Executive-Search Firms: The Benefits

To the Editor:

As a consultant with close to 13 years of experience in nonprofit executive search, I appreciate many of the concerns The Chronicle’s article (“Worth the Price?” December 11, 2008) expresses regarding the use and expense of executive-search firms. I would like to offer a different perspective.

One of the article’s arguments is that using search firms is expensive and that an organization may be better served if the search is conducted by the organization itself. That may be true if there are people within the organization with the time and resources to conduct a search. Many clients tell us that they do not feel comfortable conducting their own searches because they lack the time and the staff to do a good job.

Our experience shows us that many organizations and institutions recruit new talent by placing advertisements and selecting potential candidates from the pool of individuals who respond. This approach works best if a candidate is in an active job search and sees the organization’s ad. Retained executive-search firms actively engage the market in finding strong suitable candidates and work to uncover the candidate who will not surface through ad placements.

Regarding the expense of engaging search firms, if an organization were to account for the time it devoted to conducting a search, including allocating salaries, overhead, and postponed work products, the cost of engaging an outside firm may not seem so expensive.

One of the contributors to your article made the point that charities may find that relying on existing social networks to find candidates can be more efficient.

One of the functions that we believe we serve is to introduce candidates outside the organization’s networks, thereby minimizing the unconscious tendency for organizations to hire versions of the same person repeatedly. Because we have no vested interest in a particular candidate, we help an organization sidestep internal agendas that may exist on the part of board or staff members.

There are times when a search is not the best option for an organization or institution, such as when the organization does not have internal consensus on the expectations for a position’s responsibilities or when the compensation does not align to market realities.

However, many organizations are well served by engaging an executive-search firm because we bring demonstrated success in actively finding candidates outside the organization’s networks, we are honest brokers in the recruitment process, and we help an organization take a realistic look at its talent requirements.

Marian Alexander DeBerry
Consultant, Executive Search
Campbell & Company
Chicago