FESA - Liderança Consciente e Transformadora

Not all search firms offer the same services, but they should all operate in line with the highest professional standards. In addition to the obvious differences in size and manpower, search firms also vary in their areas of expertise, their knowledge of and contacts within various industries, and the skills and experience levels of their search consultants.

Before agreeing to undertake any search, Fesa should:

• Verify that it has the resources, time, knowledge and expertise to handle your specific assignment.
• Disclose any and all information with regard to relationships or circumstances that might create actual or potential conflicts of interest. Disclose limitations arising through service with other clients that may affect its ability to perform the search assignment.
• Define with the client which part of its organization is the "client" (i.e. which subsidiary, division, department, etc.) and agree upon the period, if any, during which Fesa will not recruit from the defined client organization.
• Define the scope and character of the services to be provided and the fees and expenses to be charged for the services rendered.

This requires that the client provide a full and accurate description of its organization, business needs and culture, the position to be filled, and its criteria for the ideal candidate. If fesa cannot handle the assignment, we will explain why and then refer the client to another firm better equipped to meet the client's needs.

In addition to the consultant who generates the business relationship, there may be a team of professionals who will handle the search assignment.

It is certainly within the client's rights to ask for and to receive full and open disclosure regarding the consultants and their ability to successfully handle the assignment, as well as the resources Fesa has available to support the consultant/team working on the project.

"Retained executive search consulting" is defined as a specialized form of management consulting, conducted through an exclusive engagement and on a pre-determined retainer-fee basis. Fesa's purpose is to assist your organization in defining executive positions, identifying well-qualified and motivated candidates, and selecting those best suited through comprehensive, quality assured search processes.

In addition to locating high quality candidates, Fesa should also provide information and feedback that not only helps direct your search for executive talent but can also be used to run your business more effectively. This feedback includes:

• Knowledge of the industry in which the search will be conducted, including availability of candidates, comparative assessments of those candidates, and remuneration levels.
• General market research regarding how your organization is perceived in the market, what your competitors are doing, and what kind of recruiting strategies may or may not be working at any given point in time.

Do not expect Fesa to provide a 50-page market research report for your retainer fee. Rather Fesa should give it's client a reasonable overview of market conditions and the general perception of your organization in the marketplace for talent

By its very nature, an executive search requires you to divulge highly sensitive information about your organization. Fesa will treat any and all information the client gives us with the utmost confidentiality.

At the same time, Fesa cannot conduct an effective search without making some information available to potential candidates. To protect it's clients interests, however, Fesa should guarantee that he or she will:

• Use confidential client information only for the purposes of conducting the assignment.
• Disclose client information only to others within the search firm (who may be supporting the consultant on this assignment) or potential candidates who have a need to know the information.
• Never use confidential information for personal gain or provide that information to third parties for their personal gain.

In order to conduct a successful search, Fesa must have a crystal clear understanding of the position to be filled, the requirements of the job and the client company's culture. Accordingly, the client should insist on receiving a report that details Fesas' understanding of:

• The desired level and type of experience
• The background, education and technical skills needed to successfully perform the position
• Responsibilities of the position
• Any interpersonal skills needed

Fesa will do more than just feed back the job description presented to them by the client. Fesa will proactively help its client develop, modify and refine its own understanding of the position. To help with this critical step, give Fesa access to all those who participate in the selection process and encourage them to provide full disclosure regarding the position to be filled.

Because the job description represents the bedrock of a successful search, you have a reciprocal obligation to notify Fesa at any time circumstances (either internal or external) that require a change in the position or the type of person you're looking for. Be aware that a major change in search specifications may require a change in fees

Depending on the position to be filled, the availability of talent and a host of other factors, a successful search can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. To keep the client up-to-date, Fesa should provide ongoing progress reports that include:

• The companies at which Fesa has tried to target candidates
• The market response to the search
• Obstacles to identifying or attracting candidates
• Candidates currently being developed

Fesa should provide its client with updates regularly, either by phone, fax, e-mail, written report or some combination of all four. Let your consultant know your preferences.

Fesa should present its client with a range of qualified potential candidates, whom he or she has thoroughly assessed and interviewed. Fesa should be able to discuss each candidate's:

• Experience level and significant achievements relative to the position to be filled
• Education and background
• Intellectual, interpersonal and motivation competencies
• Personal strengths and weaknesses with respect to the position to be filled
• Perceived cultural fit
• Interest in the position
• Remuneration and financial expectations

In presenting candidates, either individually or in a "shortlist," the client should expect the consultant to discuss the interviewing arrangements and other issues that can affect the critical interviewing process. Immediately after the client interviewed candidates, Fesa will solicit your comments and feedback and help you conduct comparative candidate assessment and analysis. Fesa should complete and transmit to its client the verification of credentials and reference checks.

If it becomes apparent that the search will take considerably longer than expected or that it may not yield an acceptable range of candidates, Fesa will inform its client as soon as possible and discuss alternative courses of action.

Once the client has selected a final candidate, Fesa's role changes from that of search agent to negotiator and communicator. At this point, Fesa's primary function is to help its client bring the candidate on board in a manner that facilitates a long and successful stay with the client organization. This includes:

• Acting as an intermediary between the client and the candidate regarding compensation, benefits and other conditions of employment
• Feeding back to the client any reservations or concerns the candidate may have about accepting the position
• Helping the candidate to assess the opportunity
• Working with both sides to create a "win" for everyone

Although Fesa represents its client's interests first and foremost, Fesa must also remain sensitive to the needs and concerns of the candidate. To do otherwise significantly reduces the chances of a successful hire. In addition, representing both parties with integrity and professionalism ensures two important outcomes:

• The candidate comes aboard feeling that he or she has been treated fairly
• The search enhances your company's reputation in the marketplace

Remember that your candidates are also very busy professionals who have sacrificed valuable time to talk with you. Furthermore, they did not solicit this opportunity; it was presented to them.

Fesa cannot (and should not be expected to) guarantee to fill its client's position. Fesa also cannot guarantee that, once placed, a new hire will stay with its clients firm. With that in mind, Fesa will provide (in writing) an explanation of the firm's policy regarding possible outcomes. These include:

• Fesa's obligations and responsibilities to its client should a newly recruited professional leave its client for any reason within an agreed period of time.
• The client's obligations to Fesa should the client hire a candidate presented during the current engagement for a position other than the assigned vacancy.
• The conditions under which Fesa can withdraw from the assignment or consider it sufficiently changed to start a new search.

Seemingly successful placements can sometimes fall apart during the transition period. As a result, Fesa's responsibility does not end when the candidate accepts the offer. Instead, Fesa will stay in contact with the new hire as long as necessary to ensure a smooth transition and help them settle into the new position. Above all, Fesa should make sure that its client is fully satisfied before considering the search a success and concluding the assignment.

Given the importance that filling the position with the most qualified executive and with the highest quality services rendered to the client company, by working with Fesa the client will effectively beneficiate from the established partnership with a high quality Consulting Firm.  The client should, however, assume a pro-active attitude in managing its relationship with Fesa. It should provide complete and precise information on the position and on the profile of the desired candidate, in addition to very clearly defining its expectations for the services to be rendered by Fesa in the search process for the ideal executive. The client must keep open all communication channels and maintain close and frequent contact with Fesa until the search is complete and to the satisfaction of all involved. If, however, at any moment, Fesa appears not to understand the nature of the project, does not provide enough feedbacks and/or does not submit regular progress reports, and, also, if Fesa does not present a satisfactory number of qualified candidates, or does not represent the client the way it would like to be represented, the client organization should express its dissatisfaction immediately, so as to allow the course of the research to be corrected.