The Perfect Fit

Latest Search: St. Louis V.P. of Stragetic Business Development #9022

We're pleased to have been retained to conduct a search for a category leading St. Louis client.

General Description:
We’re looking for a new business developer who is a strategically founded marketing, branding and communications expert.  We want someone enthusiastic and experienced with successfully developing and maintaining high level client relationships.  Our client provides strategic consulting and marketing communications through events, the internet and alternative video, among other channels. Our client is also expert at delivering communications to large numbers of internal employees or groups. You will meet with senior clients, develop an understanding of their business needs along with developing a genuine relationship, resulting in sales based on smart thinking and flawless execution.  Our client can produce the solutions they recommend.

Primary Responsibilities:
•    Understand the company’s unique approach and be able to persuasively deliver dynamic             presentations, resulting in loyal relationships and ongoing sales.
•    Research, identify, qualify and present to potential clients. 
•    Develop the relationship to the point of the prospect hiring your company.  Maintain responsibility for overall client satisfaction.
•    Act as primary client liaison through the development of client strategy and resulting appropriate project executions, including budget and timeline oversight.
•    Travel (~20%) as necessary to develop and support new business and account activities.

Retained Recruiters Add Value To Relationships

One of the most fundamental reasons to hire a retained recruiter is credibility, for both the recruiter and the client (and by extension, the open position).  At a certain level of employment, probably Director and above, candidates understand the difference between a retained headhunter and one who works on a contingency basis.  Many of my colleagues are paid on a contingency basis, and I have the utmost respect for them.  I prefer the “partnership” that results when the client has some skin in the game.  I enjoy the ability to spend time understanding my client, their business and the open position.

It’s become more apparent to me as I work on more senior level searches that premier candidates are interested in the relationship between the recruiter and the client.  One of the first ways a candidate can make that determination is by asking flat out, is this a retained search?  That happened to me several times last week.  It’s difficult to gain a candidate’s trust, when as a contingency recruiter, you can’t (even) tell them the client’s name in preliminary conversations.

Candidates appreciate the fact that a retained search indicates that the client has made a commitment to the recruiter in the form of advance payment (the retainer or engagement fee).  The headhunter is then accountable to the client.  Retained recruiters tend to have closer relationships with their clients and know their clients’ business and the particular position open better than contingency recruiters.  Retained search means the client trusts the recruiter.  Candidates like that trusting relationship and tend to be more willing to enter into a serious conversation more quickly.  They also tend to respect and trust the headhunter.