Our job is to hire better candidates, faster.
According to McKinsey superior talent is up to eight times more productive. Conversely the potential damage of a bad hire can be enormous. The cost of a bad hire in a senior corporate affairs or association leadership role can be literally tens of millions of euros. We know examples of rogue association DGs and corporate lobbyists who incurred the wrath of European Commissioners and Members of Parliament which ended up costing their industry or company greatly, through adverse regulation and loss of reputation.
Hence, when hiring staff it is important to validate their reputation, and the relevance of previous experience. Often lacking in HR departments, associations sometimes struggle to carry out adequate background checks for key recruits, as do some corporate HR teams based outside Brussels or even the EU.
The Dober Partners team have a 100% success rate and entered the executive search industry, after witnessing many disastrous hires made by leading global search firms who boast global networks and in-depth assessment. What differentiates Dober Partners is that we really know our candidates, and the people they have worked with previously; and we are practitioners who really understand the issues facing our clients in the communication, public affairs and association leadership sectors.
Hiring the experts at Dober Partners ensures that first class candidates are identified and validated through a thorough search process.
By agreeing a retained relationship with Dober Partners it ensures a full commitment to source candidates until the right individual is appointed.
One of our first tasks on engagement will be to work with you to draft and finalize the job description, as well as agree the key attributes of the successful candidate so that we are aligned from the outset. We help you define these attributes including the desired personality traits, knowledge and skill set of the successful candidate, and where we should focus our search.
After launching the search, we interview identified prospective candidates in person, assessing and benchmarking them appropriately against their peer group.
We will prepare a detailed longlist report describing the candidate’s career history, their fit against the brief, plus any issues or concerns. Additionally, we will provide details on remuneration packages and notice periods.
We always like to present the shortlist in person or by conference call, supported with detailed and accurate written summary reports. Interviews can be conducted at our offices if required.
It is crucial that there are no surprises at the final hurdle, so we ensure from the start that the expectations of clients and candidates are aligned.
We then support the candidates through their resignation, responding to any counter-offer, and finally celebrating when they have settled into their new position.