Ten Years in Executive Search – what makes my journey so exciting.
My ten-year journey in Executive Search is a celebration of human diversity and uniqueness, where trust and appreciation form the foundation for successful relationships.
By Pamela Wolf, February 2024
At da professionals, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. At the same time, I am proud to announce a personal milestone: For all of ten years, I now have been working in the field of Executive Search, five of them as an Office Manager in a job-sharing arrangement at da professionals and Dr. Thomas A. Biland Executive Search. In this blog post, I would like to share with you what fascinates me about this people-oriented business.
Humans have always fascinated me. Already as a child, I was captivated by the fact that no two individuals are alike. There are over eight billion people in the world – and each one is unique.
This diversity manifests itself in countless facets – whether through external differences like skin color, eye color and body structure, or through social differences like cultural background, level of education, profession, personal imprints and experiences. This incredible diversity enriches not only our society but also my daily work with the most unique individuals. In my case, these are job seekers and clients.
First Impressions on the Phone
When I speak with candidates for the first time, it is usually over the phone. This gives me a first auditory impression, which is composed of many small puzzle pieces: Does the person seem likeable? Do I understand what they are saying correctly? At what pace do they speak? How simple or complicated is it to schedule a meeting with them? What image of the person on the other end of the «line» is being formed in my mind? Certainly, a preconceived notion might emerge – be it positive or negative. I think it is important that we, who work with people, are aware tha such prejudice can also happen to us.
A personal encounter can never be completely replaced by a virtual one. At the latest, after the first conversation via telephone and video call, we invite candidates to a physical meeting in our office premises.
I am always very curious about the first personal encounter myself. Although the impression from the first phone call often confirms itself, it is enriched during the personal meeting by many more impressions and sometimes – expectations are completely overturned. These deviations from my original assessment fascinate and amaze me again and again. They also remind me, that a person cannot simply be captured and categorized with a first impression. The founder of the company da professionals, Denise Ammann, has always advocated for humility in dealing with fellow human beings.
It has to be human!
During a personal meeting, we experience the interplay of optics, facial expressions, gestures, charisma and speech. Body language signals like a handshake and posture give us an impression that we can only pick up on in personal contact. We want to feel the chemistry. We want to get a feeling for the other person!
The personal encounter is always exciting for me. It answers different preconceptions and makes me reflect on previous questions: Does the visual image I had after the phone call match the physical appearance of the person? Is the person’s voice the same now that they are standing in front of me personally? What impression do I gain based on visual perception? Do I catch myself having formed prejudices?
In the end, the chemistry between the candidates and the clients must be right. We as a recruiting agency only make an initial assessment on behalf of our clients – the actual encounter between the two parties ultimately determines if it truly fits. Occasionally, despite the best impression, the chemistry – unfortunately – doesn’t match.
Guidance throughout the entire application process
An important part of the work as office manager is to accompany and support our candidates. A warm welcome and a lighthearted remark help in reducing nervousness.
We want candidates to feel comfortable with us. We are their first point of contact at our office. We prepare them for their first conversation with our consultants and can already answer some questions in advance.
The impressions we gain in the process, we also share with our consultants. This can make it easier for them to start the inteview.
Through coordinating the application process, I get to know candidates better and can form my own opinion about the match with the company and the corresponding position over the course of the process. The direct comparison with other applicants is also exciting. While one candidate brings the necessary professional experience, another might fit our client better personality-wise. Which criterion will be given higher priority in the end? Of course, I (internally) always somewhat sympathize with the candidates.
The joy of delivering good news…
A small highlight in my professional everyday life is when I get to tell candidates that they are invited to an interview with the client. Their various spontaneous and positive reactions to this inspire and delight me time and again.
The feedback that candidates are not invited to an interview is usually given personally by our consultants. I have the privilege of being able to convey only positive news.
…and the art of dealing with disappointment.
Of course, we also look after the candidates for whom it didn’t work out. The particularly disappointed ones sometimes receive a «consolation gift» from us, such as a box of chocolates. But even more important is the debriefing by our consultants. It should be a learning process for the candidates: Why couln’t they convince our client? What can they do better in the next application process?
Conclusion: The journey continues!
My ten year journey in the field of Executive Search is characterised by enthusiasm for the diversity and uniqueness of the people I have had the pleasure of getting to know over all these years. Not infrequently, a certain personal relationship develops from an initial business contact. Trust and appreciation are the A and O in my profession, which fits my own values very well.
In a world characterized by virtual communication, Instagram filters and artificial intelligence, the individual seemingly and unfortunately fades into the background. But in our company, he/she still stands in the spotlight. I hope that this will remain the case and that I will be able to accompany candidates in their diversity for a long time to come. Human exchange is what remains the most beautiful aspect of my profession.
