Most companies spend a lot of time focusing on job descriptions and WHAT a new hire will be doing, WHEN they need them to start, HOW they’ll make a difference. Finding the right person, the WHO often comes last and is the most important piece of the puzzle.
Recruiting can be a tiring process and it’s tempting to move quickly through to the end so you can get your new hire started and making a difference as soon as possible. The cost of a poor hire can be up to 10X that hire’s salary so getting the right WHO is key. It’s also worth the cost of working with a recruiting firm to ensure the right fit the first time.
When looking to find our new Chief Investment Office (CIO), we made the decision to work with Andrew Brown from Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge in Toronto. Andrew and the team followed a rigorous process and took the time to understand our firm, our values and what we were looking for in this C suite role. Their extensive Canadian and International network introduced us to top quality candidates and saved us significant time had we tried to recruit on our own.
Andrew remained connected with us and the candidates throughout the process, listening to our feedback and sharing candidate feedback. He also didn’t push us into deciding before we were ready; we were able to focus on fit and the WHO given each candidate had the right skills to fill the WHAT.
I would recommend the following in order to get the best results working with a recruiting firm: 1) clear communication about the culture of your organization, 2) clearly defined role and best outcomes, 3) a list of need to have’s and nice to have’s, and finally 4) trust and transparent communication between you and the recruitment firm.
I would recommend working with a firm like Knightsbridge when you have an important role to fill and you want access to a wider pool of candidates, or you don’t have the time and attention required to properly source the right WHO.
Thank you, Andrew Brown and Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge, for helping us source a newest team member, Peter Lieu, in the role of CIO. We are excited and looking towards the future.
Sophie Blais
COO, CCO
WealthCo Group Of Companies