What Do HR Managers Look for in Executive Level Talent?

Career Advice / September 16, 2011

HR Managers like to develop relationships with potential executive candidates long before the candidate is even considering another job. But, you still have to find the right HR Manager who will help you on your job hunt. Human Resource professionals know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to recruiting executive-level talent. That’s why you need to know their tricks so that you can put yourself out there and find the career for you.

Experiences vary Incredibly
Executive-level recruiters know which streams of information to tap into. Companies are looking for executives with strong cost/value relationships, so they want a great return on their investment. You’re their investment and they want to see results, so focus your attention on ways that you’ve improved your previous employer’s sales or goals.

Recruitment Strategies
Word of mouth is often a great recruitment strategy for executives. If one executive knows that a recruiter will find them a position with more money and better benefits, then they should hop on it. HR Managers are looking for executive talent that can recruit themselves based on their own experience within their field. If they want to choose another field, then the HR Manager will need to focus on showcasing how their talents would translate.

They Collect Data on the Executive Recruit
Collecting data about a bad executive-level recruit They want to find the candidate that has the best experience working with close competitors on the same type of position or something similar. HR Managers often find that this is the easiest and most hassle-free way of looking for talent. It’s not easy trying to find the most competitive positions within large companies, but that’s what recruiters do, they find the cracks, get the right data, and position their clients as the best candidate.

Recruiters get Specific
With the number of people looking for employment, HR Managers have had to get very specific with who they recruit.
They advise those who do not meet the requirements for a position, to not apply for that position. HR personnel has to organize and interview those who meet their specific requirements, which is usually done through a phone screen and then face-to-face. Make sure that you are comfortable during the face-to-face with your recruiter, but your recruiter should also make you comfortable. Often they will offer you something to drink, so take that into consideration, does this person have your best interest at heart? Recruiters will often select people with good listening skills and they pay close attention to whether a candidate is listening to them or not. They will not base their choices on looks because clients are not focused on that. Companies are looking for people who are going to make an impact based on their past experiences, not their appearance. That’s not to say that you should not be dressed in business attire.

It might sound like a lot but if you’re going to work with a recruiter on your executive-level placement, then you need to follow their instructions and choose the right one. Take it easy, you’ll do fine.