Written by Grégoire Depeursinge, Managing Partner AIMS International Switzerland

 

Tailor-made Executive Search Services by AIMS Switzerland

Lately, we have had the occasion to see several of our competitors’ candidate profiles and to discuss with their clients the experience of the service that they received. We have also reviewed the information provided by our candidates about their experience with other search firms. It is clear that the rise of social networks like LinkedIn and so-called AI-supported recruitment tools, the development of in-house recruitment and the inclusion of executive search in the scope of indirect purchasing have led to strong pressure on prices and to a commoditization of direct-search recruitment services. In short, clients pay less but the service level and quality have been reduced accordingly… 

At AIMS International Switzerland, we want to find and select the best fit for our clients’ needs and not just anybody able to “do the job”. We also want to reduce the risk of hiring the wrong person, with all the negative consequences and costs that this entails. Please read below about:

  • The benefits for the client
  • The benefits for the candidates
  • The benefits of our approach

For the client

  • By taking a consultative approach and offering to work in partnership with the client, we may be able to propose alternative organizational setups, profile enhancements and previously untapped target industries and functions, thus providing more alternatives and diversity
  • Our global coverage and strong industry teams guarantee a better understanding of technical requirements and allow us to source talent across borders, as well as giving our clients access to local knowledge all over the world
  • The objective of the executive search process is not just to find a suitable candidate, but to scan the market for the best fit in terms of technical skills, personal competencies, cultural and motivational fit. This will lead to sensibly higher value generation for the company
  • Taking a long-term view and making sure the candidates and the company’s objectives and development possibilities are aligned for the foreseeable future will allow better retention of top talents
  • A thorough, well-conducted search and selection process will massively reduce the risk of hiring the wrong person and therefore the financial implication associated with the costs of hiring the wrong candidate, which far outweighs that of the search fee.
  • A clear profile with objectives and KPIs as well as good candidate care will produce a positive response and improve the company’s image in the market with both the chosen and the eliminated candidates
  • While we believe in selecting the best candidate regardless of age, gender or origin, we can support the client in the realization of their diversity objectives and the improvement of their workforce structure
  • By taking care of the administrative work and the first selection rounds, we strongly reduce the client’s workload. By accompanying them at every step of the process, we can support better decision-taking and choices
  • Confidentiality
  • Warranty
  • Finally a good process guarantees impartiality in the selection, something that is particularly important if there are also internal candidates

For the candidates

  • Clarity and honesty in terms of the role’s scope and development potential
  • Attention to the candidates’ needs allows for a positive experience, even when they are not selected
  • Honest and clear feedback gives opportunities for improvement
  • Accompanying the successful candidate throughout the process and beyond improves their chances of success in the new position

Why work with AIMS International Switzerland?

The executive search process is pretty much the same everywhere, but what makes the difference is the quality of the execution. Our “global boutique” approach combines our local roots and knowledge with the power of our global organization with a presence in 50+ countries as well as with the knowledge and experience of our global industry practices. This allows us to serve not only our multinational patrons, but also our local clients. Naturally, we can deliver in all national languages as well as English and in all regions of Switzerland.

Your AIMS International Switzerland consultants have a personal relationship with each of their colleagues around the globe and can select the right individuals to cover your specific needs. They also know who to approach for expert industry or functional knowledge and will support you in the definition of the profile and organisational setup required.

Our success relies on a true understanding of your business, so our process includes an in-depth analysis of the position to be covered. This research allows us to brief our teams efficiently and inform our candidates in a way that will attract them to the role. Such attention to detail enhances our client’s reputation while enabling our consultants to implement structured and competency-based interviews for the most suitable selection. Where necessary the process can be reinforced with an assessment conducted by our in-house psychologist. Last but not least, we make intensive use of technology to speed up the process, for example to minimize travel expenses or be able to organize interviews faster or work together across borders, but we will never delegate search or selection tasks to a machine.

For each assignment, we:

  • Support our clients in the definition of the role and the review of the organizational setup as well as other important criteria such as diversity and sustainability orientation
  • Design a search strategy and select the best possible team for the assignment, often working with several consultants and/or search teams and drawing on the expertise of our partners all over the world and our industry practices
  • Establish a position analysis with information about the company, organisational structure as well as the tasks, professional requirements, personality, competencies and skills inherent to the role, but also the main objectives in the short and long-term, the KPIs, compensation range and structure and finally, the specific recruitment process for this position and the search strategy (team, target companies, industries, roles and geographies). This document will be shared with our teams and in part with our candidates, allowing us to function with maximum alignment and to “sell” the role and company to the outside world. Last but not least, the position analysis also reflects the company’s sustainability strategy and specific expectations towards the successful candidate in that respect
  • Conduct extensive and thorough on-line and off-line research under the direct supervision and with the personal involvement of senior consultants
  • Check the candidate’s qualifications and soft-skills in-depth in competency-based interviews, using situational and motivational questions. All personal and preliminary phone interviews are conducted personally by the consultants themselves and not delegated to researchers or assistants
  • Check the consistency of the information provided by the candidates and test their language skills in all the required national languages and in English during the interview
  • Establish detailed profiles allowing our client to understand “the story behind the cv”, as well as the pros and cons for each candidate and their motivation for the position
  • Support our clients during interviews with the candidates as required
  • As an added option, conduct a formal assessment of the candidates with our in-house psychologist to verify competencies and areas of development and better understand the potential and fit as well as the risks presented by each candidate
  • Check the references, concentrating on areas of doubt to further reduce risks
  • Support clients and candidates throughout the negotiation process and beyond, staying at their disposal during the onboarding phase to counsel or intervene whenever indirect communication is desirable
  • Guarantee the result

Developing a customized approach for each client and position and executing the whole process with a high level of quality may come at a cost, but thanks to excellent tools and global integration, we can offer premium service for a reasonable fee and create a lot of value for our clients by enabling them to find better candidates for each position and consistently reduce their risk of mis-hire.

Contact us to discuss how we can help you find the best people in the market for your specific need.

 

AIMS SWITZERLAND

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