Why the Research Phase is Crucial to Finding Top Talent

At Collingwood, every recruitment assignment begins with a comprehensive research phase. This step is absolutely essential, and without it, the chances of identifying the perfect candidate diminish significantly. Here’s why thorough research underpins every successful search and why we place so much emphasis on it:

1. Clarifying What the Client Really Needs

In the early stages, we identify a shortlist of potential candidates to share with our clients and we use these as "range-finders" to determine what you may really like, or alternatively, dislike. This ensures both parties are aligned on the type of candidate required and for a discussion on what we absolutely need to see and where we may be able to flex.

Frequently, this exercise reveals that the client’s initial expectations differ from what is actually needed. Benchmarking at this stage is invaluable; it prevents missteps further down the line by ensuring clarity and consensus on the role’s true requirements. Without this, there’s a risk the wrong candidate could be appointed but it prevents lost time in the interview rounds as well as we are closer to the pin, earlier on.

Although the research phase is just one part of the wider headhunting process, it’s a critical foundation for success and we like to share all of this data as another value add to our clients. Every assignment has it's own dedicated portal which we can pass on so a client can see the breadth and depth of the research we do, this shows what we cover but also provides information that may be useful for other roles too.

As we always work with a relationship lead approach, having one eye on who else out there may be a good fit for our clients in other business areas is always on the radar.

2. Providing a Snapshot of the Current Market

The recruitment landscape is constantly evolving, and industry dynamics can vary greatly over time. Conducting thorough, up-to-date research ensures both we and our clients are well-informed about the realities of the current market so we can advise accurately on the chances of success a client may have when coming to us with a specific brief.

For example:

• Candidate Pool: We may find the availability of candidates differs from expectations, requiring an adjustment to the search strategy.
• Compensation Trends: Salary expectations may have shifted, necessitating a re-evaluation of the offer.
• Feasibility of the Search: In some cases, we may need to adapt the brief if the desired profile isn’t readily available in the specified location or sector.

By understanding the market in real time, we can approach the search with informed realism. This is incredibly important to us as multiple engagements this year have started with clients coming to us with an idea of what they want to hire and use us to create the vision and go to market strategy for them. Without the research, this wouldn't be possible.

3. Confirming Client Expectations

Once the initial research phase is complete, we present our findings to the client. This collaborative step serves two purposes:

• Validating Expectations: If our research aligns with the client’s vision, we can move forward confidently. If it doesn’t, adjustments can be made to avoid future delays.
• Preventing Misalignment: For clients with niche or highly specific requirements, this stage is crucial for ensuring expectations are practical and achievable.

Open communication and mutual understanding at this stage are key to ensuring a smooth process and a successful outcome. On every single assignment I have worked on at Collingwood we have had this clear line of communication and the ability to consult with our clients around the findings. We do great work here, but this approach and buy-in from the clients is why I believe we are successfully souring excellent candidates.

Laying the Foundation for Success

The research phase is far more than a preliminary step—it is the bedrock of effective recruitment. By clarifying requirements, understanding the market and managing expectations, we build a solid platform for a successful partnership and an ideal placement. We stick to this approach as it allows us to consult and actually add value to the processes, after all, we are the ones engaging with the market as an extension of our client so sharing the findings/reaction is a necessity.

As I mentioned in the post with the article, this is what you should expect when you pivot from the traditional contingent, success based model of recruitment to working with a retained partner.

With that being said, as a client you need to understand that the more you engage and share with your recruitment partner the better this works. If you want to keep recruitment at arm’s length and minimise the access time, you will undoubtedly see worse results and waste more of your time speaking with candidates that are shared that may not fit as well as they could.