alexander hughes

Alexander Hughes

A t r a d i t i o n o f e x c e l l e n c e s i n c e 1 9 5 7

EXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTANTS

Founding Member of AEA International Search

These key individuals represent crucial strategic investments in the development and future of

your company:

CEO / COO

Executive Committee Members

Senior Managers

Recognized Experts in their specialist fields

Non-executive Directors

Alexander Hughes is a European executive search firm dedicated to helping you acquire and

retain the vital human capital you need to achieve your strategic business goals.

2

Alexander HughesDedicated to helping you acquire and retain human capital

Alexander Hughes GroupEXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTANTS


Barcelona

Madrid

Seville

Paris

Lyon

Stockholm

Warsaw

Prague

Milan

Turin

Geneva

Zurich

Vienna

Bucharest

Istanbul

Athens

Sofia

LondonAmsterdam

Lisbon

Antwerp

Brussels

BratislavaLuxembourg

St. Petersburg

Moscow

Ekaterinburg

Belgrade

Oslo

The Alexander HughesPrivately-owned European network

3

37 offices in 28 countries

Headquarters in Paris

120 consultants

60 researchers

40 support staff

Frankfurt

Casablanca

Budapest

Helsinki

CopenhagenA fully integrated & proprietary

presence throughout Europe,

the Middle East and Africa



in Africa

in the Middle East

in Europe

Beirut

Dubai

Alexander Hughes is founding

member of a global network

of executive search

professionals called AEA

International Search.

Operating worldwide, AEA

International Search assists

clients with their most

challenging search needs,

executing seamlessly both

domestic and global searches

for many of the world’s

leading international

companies.

AEA International SearchAMERICAS - EUROPE - ASIA PACIFIC

A Leading Global

Executive Search Offer

In the US:

Atlanta

Chicago

Denver

Houston

Miami

Minneapolis

New York

Palm Beach

San Francisco

Seattle

Silicon Valley,

California

And in Latin America:

São Paulo, Brazil

In Asia:

Beijing

Hong Kong

Mumbai

Shanghai

Singapore

Sydney

Taipei

Alexander HughesEXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTANTS37 Offices in 28 Countries throughout Europe

AEA International Search is ranked among the 15 largest Executive Search

firms in the world.4



5

Energy & utilities

Technology

Professional services

Public / non-profit / education

Board services & management appraisal

Industry

The built environment

Consumer markets

Media & entertainment

Financial services

Life sciences

Sectors of ExcellenceYour source of industry expertise

Our Sectors of Excellence are the culmination of our firsthand knowledge, years of

market experience, recognized industry expertise and professional global resources.

These knowledge resources are managed across Europe, guaranteeing high quality

solutions no matter where you are located:



Our system of Key Account Management, where each client benefits from

knowledge-based, professionally-coordinated search capabilities.

One contact person

Specialized research and documentation

Quality management on a global scale

Access to all of our resources

Quality and ProfessionalismFirst class service & tailor made solutions

Our methods, our commitment and our professionalism guarantee a very

high success rate and a high level of quality. This results in our very

high level of repeat business and long-term client relationships.

6



Quality is our ObsessionWe guarantee quality throughout every step of the search process

7

UNDERSTAND FIND EVALUATESearch Completion

ADVISE & NEGOTIATE

Develop position

specification

Formulate search strategy

Client approves position

specification and search

strategy

Confirm engagement

Research Strategy

and Methods

Research target

companies

Identify prospective

candidates

Review progress weekly

with client

Long List of 8 to 20

possible candidates

Interview with one or

several consultants

Screen and evaluate

candidates

Short List of 3 to 5 of the

most motivated and

suitable candidates

Presentation of candidates

to client

Joint negotiations on

employment conditions

Professional reference

checking

Follow-up (2 weeks, 3

months, 1 year)

Final Selection

_____

Guarantee of 6 months

(< 2% of cases)

Shortlist of candidates within 6-8 weeks

FUNCTION

PROCESS

RESULTS

&

DELIVERABLES



8

Management Appraisal & Team AuditWe help identify the strengths and development needs of

management teams in relation to the demands of the

company’s strategy, based on structured in-depth interviews

which enable internal benchmarking against external

competitors.

Furthermore the Alexander Hughes Global Partner

Contract offers cost and time efficient search solutions

delivered over sustained periods of time, opening up a

continuous pipeline of top talent.

