What is one of the most important questions to ask a search firm?

Actually, there are many important questions including: what is your search work load right now; what dedicated search support will I get; who will be executing on my search and what is their experience? These are all great questions to ask of a potential talent partner, but they should not be your first questions. The very first question that you should always ask is what companies are on your hands-off list?

Many clients try to lock up their search partners with increasingly long and often contractually unenforceable non-solicitation agreements. Unfortunately, many of the largest search firms face ever-increasing restrictions on companies where they can source talent. No matter the search load or how great the search support or the search professional, if too many target environments are off limits for that firm then the search partner is essentially trying to execute for a client with “one hand tied behind their back”.

When we talk to new clients, almost universally we get asked how much experience we have had placing candidates in similar roles or in their industry. Surprisingly, we rarely get asked how many companies in a client’s desired target markets are off limits for our firm. Having worked for major brands in the search world and also having hired those brands as global talent leaders for Fortune 200 companies, one of the major drivers of the high failure rates for some of the largest search firms is their vast hands-off agreements.

We sincerely hope that the next time you are preparing to launch a search, you will ask your potential talent partners to detail the companies and markets that they are not able to recruit for your role. It will be a leading factor for your search success.