Jolene Timmons

It is a thrill to break the code on a new executive search. I love the process of identifying and reaching out to targeted candidates. It is an exciting challenge to identify the qualities, experience and qualifications necessary to exceed the hiring manager's expectations. Targeting the right environments, networking, sourcing and quickly turning passive and active job seekers into viable candidates makes every executive search fresh and engaging for me. As much as I enjoy the matching process, I keep one major element at the heart of all my work: respect.
I authentically respect the candidate's time, investment and the risk they take to throw their hat in the ring. They invest a tremendous amount of energy into sharing not only their qualifications but their whole selves. Even in what is perceived as an employer's market, I actively work to show the candidate respect, in part, by the following specific actions:

1. Respect the candidate's time – it can be tough for them to get away from the office. The candidate wants to participate in the process with as much integrity as possible. While I need to work around the hiring manager's limited schedule, I also try to help the candidate minimize the risk to their current situation by working with them as much as possible. It takes more planning and time to coordinate but respecting the candidate's time creates a more relaxed process for everyone. I try to be creative when necessary. There are times that a breakfast or dinner meeting actually works better for everyone.
2. Communicate – I share details and keep the candidate informed. I make every effort to prepare the candidates with executive bios, vital information and insight gained from speaking with the decision makers. I make the time and prepare to share enough information to ensure that the candidate is making an informed decision and is able to shine.
3. Follow up as promised – it is tough to get back to everyone but the foundation of any relationship is respect. Sounds simple, but while juggling multiple assignments and different hiring managers, it can get tough to keep the lines of communication open and honor my word. If I tell the candidate I will reach out via phone or email by the end of week, I do. They are counting on me to share information that impacts their career decisions.
4. Minimize travel – I use video and phone interviews to minimize travel. It makes sense from a cost perspective to leverage tools like Skype. The candidate can connect with me via laptop and webcam during the initial interview phase which limits the unexplained time out of the office. I find that some very simple efforts make the process more respectful.

It can be tough to manage it all. I know most recruiters are already practicing respect based recruiting. Surprisingly, I hear from a number of top candidates that they've recently had less than respectful experiences. One such candidate shared that she had gone through three interviews with a major entertainment studio and never had the executive recruiter follow up with her. She learned that the position had been filled through her network. The executive said that she will be very hesitant to respond to the recruiter in the future and would not want to share referrals. With all the stress that candidates encounter in this job market, it is important to treat all candidates with respect.