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Part - II

Most senior folks are extremely good listeners (that is one of the reasons why they become senior, in the first place!), and polite as well. If you are not interested in the assignment, simply decline, citing your reasons, or if you know the search firm well or have the time, offer to suggest names that you think could be relevant. Consultants are used to rejections but not rudeness. Search people (even relatively junior ones) are trained to look for subtle signals like haughtiness. As they are constantly calling candidates who are very successful, it is suggested that an executive behaves professionally with consultants. Like everyone else, even the search consultant has tough deadlines to meet and if you have evinced interest in an assignment and subsequently changed your mind, at least let them know. Expecting the consultant to constantly chase you is not a terribly good idea. It is accepted that candidates can change their mind and one is only suggesting elementary courtesy be accorded by communicating on time. On the flip side, some search consultants (especially very egoistical ones) sometimes refrain from calling senior candidates on their own, but use a circuitous route of using their secretaries, putting off senior candidates completely.

The search profession survives on nuggets of information on businesses, companies, likely movements of individuals. Usually, they rely on candidates for such knowledge and will not ask a candidate sensitive information about his current employers. An executive would do no harm in helping with benign information, after he or she has left his previous employer and should be willing to share details on structures, cultures and profiles. Many people however are uncomfortable and an experienced consultant knows where to draw the line and rightly do not push. On the other hand, at times, even very large firms have compromised on the level of discreetness they ought to have adhered to. Be wary of such executive search folks. Usually, you will be able to gauge the quality of the search consultant within a few minutes of hearing her or him. You will know if the one who has called you is worth talking to - a good consultant will always be prepared and flexible.

Finally, it is pertinent to remember that positions handled by executive search represent only a minority of the total executive job marketplace. So although getting on the radar screen of executive search firms and building a rapport with them is an important part of executive career management, it should be balanced with other strategies such as delivering on your job and networking.

Concluded.

The author, Diganta Barua, runs Credence Consulting, an independent executive search firm in Mumbai, which helps clients hire senior managerial talent.