What is an Executive Search Firm? What does a Recruiter do?

What is an Executive Search Firm?

An Executive Search Firm often functions as an outside resource for companies seeking to hire employees with distinctive skill sets. A written agreement with a search firm allows the search firm to function as an extension of the company’s internal recruitment/hiring team.  The search firm typically performs their services on an independent contractor basis. After the hiring company contracts with the search firm, the hiring company submits to the search firm a job order indicating the job skills, experience and various other requirements needed for the open position. 

What do Recruiters Do?

Recruiters function in two distinctly different capacities.  The first capacity involves working with companies who are seeking to hire employees.  The second capacity is working with candidates who are potentially seeking employment or a change in their current employment.   

To understand the role of a recruiter it is important to also understand how they are reimbursed for their work.  In most cases, companies pay an executive search firm for their efforts in locating and recruiting candidates with specific required skills.    Some firms are paid a retainer fee to work on a search for an extended length of time. Regardless of the outcome they are paid a fee.  This type of firm is called a retainer or retained search firm. 

Another type of executive search firm is a contingency search firm.  A contingency search firm is paid on a commission only basis.  The firm is paid a fee only if a candidate they have presented to the company is hired.  Global Edge Recruiting is a contingency search firm.

How Will Using a Recruiter Benefit Our Company?

If you are a hiring company, you will benefit from using the recruiters of Global Edge Recruiting in the following ways:

• Our Recruiters will assist you in filling your open positions in a quick and accurate manner.    
• Working with our experienced professionals allows you to directly target potential candidates with the experience, skills and qualifications you consider most important.
• Global Edge Recruiters prescreen candidates allowing you more time to do other tasks.  Why weed through hundreds of resumes of unqualified people?

As a Job Seeker, What Can a Recruiter Do for Me?

As a job seeker, it is important to note that most retained search firms and contingency search firms do not charge candidates for job placement services.  A candidate may be charged a fee by some employment agencies, but not typically by recruitment firms.   Because of this, most recruiting firms are happy to assist candidates with career information and advice but cannot focus much of their time on this area.  Executive search firms are contracted by client companies and must focus their daily efforts on meeting their client’s specific hiring needs in order to achieve their objectives. 

By submitting your resume to a search firm you are placing yourself in a position to be potentially recruited for open positions recruited by the search firm .