Q
Why do you only conduct searches on a retained basis?
A
There are a number of reasons and foremost is to attract A+ players. It requires they have anonymity. The vast majority of potential candidates we approach are employed full-time. Usually, they are not actively seeking a new opportunity. The potential candidate understands when working with our firm, their career goals are taken into account. The fit of their goals and those of our client are weighed. Should a potential candidate believe the search firm wants to complete the assignment so they can “earn” their fee, top notch candidates will not participate in the search process. Our sources and potential candidates, all understand we only conduct searches on a retained basis. Hence, complete confidentiality is assured to all parties. Without this assurance, our experience has indicated the slate of potential candidates is compromised. Additionally, there is mutual trust. Our clients understand we present a potential candidate only when there is a strong fit. We want the search to come to a successful completion for all parties, the client, and the candidate, and obtaining our fee is not the motivation. We bill for services rendered no different than physicians, accountants, or other professionals. Additionally, as a retained firm, we commit one hundred percent of our efforts to our client’s needs. As a retained firm, our clients are assured: - Our retained search approach creates a mutually beneficial relationship and full level of commitment between our client and Mitroff Consulting & Associates. - Our comprehensive assessment of candidates includes face-to-face interviews, interview reports, behavioral assessments and profiling specific to the actual position being sought, reporting on the candidates match to the position, in-depth reference checking, and degree verification. - Mitroff Consulting & Associates is accountable for filling the open position regardless of time investment. - We commit one hundred percent of our efforts to successfully complete the search assignment.
Q
How does Mitroff Consulting & Associates differ from other retained search firms?
A
We are one of a few boutique search firms in the U.S. founded, managed, and conducting searches by a prior Psychologist. Norm was a practicing Clinical Psychologist, and he brings expertise in understanding people, what motivates them, what hampers them from making effective career decisions and how to overcome an individual’s resistance to making changes. Our practice is built on this premise and assures clients they will obtain the most qualified candidate for their company’s goals and future success. Our ability to help candidates work through their career directions maximizes the success of the search and assures timely completion. Additionally, Mitroff Consulting & Associates develops a personality profile unique to each and every search. This specific “Candidate-to-Job Matching Report” provides interviewers with behavior based interview questions they may use to probe the unique challenges faced by each potential candidate. The report we create will graphically compare and contrast a prospective candidate to the “ideal” candidate profile of the role. Our report includes information which indicates how much the prospective candidate would have to adjust his or her natural behavioral tendencies to mirror the behaviors of the client’s “ideal” position’s top performers.
Q
It seems Mitroff Consulting & Associates does not have a specific industry focus. Why is that?
A
First and foremost, we are specialists in the search process. We purposely do not limit our practice to a narrow industry focus. By maintaining a broad industry focus, we have fewer “blockage” issues; therefore, fewer companies in any given industry are “off-limits” to us. This is a major advantage to our clients because we are able to recruit from a larger pool of A+ professionals. "Once a client, always a client." At Mitroff Consulting & Associates, we believe it is unethical to recruit from a prior client; hence, all clients of our search firm are off-limits. We also believe that in any given industry there are a limited number of A+ professionals; this is true whether it is public accounting, wine, consumer packaging, etc. A search firm should seek to provide their clients with the highest level of candidates – specifically, A+ professionals. With that understanding, a search firm that specializes in one industry limits its access to such candidates. Our broad industry focus allows us to go after more top candidates, more often.
Q
Does Mitroff Consulting & Associates provide a replacement guarantee?
