When you think of the word “headhunter,” what comes to mind? I generally have a distaste for the cannibalistic title as it engenders a scene of a crowded, bullpen-type work environment with individuals working furiously to fill open job orders—like the penny stock operation in Wolf of Wall Street. “CFO Headhunters” fall short of the complexity of what a real search consultant brings to their clients.
I have always seen myself first as a management consultant, establishing a relationship of mutual trust with Boards and CEOs where valuable advice is shared, strategy is discussed, and technology is understood. I also see myself as a career counselor with multi-decade relationships with the CFOs I work with, helping them make great decisions while in the chair or choosing the next one.
One of the key differences between transactional “cfo headhunters” and a true search partner is the depth of understanding about the client situation, the nuances of what is needed, and the particular characteristics of each candidate and how they would contribute value, both short and long term. Creating lasting value is what it’s all about—creating value for our clients through the actions of the placed CFO or Board Member, and creating value for the placed individuals as well.
Having that deep understanding of the client situation enables us to do what might seem like shooting for the moon: reaching out to potential candidates whom the client may think are out of their league. As Dan Steele, president of influential.co recently attested: “We interviewed 10 search firms before deciding to work with Arnold Partners. Dave Arnold was the only search consultant that felt he could source and deliver a candidate out of our league, or at least go after those candidates. The other firms all thought we would just be wasting their time and ours in looking for a superstar. In the end, we got a CFO that hit on all of our must-haves, and all of our like-to-haves.”
As I pointed out in my last blog about my relationships with our CFO and Board candidates, our ability to fully prepare a candidate for the client meeting is crucial to our mutual success. By truly understanding both the client situation and the psychology of our CFO candidates, we will be on target with the match, and bring the search to a faster completion. We have a track record of doing so; an independent service provider reported that our time to close is running much shorter than the competition. While we never feel rushed or pushed by a “bullpen” environment, our clients benefit from our diligent and persistent laser focus on CFO search and Board search, delivering expedient results that create long-lasting value.
By truly being a thought partner in the search, together we can persevere though the challenges all search assignments face. Sometimes it takes perseverance, sometimes charm, most times just plain old hard work, and even Lady Luck may play a role. No matter the challenge, when you’re ready to have a real partner—not cfo headhunters—helping with your CFO hiring needs and select Board appointments, please contact me at moc.srentrapdlonra@evaD or call 408-205-7373.