Executive search is a critical process for any organization that needs to fill top-level positions. However, the traditional methods of executive search can be time-consuming and often result in mediocre candidates being chosen. Fortunately, the debut of executive search platforms has revolutionized the hiring process, making it easier and more efficient to find top-quality candidates.
Hiring a new leader for your organization is an exciting step to take. C-suite hires can have an immediate positive impact on company culture, team performance, and even employee retention. With so much at stake, it’s essential to find the perfect candidate who not only meets the job requirements but also fits the company culture and values. Fortunately, executive search software can help you find your next great leader quickly and efficiently.
Below, we take a look at why hiring teams are turning to executive search software, its advantages, and potential solutions to build your pipeline of leaders.
What challenges are talent teams facing in executive search?
Executive search is a struggle for several reasons. We covered those reasons in more detail previously, but the main challenges are:
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Executive talent is in high demand and relatively short supply, so competition for candidates is steep. It’s not uncommon for them to be pursued by several companies at once.
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Traditional executive search firms and headhunters charge hefty fees, making the cost to recruit execs extremely high. This is a huge barrier to finding experienced leaders, especially for smaller organizations.
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Executives are harder to engage. Most are passive candidates, and beyond that, they’re currently in demanding roles or heavily invested in growing their current company, so are often strapped for time in general.
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Increasing diversity among leadership teams. It’s key to showing candidates your commitment to DE&I, but across the board, companies still struggle to move the needle.
With these challenges in mind, let’s take a look at what executive search software is, and the advantages of using it in your hiring processes.
What is executive search software?
Executive search software uses algorithms to search through online databases of profiles and resumes to identify candidates with the necessary skills and experience. Softwares vary in scope and functionality, but most allow you to find candidates for your executive-level roles and initiative conversations. Some may analyze job postings and compare them to resumes to ensure that only the most qualified candidates are considered.
Executive search tools offer an innovative alternative to using an executive search firm or consultant. Traditionally, these third parties have been relied upon for their expertise and connections. Now, there are major advantages to turning to sourcing technology, which we'll discuss below.
Benefits of using executive search software
There are many advantages to using executive search software for your next C-suite search.
1. It saves time.
Sourcing is often one of the most time-consuming parts of any search due to the complicated boolean search strings that are often used for manual sourcing. This is even more true with executive roles with specialized skills or backgrounds. The right software will make setting up and managing an executive search simple; usually kicking off a search is a matter of inputting criteria, then letting automation deliver candidate results to you.
2. It improves candidate quality.
The top sourcing tools use your unique criteria to identify candidates. Fetcher goes the extra mile to ensure candidate quality with human verification and by enriching data from various sources on the web. So when Fetcher delivers a batch of 10 new CFO candidates via email, you’ll have immediate access to their personal email addresses, an enriched and updated profile, and their social profiles to connect, all in one place.
3. It’s highly customizable to your needs and search criteria.
You can tailor the search criteria to meet your specific needs, including specific experience, qualifications, and personality traits. This means that you can find a candidate that is not only qualified for the job but also fits in with your organization's culture. And because Fetcher’s search platform involves humans in the process, teams have relied on it to find talent in a more nuanced, targeted way than pure AI or database models.
4. It’s a better value.
Solutions like Fetcher allow teams to reduce reliance on staffing agencies and thus, avoid excessive fees. This gives smaller companies or teams with lower budgets the ability to compete for top leadership talent – and it makes it easier to scale as your organization scales and grows.
What to look for in executive search software
When using executive search software, it is essential to choose the right software for your needs. Look for software that:
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Is user-friendly so you can quickly adopt it, and integrate it into your current systems
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Has access to relevant talent pools for your open roles
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Enables a high-touch, excellent experience for executive candidates. They will expect the best during the recruitment process, so make sure the solutions you choose make each candidate feel seen and feel special.
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Reduces bias in the recruiting process, to set yourself up to build a more diverse executive team
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Provides performance data to measure what’s working and what’s not
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Offers excellent customer support. Even though its software, a strong partnership is key to ensuring your maximizing your use of tech!
Final thoughts on executive search software
Executive search software is an excellent tool for finding your next great leader. It saves time and money, identifies high-quality candidates, and is highly customizable. By choosing the right software, you can streamline your executive search process and find the right candidate for your organization.
About Fetcher
Our mission is to help you engage talent that will transform your business aspirations into reality. Great talent is hard to find - that's why we offer a talent sourcing platform that not only gets your brand in front of the right candidates but also gives you a competitive edge in talent acquisition.
Begin building a relationship with your next great hire today and let Fetcher handle the rest. Learn more.
