How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

ack. If your company is committed to hiring A-players, you must
pledge to make recruiting a strong, ongoing process, not a haphazard
and periodic event.
A-Player Payoff Points
Chapter 8: Using Recruiters Wisely
Using Recruiters Wisely 151
Companies that are great at hiring A-players on their own
often use outside recruiters to fill key positions. They value
what the best recruiters bring to the table and use them
appropriately.
In the recruiting world, there are used-car salespeople and
incredibly effective professionals. Interview recruiters as
you would job candidates. Hold on for dear life to the good
ones when you find them.
Find a recruiter who understands your industry and has recently
conducted successful searches similar to yours. You
want to leverage a recruiter’s experience and contacts, not
educate him or her about the basics of your business.
The right executive recruiter is like any other professional
advisor. You will get a lot more value from these people if
you know, like, and trust them. Find someone with whom
you can be open about your business’s strengths and
weaknesses.
When using contingent recruiters, be prepared to oversee
the interview process yourself. These recruiters typically
are focused on sourcing qualified people, not vetting the
people they find.
A retained search firm should be transparent with you
about the individuals with whom it is speaking as part of
your search. You should have the peace of mind that comes
from knowing that the firm is turning over every rock to
find your company an A-player.
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