The Importance of Consistent Communication between Client and Consultant during a Headhunt

At Collingwood, something we do after each assignment is an internal post assignment review. The purpose of these is to highlight want went well, what we can improve on, and overall, what we can learn and take into future headhunts. Something that has come up time and time again when reviewing the more straightforward headhunts is that communication between both the client and the consultant has been on a consistent basis. In this article, I will discuss establishing that consistent communication and how it positively impacts the outcome of the headhunt.

Establishing Consistent Communication

When taking on a new role, the first thing that will happen with any headhunt is a briefing meeting between the Hiring Manager and the Executive Search Consultant. During this meeting, the main topic of conversation will be the role itself, how it’s come about and why it is needed but setting up dates and times as well as understanding the clients preferred form of communication is key. When this is implemented from the start and future meetings/catch ups are prearranged, we have found that communication will rarely become an issue throughout the whole process.

Ensuring we are looking for the same thing  

Once we have sent a candidate over for interview, it can lead to the client redefining what they now want – something that often happens, especially if this is a new role for the client and they are certain on what they are looking for in this hire. To ensure we are making best use of time this needs to be fed back to the consultant as soon as possible.

Sometimes these roles are agreed to tight deadlines, leaving very little time available to be wasted searching for a candidate that doesn’t fulfil the requirements and expectations of the hiring company. If we aren’t given this feedback, it will have an impact on the search.

This is hugely important for several reasons, but overall, it helps ensure the whole process runs as smoothly and as successfully as possible. It is key that the hiring manager keeps the consultant informed of any changes or updates to the hiring process, so that the consultant can be sure to adjust their efforts as needed. This will help to avoid any misunderstandings or miscommunications between the hiring manager and the consultant.

Candidate Engagement

One of the main things that regular contact helps with is candidate engagement. We find that when we speak candidates - who we have deemed to be strong for this certain role - they tend to have a lot of questions. Most of the questions we can answer, but sometimes it may be something very technical or specific to that role or company, and we need to consultant with the hiring manager.

If we aren’t in regular contact, and therefore can’t provide the candidate with answers, then we can be at risk of losing the candidate in the process all together. Also, when it comes to the interview stage, if we decide that we want to put the candidate forward for this role but can’t get in touch with the hiring manager to arrange that interview, the candidate could be left waiting and not feeling wanted, leading to them walking away from the opportunity and prolonger the headhunt.

This can have a knock on effect also not just for this role, but for other roles that client has in the future as it can look bad from an employer branding perspective if candidates are being ignored/forgotten about due to lack of client interaction.

Building Trust Between Both Consultant & Client

The most successful headhunts and the best relationships formed here at Collingwood with clients are ones that are built on trust. For the client to get the best possible person for the position that are recruiting, both Hiring Manager and Consultant need to be able to trust each other in the information they are providing. This level of trust can easily be built via consistent communication and commitment to one and other.

In conclusion, consistent communication between the client and the consultant is crucial for the success of a headhunt. By establishing clear communication channels from the outset, ensuring alignment on candidate profiles, maintaining regular updates, and engaging with candidates effectively, both parties can avoid misunderstandings and ensure a streamlined process. Moreover, building a relationship based on trust through consistent communication enhances the overall experience and results for both the client and the consultant. This approach not only improves the current headhunt but also sets the foundation for successful future collaborations.