The Do’s and Dont's of Executive Recruitment

In any business, strong leadership is the cornerstone of success. Particularly when it comes to sales, having the right person steering your departments and teams can be the difference between soaring and falling flat. Whether they are motivating people, strategising campaigns or facilitating change, these experienced professionals are the heartbeat of any business.

For this reason, hiring for executive roles is one of the trickiest tasks around. Executives make critical decisions on a daily basis, so it’s important that the person you task with such power is up to the job. Here, we take a look at a few tips for how to get it right, and a few pitfalls to avoid when hiring executives.

How to Hire for Executive Roles

Detail skills and attributes

Before you even start thinking about putting out an advert, it’s important to know what you’re looking for in your future executive. Consider what attributes would enhance your business and get it all down on paper. Whether you need strong leadership skills to motivate sales staff or someone who has a strong strategic vision to help push the business forward, you need to know which traits would make the right fit before you start interviewing.

Know how they add value

Assess the gaps that exist in your company at the moment and ask whether candidates have the requisite skills to fill those shortfalls. Make sure that every person you interview for an executive role has the potential to add value to the company, bringing something to the table that differentiates them from what you already have. Executives are among the most influential people in any business, so you need someone who can make an impact every day.

Look in-house

Executive recruitment tends to come, more often than not, from external sources, with companies looking to hire people with new ideas and a fresh perspective. However, you should not dismiss the possibility of recruiting internally. Even if they do not have the specific experience you’re looking for, an employee with in-depth knowledge of the company, the wider sales industry and the right traits to be an executive could be just the right person for the role.

How NOT to Hire for Executive Sales Roles

Don’t rush into a decision

Your executive hire, whoever they might to be, is going to help shape the future of your company, so you need to get that appointment right. Don’t just hire the first person you interview because you have a need to bring someone on board. Make sure you properly analyse the pros and cons of every serious candidate you see, and make an informed decision that will have the best impact on your company.

Don’t rely on first impressions

We all know that first impressions mean a lot. The way someone presents themselves during those crucial first minutes can make or break them, especially in an interview. But when hiring an executive, don’t be tempted to rely on first impressions alone. Someone may talk a good game, but you must take the time to dig deeper and ensure they have the skills and experience you need them to.

On the other hand, an interviewee may not initially come off that well. If you’re confident that they have the vision and passion you need, and it was just a poor interview, do not feel that you can’t invite them in for a second round. Your instinct to give them another chance could be right on the money.

Don’t leave it all to one person

When you make the decision to hire an executive, it’s a move that will impact a lot of people. To ensure you make the right call, it can be a good idea to involve more than one hiring manager in the process. That way, the decision isn’t all resting on the shoulders of one person, and the added insight can help you make the best decision for the company as a whole.

Hiring an executive for any company is a big move. Make sure you get it right with executive search from Pareto