Ezekia to Manage Global Recruiting Processes at Stanton Chase
December 26, 2019 – Stanton Chase is adopting Ezekia as the primary platform for managing its global recruiting business processes in a move that could have big implications for search firms as 2020 unfolds. The platform, which offers innovative, customized, easy-to-use software for recruiters, will be adopted across all of the firm’s 75 worldwide offices.
“Ezekia is a proven, top-tier software platform with the functionality, security and regulatory features required of our firm,” said Patricia Flipsen, vice chair business excellence at Stanton Chase. “Ezekia offers the best client portal experience, as well as an ability for our consultants to internally manage assignments and track global business development activities. This intuitive, easy-to-use system will make the lives of our clients and consultants much easier.”
The digital acceleration response team at Stanton Chase, a group of consultants tasked with ensuring the firm is on the forefront of all technological innovations, hosted Ezekia last April to provide a demonstration of the platform. During a subsequent trial period of rigorous testing, Ezekia displayed the flexibility in service and mindset that gave Stanton Chase the comfort and confidence to choose them as the firm’s next software provider.
“Stanton Chase knew exactly what they wanted and conducted an in-depth examination of every aspect of our system,” said Joseph Blass, CEO of Ezekia and its parent company Not Actively Looking. “We are delighted that Stanton Chase chose Ezekia because it is an independent affirmation that we meet the highest standards in the industry.”
Improving Productivity
Not Actively Looking, a London-based executive candidate portal, officially launched its complete browser-based executive search system under the brand name Ezekia this past June. Prior to the formal launch as a separate product, the system debuted in 2018 and has been adopted by a number of search firms in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
“Ezekia was created to fill an urgent need in the executive search market,” said Mr. Blass. “The search systems from existing providers are often overly complex. The Ezekia system is designed to be simple, easy-to-use, and customizable, yet at the same time retaining all the essential functionality that search firms need to manage their business.”
Software is there to makes one’s life easier; there’s no point offering software that can do a lot, but requires weeks of training to learn how to use, said Mr. Blass. “Despite being one of the most sophisticated systems available, Ezekia is designed to make life simple for the busy executive search user and improve their productivity. It is easy to transition from legacy systems and upgrade to Ezekia and Ezekia requires only minimal training to get up and running.”
Anthony Harling, co-founder and director of Ezekia and Not Actively Looking, and a 30-year veteran of the executive search industry, said: “The ease of use is central to the system. We launched the business a few years ago with the Not Actively Looking platform, where candidates keep their own details up-to-date, and that brand continues to evolve with features aimed at the executive community, such as a range of ancillary tools and services to help in the career transition process and a rich directory of career coaches.”
“Although we have been providing services to search firms for years, in 2019 we distinguished Ezekia as a separate and independent brand dedicated to providing services to search firms; search firms that are interested can opt for also using Not Actively Looking, but this is not mandatory,” he said.
A Matchmaking Platform
“Our customers, who until recently were on legacy systems tell us that the biggest difference between their old systems and Ezekia is that they actually use Ezekia because they want to and not because they feel compelled,” said Mr. Blass. “It is good to have developed services that are simultaneously helping both the search firms and senior executives.”
Not Actively Looking, established in 2015, is a discreet platform servicing executive search firms and senior executives including non-executive directors and interim executives, alike. The platform enables executives to share confidential information about career aspirations and requirements with executive search firms of their choice. The search tool enables search firms to access up-to-date relevant information about executives.
Not Actively Looking enables search firms to manage assignments and clients from within the platform. The platform works with retained executive search firms from around the world – and tens of thousands of executives. Some of the company’s clients include: LAB & Company, Fusion Consulting, the Hennessy Group, Borderless and Signium.
Mr. Blass sat down with Hunt Scanlon Media to discuss his concept and how it can assist executive search firms. Enjoy this exclusive holiday interview!
Joseph, give us a good thumbnail overview of Ezekia?
Ezekia is a Software as a Service (SaaS) for search firms. What makes it stand out from other existing tools is primarily its intuitive ease of use. When software is easy to use, then people actually use it, even senior partners. In turn, the quality of the data is better and this becomes a virtuous circle that increases productivity. One of our clients summed up his Ezekia experience in a few words, saying we save him and each of his team members 20 minutes a day. Twenty minutes a day, for 10 members of staff, over 200 working days a year adds up to a significant positive impact on productivity. That’s our value proposition. Right now, search firms manage all of their own processes, including task management, assignment management, business development, reporting and the search function is just one of those tasks. Ezekia provides the software where all of these processes can be managed seamlessly and internally by the search firm, not by Ezekia.
“While some software providers might offer a ‘large’ number of client reports, Ezekia provides the search firm the tools to easily design their own bespoke reports that meet the precise requirements of that firm.”
Why do search firms require external assistance in managing their internal processes? What are some the advantages?
Search firms do not need external help to manage their searches and Ezekia does not provide that. Where Ezekia can help, especially with firms that have many global offices, is by greatly improving collaboration between far-flung offices on business development and streamlining compliance and reporting. While some software providers might offer a ‘large’ number of client reports, Ezekia provides the search firm with the tools to easily design their own bespoke reports that meet the precise requirements of that firm. This is just one example which is typical of how we think – even though all of our clients are executive search firms, each one has slightly different needs, so rather than impose a ‘one size fits all’ policy, we allow a great degree of customization so that each firm’s experience suits exactly to their needs. What we’re working on for 2020 and beyond is continuing to increase the choice offered to the search firms.
Are there any new initiatives planned for 2020?
Using our proprietary migration software, in 2019 we reduced the time it takes a firm to leave their legacy software provider and seamlessly upgrade to Ezekia down from eight weeks to four weeks. In 2020, we are aiming to bring this time down to two weeks.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media