Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Finding the Right Employee with Executive Search

Finding the right employee for a certain company position is not an easy task, and oftentimes it can be downright frustrating. Of course you only want the most qualified person to occupy the vacant position to maximize the productivity and strengthen the company. A bad hire can be a huge waste of time and money and a big cause for a headache. Traditionally, finding a prospective employee to fill a position is done by posting an ad in the classifieds section of the newspaper or a magazine. It can also be announced over the radio. After doing this, you just wait for the resumes or the applicants to come personally. There are head hunters that you can hire who have access to a lot of applicant databases. These methods are all still done today and they are fairly effective, but if you want optimal and wide-ranging results at an affordable fee with the convenience of 24-7 access to databases, then it is time to turn to executive search solutions.

Going online

The most convenient way to get prospective employees is through the Internet. There are companies that specialize in compiling databases of applicants and employers to ensure perfect matches for expectations and requirements. This way, they service both the job seeker and the employer. The reach of these executive search companies is far and wide so the information is rich and very valuable for the employer.

The search engine

The compiled database is organized in such a way that it will be easy for the employer and job seeker to obtain specific information they need. This assures a perfect match. An employer can search by criteria like work experience, age, skills, work history, educational background, salary expectation, and so forth. It can be accessed anytime and anywhere as long as the employer is connected to the Internet. Companies that offer executive search solutions usually require a small fee for the millions of viewable resumes available in their database.

Executive Search Firms

An executive search process includes a job analysis that can be subdivided into various subfunctions, like planning, recruitment and selection. Management should determine the kind of personnel required for a job and the number of persons to be employed. Thorough knowledge of the various jobs is essential to perform these functions.

Establishment of a scientific standard in advance is essential to compare the applicant skills with the job requirements, and select the right candidate. This standard stipulates the minimum acceptable qualification, skills and qualities required for adequate job performance. Stipulating the standard requires the knowledge regarding job design, study of the job duties and responsibilities, requirements of the job, human abilities and qualities.

Jobs can be analyzed through a process which consists of few basic steps. These steps consist of collection of background information, selection of job to be analyzed, collection of job analysis data, developing a job description, specification and employee specification. Background information consists of organization charts, class specifications and existing job descriptions. Organization charts show the relation of the job with other jobs in the overall organization. Class specifications describe the general requirements of the class of job to which this particular job belongs.

It would be highly difficult and time-consuming to analyze all the jobs. So the job analyzer has to select some of the representative positions in order to analyze them. Developing a job description involves describing the contents of the job in terms of functions, duties, responsibilities, and operations. The incumbent of the job is expected to discharge the duties and responsibilities and perform the functions and operations listed in the job description.

Developing a job specification involves conversion of the job description statements into a job specification. Job specification or job requirements describe the personnel qualities, traits, skills, knowledge and background necessary for getting the job done. Developing employee specifications involves conversion of the specification of human qualities under the job specification into an employee specification. Employee specification describes physical qualifications, educational qualifications and experience, which specify that the candidate with these qualities possess the minimum qualities listed in the job specification.