Unfortunately, in 21st century there are a growing number of conmen and scam artists who have injected themselves in business of executive head hunters and recruiters. Therefore, as you begin your search for a bona fide and qualified executive recruiter, it is vital that you ask around.

Before you approach an executive head hunter, find out all that you can about their operations, history and experience from as many independent resources that you can access. Make it a point to find other men or women who have used their services. Find out who has actually landed jobs for other people, before placing your career in hands of a charlatan.

Prepare a Solid Resume

OK. so this might be obvious. But it is not always done. Prepare a professional resume before you make contact with executive head hunters on your list. Your resume is your calling card, and it will determine whether recruiter will even want to let you waste his secretary's time.

Line Up Solid References

Before knocking on head hunter doors, make certain that you have handy a list of professional references.

Just as you will want to know details about any executive recruiter you approach, these professionals will want to know a good deal about you as well. They will want to be able to contact your references, men and women who can support your professional aspirations with solid testimony about your prior accomplishments, your character, your skills and even your weaknesses, too.

Make sure to ask permission from each reference in advance, so they don't get caught off guard and say something like, "well, uh, let me see, um...you were calling about whom?"

Schedule a One on One Head Hunter Meeting

Finally, when you have all your ducks lined up, you are ready to meet executive head hunter who will land you that ultimate trophy career. Of course, it helps to pick more than just one recruiter, and it also helps to schedule a meeting at their convenience.

There you have it. You are ready to go and hunt an executive head hunter. Job-searching couldn't be more fun unless it came with a candy cherry on top and a complementary subscription to Laugh magazine. Happy hunting.

“C” – COMPLIANCE

Is your business accountable to legal, industry, safety, health, or other standards?YesNo

Are there specific policies, protocols, and formulas that cannot be compromised?YesNo

If you answered “yes” to either question, then you need coaches to monitor and ensure that performance is measuring up. You need leaders with courage and skill to confront problems in a positive and constructive manner so that people want to achieve standards.

“E” – EXCELLENCE

Does your organization value continuous improvement, ingenuity, and developing your processes to achieve better performance and higher quality for your customers?YesNo

If you answered “yes,” then you need leaders who can coach and encourage team members to critically examine traditional ways of doing things. Leaders also need to coach team members to be creative and try new methods.

“D” – DEVELOPMENT

Does your organization need to retain talented team members?YesNo

Are your current team members ambitious, and do they want to learn and grow?YesNo

If you answered “yes” to either question, then you need leaders who can coach, mentor, and train team members to achieve current performance objectives, as well as prepare them for future strategic positions. You need leaders who understand value and need for individual development plans and activities, so team members will want to stay, grow, and contribute to organization.

EXAMPLES

Consider following examples that illustrate what happens when corporate coaching isn’t practiced, and what possibilities could be if leaders did successfully coach.

• Retention: According to Gallup organization, number one reason an individual leaves a job is because they are dissatisfied with their working relationship with their manager. -Buckingham & Coffman - First, Break All Rules
• Trust: Five out of seven managers would rather lie than give honest feedback. -Jan Halper, Ph.D. - Quiet Desperation
• Loyalty: During a competitive comparison shopping session at a national retail chain store, a customer went through checkout line with a bicycle that cost over $200. To customer’s surprise, cashier rang up bicycle and told him it would be $50. The customer told cashier that she must have made a mistake because this bicycle is over $200. The cashier politely smiles and said, “I know it is. But I’m mad at my boss today. Therefore, bicycle is only $50.” -Joe S. Walker
• Safety: Front line supervisors who coach employees on their safety measures have 28% fewer accidents in their work teams than those who do not coach. -Study by CMOE, 1994
• Bottom Line: A recent study shows that Sales Managers in Europe achieve a 5% higher volume of sales when coaching is used. -Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
• Morale: According to a recent study, number one desire of employees is to receive personal feedback. This ranks in at 46% in comparison to 32% who said they preferred financial rewards. -USA Today, December 1998
• Corporate Coaching Moments: Managers spend 57-89% of their time in face-to-face communication. -Journal of Applied Psychology
• Credibility: Some leaders at Andersen know that their auditors at Enron are stretching rules. Where is accountability and leadership? -Business Week, April 2002

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For more information on how to maximize the corporate coaching efforts inside your organization please visit CMOE. You can also contact one of our Regional Managers at (801)569-3444.