Executive Recruiting in a Post-COVID-19 Era
December 1, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has had a big impact on every business sector, executive recruiting included, costing organizations billions of dollars in lost revenue. Goldman Sachs estimates that economic growth around the world will be zero in 2020 thanks to the virus.
For the executive search industry, where recruiters are constantly traveling to have face-to-face meeting with clients, things have changed drastically and search consultants have had to adapt to a whole new way of conducting business.
“It’s obviously hard to know what the lasting impact will be, but there are a couple of things I expect will change. The first is obviously client expectations around timing,” said Anthony Harling, founder of Not Actively Looking. “After COVID-19 clients will accept video interviews for almost all searches, partly because they know that this makes the process faster. Search firms will then be under pressure to get searches done faster. Clients will want to see shortlists within a few weeks. This means there are going to be winners and losers. The winners will be the more agile, innovative search firms who can adapt to meet client expectations.”
Not Actively Looking will explore a number of issues and challenges facing the executive search industry on Dec. 2 entitled “Executive Recruiting in a post-COVID-19 Era,” an interactive webinar supported by Hunt Scanlon Media. To learn more and to register, click here.
“This an opportunity to hear first-hand from some of the key players in our industry,” said Mr. Harling. “They will share valuable insights into what is happening and what changes they anticipate in the immediate future. We will be joined by CEOs and presidents of some of the leading executive search firms.”
Related: The COVID-19 Impact on Executive Search
Speakers for the webinar include: Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG Partners, one of the fastest growing mid-sized global executive search firms in the industry; Mickey Matthews, international chair of global search firm Stanton Chase; and Mark Mullen, partner at New York City-based search firm Vardis.
Topics to be discussed include:
- Preparation for the downturn – how search firms can anticipate an uncertain future.
- The executive search model – the new reality and what it means for clients, candidates, and search firms.
- Client expectations – how clients have reacted and what we might see in future.
- Making the most of opportunity – every crisis is an opportunity for someone!
- Executive viewpoint – how these changes will impact the executives we deal with.
- The power of the major firms – what impact will the current situation have on the Big 5?
“We are fortunate to have some of the top players in the industry joining us for this event,” said Mr. Harling. “These are the search firms who are making change happen, so if you want to know where the industry is heading, you need to hear how these firms see the landscape and how they are going to respond.”
“This webinar will examine how top players in executive search have been navigating these uncertain times,” said Michael Hawkins, director of marketing & brand management for Hunt Scanlon. “This is a must attend webinar event as we prepare to close out one of the most unusual years in recent memory and look ahead to a fresh beginning in 2021.”
Related: Talent Acquisition Success Factors in the Age of COVID-19
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
