a list of top candidates with our notes, feedback and comments on their experience, leadership style and cultural fit. In this phase, the client will hold several rounds of interviews with the top candidates.
ASSESSMENT
After the interview phase is completed, we work with the senior leadership team and hiring committee to assess the best fit candidates. We meet with individual stakeholders and collect feedback for selecting the best fit candidates that align with the company values, mission, vision and organizational culture. In the assessment phase, two to three finalists are selected to move forward in the process.
DECISION
In the final stage of the executive search process, the decision phase, we support clients in selecting the best fit candidate. We build consensus among the leadership team and key stakeholders as well as make an objective recommendation for the best fit candidate for the role. At this stage a competitive offer is drafted, approved and shared with the candidate. Any additional background checks are made and the candidate accepts the offer.
