The realization I had last fall about the typical executive search process being outmoded was a real thunderhead because it struck me like a bolt of lightning. Working in the vacuum of weekly Excel spreadsheet updates for clients felt so 90s! One client challenged me to find a better way to convey information about candidates and the search pipeline. As luck would have it, I received an email solicitation from a Cloud-based SaaS company offering a new recruiting technology specifically tailored for the executive search industry, and within a week I was signed up. Not just a handy tool to make the search process run more smoothly, this tool has completely transformed how we at Arnold Partners deliver our services to our clients.
Given that all of our clients are in the technology industry, it made sense for Arnold Partners to adopt an advanced, technology-centric approach to our recruiting process. By using the services from Clockwork Recruiting, our entire process is managed in the Cloud ─ from pre-search to closing. The system enables complete transparency for our clients so they can see the efforts going into the pipeline and next steps with candidates in process. In addition, the reporting capabilities are swift and to the point.
By leveraging the Clockwork research services we are also able to jumpstart our searches by populating the project with potential candidates, right from the get go. We then combine this research with our existing database of established relationships in the CFO community. (Note, we do not have anyone contacting potential candidates other than myself, which is a central tenant of our pledge to clients.) This one-two punch has led to even faster delivery of qualified candidates for our clients.
Shared Workplace Gives 24/7 Access to All Information
The Clockwork system allows for all information about the search and specific candidates to be housed in a location which is both secure and accessible from any computing device 24/7. This makes for a great user-interface. Also, if a candidate is coming in for an interview, clients do not have to scramble to find an email with our assessment notes and resume ─ it is all in one secure spot. As we populate the records with more and more data, a very clear picture emerges, enabling us to presenting information to a search committee or Board of Directors in a clean, professional, customized manner.
This post may sound like an ad for Clockwork, but that is not my intention. Using this platform levels the playing field and makes Arnold Partners an even stronger competitor to larger executive search firms. As my advisor Howard Bain pointed out to me at our last meeting, he was very frustrated with a large search firm he was working with on a CEO search. He said the biggest frustration was lack of visibility to the search progress. That will never be a concern with Arnold Partners ─ we are all about delivering our services in a transparent and easy-to-use manner. As we kick off another busy year, we are moving forward confidently with this improved process to help our clients succeed in finding outstanding CFOs and Audit Chairs.
Take a look at the future of executive recruiting
Link to see what the new shared online workspace looks like. Or contact me at dave@arnoldpartners or 408-205-7373.
For more information about non-tech related aspects of the industry, be sure to read Interviewing Advice for CFOs and CEOs and CFO Search Firms: Quality vs. Quantity