Blog
Conducting a Successful Executive Search during the Holidays
- July 12, 2022
A key executive team member at one of the largest specialty medical practices in the state resigned to take on a role with an organization in an industry outside of healthcare.
The departing Vice President provided a 45-day notice period, which left the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and senior leadership team with the task of filling the vacancy with a seasoned, experienced executive without delay.
Challenges, Concerns, and Issues
The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays were fast approaching, a challenging time for recruiting candidates, so candidates and client leadership had to be available for interviews. Additionally, because the job market was such that there was more demand for top-tier candidates, surpassing the supply of qualified candidates, this added an additional challenge.
On-Site Search Intake Meetings
A day of on-site meetings was scheduled at the client’s location, and we met with the CEO, the senior leadership team, internal stakeholders, and the incumbent who was leaving. We gathered information on the background, skills, and experience of the ideal candidate sought, and also the personal attributes the candidates should possess to fit the culture of the organization that would enable that individual to work successfully with the CEO and leadership team.
Recruiting Strategy
The next step was to develop a recruiting strategy, which entailed sourcing and outreach efforts to individuals from professional organizations, performing targeted recruiting of specific candidates with the preferred background identified on LinkedIn, sourcing local candidates known in the community, and broadcasting the open position to our large network of healthcare professionals.
Candidate Screening and Vetting
We screened the potential candidates and narrowed the list as necessary. Based on the information gathered during the on-site meetings, the CEO reviewed the potential candidate list for the best fit for the organization. The CEO chose several candidates to video interview and completed the interviews during the holiday break. Three candidates were invited to interview with the CEO and leadership team in person, and this was accomplished within three weeks.
Why Was It Successful
The client prioritized the project, and the CEO and senior leadership team provided their full attention to interview the candidates efficiently. There were no delays on their part. Each senior leadership team member used an evaluation score sheet after each interview to evaluate each candidate based on their merits. Leadership made an offer for the position, and the candidate accepted the offer within four days. The time from the initial on-site meeting until the offer occurred was just under 90 days and included both Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