Executive SearchExecutive Search at the highest level of quality and

professionalism

Non-executive Director SearchAccess to the highest qualified independent and non-

executive directors - globally, and the ability to attract them

to the task

Recruitment of High Flyers and Future

Top ManagersProviding you with access to highly-qualified, high potential

fast-rising individuals - your future top managers

Our ServicesOur consultants are attuned to your core management capital



9

Consultants

•Extensive operational senior management experience, most at “C” level

•Thus: experience as clients and candidates of Executive Search firms

•“Multiculturality”

Mid-sized

•Wholly owned pan-European structure

•Founding member of AEA = global perspective

•International networks, databases

•High performance proprietary tools

AND

•Humility

•People focus

•Recognition that each client, each candidate is important

Alexander Hughes: The Differences



10

Strategies

•Build long term relationships (Companies and people)

•“Widening the gene pool”, or “Think outside the box”

•“Strategic recruiting”

Alexander Hughes: The Differences, cont’d



11

“Print” vs. Executive Search

Alexander Hughes



12

“Print”

•In very general terms: •Audience:

•Wider, but not selective

•Limited to

•Job seekers or “the curious”….

•…..who have read a particular ad on a particular day…….

•……who may or may not be qualified

•The “answerer’s” perspective

•One among several dozen / several hundred

•Inherent limitations of cover letters and CVs

•Who sorts answers?

•The ad-placer’s perspective

•Lack of confidentiality (if direct)

•Volume management

•Ideal candidates may not have seen ad

“Print” vs. Executive Search recruitment



13

“Print” , cont’d

•“Targeted” ads: School Alumni Associations; Trade publications;

•Limited audience, but better targetted

•Main audience still misses people not actively searching for a new

position

•Who “interprets” responses?

“Print” vs. Executive Search recruitment



14

Executive Search: Importance to

Students/young executives

Alexander Hughes



15

Students•In all candor: not main “target” of Executive Search firms

•BUT:

•Of strong interest when

•searching for “Hi Potentials”

•representing a client at B. Schools

•student has prior work experience

•Can be excellent source of information (as today’s event), and career

advice

•Can also be excellent intro to B. world through“work/study” programs

(stagiaires)

“Young” executives•“Young” is relative…..and changing!

•After +/- 5 years of work experience: headhunters can be of strong interest

•Interest grows proportionally as careers progress

•“Get your foot in the door” early (see below)

Executive Search: Importance to

students/young executives



16

Executive Search: Friend or Foe?

Alexander Hughes



17

Foe?•If a “headhunter” is objectively perceived as a foe, then they are not doing

their job correctly! (candidate AND client)

Friend: How to evaluate; some basics

•If spontaneous candidacy: did you receive an answer?

•Has firm been recommended?

•First approach: was it

•Clear? (job specs?;

•Personal?

•Discrete?

•Respectful? (ie: “Am I catching you at a bad time?”)

•Hi Pressure?

•Open, two way communication?

•Followed up with a job description (except highly confidential

searches)

Executive Search firms: Friend or Foe?



18

Friend, how to evaluate, cont’d

•First interview: A few points to look out for

•Were logistics well organized?

•Consultant introduced Search firm, and him/herself?; treated you as

an “equal”

•Genuine interest in you

•Personal?

•In-depth?

•Two way communication?




19

Friend, how to evaluate, cont’d•First interview: A few points to look out for, cont’d

•Clearly understood and explained client and mission

•Identified your real strengths/weaknesses relative to position on

offer

•Aimed at ensuring potential move was good for you?

•Answered your questions (or honesty when consultant did not have

answers?)

•If process to go no further: were reasons clearly, openly explained?

•Were next steps detailed?

•Bottom line: is this a firm/consultant you can trust? ; could they be

a “coach”?




20

Friend, how to evaluate, cont’d

•After first interview

•Were you kept informed of process progress?

•Consultant available when you called/emailed?

•Answered any post interview queries?

•Second interview (if applicable) organized smoothly?

•Reaction if you had to change time/date?

•If not shortlisted: were reasons explained? Were they credible?




21

Friend, how to evaluate, cont’d•After first interview, cont’d

•Client interview

•Logistics organized?

•Feedback requested by consultant?

•Feedback given by consultant?

•Consultant available for additional questions / recommendations?

•Post employment

•Semi-regular contact with consultant?

•Assistance/Advice re. any “settling-in” questions/problems




22

Working with Executive Search firms

A few ideas

Alexander Hughes



23

•Do what you enjoy…..be engaged, be

passionate….and excel

•Remain loyal…..but become visible

•Be selective

•Empathize

•Build a real partnership

•Honesty

•“Help the headhunter”: What can you really

bring to the party?

•Don’t take rejection personally

•Adopt a medium/long term vision

•And in all humility…..

Working with Executive Search firms

A few ideas......



Howard Honick

Senior Consultant

Alexander Hughes

+32 2 639 68 24

[email protected]

24

Tenbos 9

B-1000, Brussel

+32 2 639 68 39

Karel Oomstraat 19

B-2018 Antwerp

+32 3 650 08 20

www.alexanderhughes.com

Alexander Hughes Belgium

Your ContactA single point of contact for all of your needs



alexander hughes

Documents

europeaea international

european executive search

largest executive search

challenging search needs

international companies

e n c e s i n c e

professional global

alexander hughesdedicated