A
Mitroff Consulting & Associates thoroughly front loads its search efforts to maximize our success. We do not fail, so we do not have to repeat the search. We are known for our thorough vetting process and staying closely connected to the client and candidate before, during and after the search is completed. The loss of productivity from current employees can be extensive. The cost to the client is usually more than they initially paid to conduct the search. Additionally, potential future employees and current employees researching the company may view the failure of a hire as an inability of management’s competency. That may result in a loss of trust. A+ employees may view its management as not being successful in recruiting top-notch colleagues and begin to update their résumé to passively or actively explore other career opportunities. We conduct searches with the understanding that the potential employee must have the required skills to succeed and, equally important, “fit” well within the company’s culture. With this in mind, our experience is the new employee succeeds and their average retention is 4.5+ years with the employer. Additionally, Mitroff Consulting & Associates develops a personality profile unique to each and every search. This specific “Candidate-to-Job Matching Report” provides interviewers with behavior based interview questions they may use to probe the unique challenges faced by each potential candidate. The report we create will graphically compare and contrast a prospective candidate to the “ideal” candidate profile of the role. Our report includes information which indicates how much the prospective candidate would have to adjust his or her natural behavioral tendencies to mirror the behaviors of the client’s “ideal” position’s top performers.
Q
How do you find qualified candidates?
A
Through our focused, specific networking process we “get into” the correct pool. We have 19,000+ qualified, updated contacts in our database. We have developed a specific strategy for networking. Honing our scientific approach for 25+ years has sharpened our focus of finding the professionals who have the proper skillset. This is just the beginning. Once we have identified individuals who have the skills, then the real work begins. Does the professional have the work ethic and attitude our client seeks? Mitroff Consulting & Associates prides itself on identifying and presenting professionals to our clients who have not only the skillset for the opportunity, but also the “right” attitude, work ethic, and motivation to do the job, and do it well.
Q
What is the typical time frame for completion of a search assignment?
A
Mitroff Consulting & Associates is proud of its 98% success rate in search completions and completing the search assignment within an average of 53 days.
Q
Why don't counteroffers work?
A
“Buying” an employee back when they try to resign, typically referred to as a counteroffer, rarely works, even in the short run. 90-95% of the time, the employee leaves within 6–18 months, and often with more acrimony than the first attempt. Counteroffers rarely work because: 1. Management makes a counteroffer to solve an immediate problem. They are caught off guard and feel the need to do something quickly. Later, when the realization comes to mind they were “blackmailed”, held up by an employee who was unhappy and leaving, and they were taken advantage of, this will cause resentment. 2. The trusted relationship between management and employee is broken, it is not the same anymore. In essence, the employee fired management and/or the company. No one likes to be fired. 3. Money and title, the two most popular tools used in a counteroffer, are temporary. Most of the time, the adjustments management made to keep an employee are cosmetic and will rarely overcome the underlying reasons as to why the employee wanted to leave in the first place. 4. Others in the company will know the “tail” has wagged the dog. Management and the company have lost the respect of the employees who are aware of the counteroffer. The fear of this happening again will cause a rift within the organization. 5. An employee’s leaving never comes at a good time. Management will eventually say to themselves, “How could he/she do this to me?…It couldn’t have come at a worse time…What am I going to do if they do it again?...So, when (not if) is this person going to do it again? If that happens, I’m going to look like an inadequate manager, and nobody is going to respect me as a manager.” 6. Normally, for the counteroffer to be successful, management had to involve other managers, usually including someone above them. What are they going to think of the manager should the employee (or another similar employee) do this again? When/if this employee eventually leaves anyhow, the manager’s acumen will be questioned – the manager is at risk and is not going to feel comfortable with the employee. 7. Good companies do not buy people back. So, the insult to injury is that, not only were the management and company blackmailed, but others in the company know the company is not considered to be well managed. 8. The employee bought back probably received some increase in salary (perhaps a significant increase). That fact is going to backfire – when the salary reviews come around again, management is going to remember how they were leveraged. Management will feel the employee already received a raise. The employee does not feel that way at all. He or she is going to expect a raise like everyone else. It is a “no win” situation. On a confidential basis, management is going to start looking for that employee’s replacement. We know because Mitroff Consulting & Associates has been retained, numerous times, by companies to do a “confidential” search to replace the “successful” counteroffer employee.
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