Further Information

Recruitment demands in the financial markets' industry are diverse. The development of new markets and products, together with the changing pattern of business flows, create demand for new executives, as does the need to replace other key staff who have moved on. With every company facing the need to be productive, efficient and competitive, recruiting the right individuals or teams is of paramount importance.

Finding the best people - and securing them - can be time consuming and frustrating. Methodologies vary enormously, from hoping a suitable candidate may simply turn up, to putting a full search in motion. The decision on how to handle recruitment depends on several factors - the state and size of the market, the urgency, the priorities, company recruitment policy, who is handling the task and how much time they have available.

Many line managers consider that their time is best spent fulfilling their own designated role. Although most agree that they need to be involved in recruitment to achieve the best results, they are reluctant to devote enough time to undertake the whole process. Human resource departments will often be very active in recruitment, but many units are under resourced and others are unwilling to take on specialised searches.

External assistance, therefore, is an important option. This can be provided by search and selection consultants, particularly those who have a specialist knowledge of the market place and people. An experienced consultant, as a third party, can often acquire information normally unobtainable to the client company. Sourcing potentially suitable candidates is only a part of their responsibility. A well-briefed consultant, who thoroughly understands the requirement and specification, will market the client company and position, select and short-list the candidates, act as an intermediary for both sides, and ultimately assist in final negotiations.

With such a wide range of responsibilities and the requirement for the consultant to work as a front line representative of the client - no matter how discreetly - it is essential that the right consultant is chosen for the job.