Clients, let's partner!
At SGS, we have created a process called the “partnering process”. We have named it that because we will be your business partner through every step of the search. Because of our Human Resources background, we understand that there are several internal factors that affect your organization; this is why we have created a clear process focused on being flexible to accommodate your specific needs, smooth to keep you in a constant communication loop, and constructive so we can move forward in the same direction.
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Face to Face Meeting
We always launch a search with a face-to-face meeting. We have chosen to work together on this search and for us that means becoming your partner. We want to know your values, factors affecting your current business situation, and how this open position fits in to your long-term plan.
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Establish a Strategy
SGS will then work on a search strategy using all the information learned during our meeting and our own market research. We will refine the position description and present initial profiles of “ideal candidates” for your feedback and approval.
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Launch Research:
We will then go out into the market and begin to source and screen talent for the role. Once we have a core group of potential candidates, we will present these to you to make sure we are on the right track. We also want to see what calls your attention, so we do not waste time and focus only on your top picks.
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Conduct Interviews:
SGS conducts in-depth interviews with all of our candidates. This involves a mix of interviewing techniques. We focus on not only informational questions (career history, credentials, and skills) but also on behavioral based questions (motivations, values, cultural fit). In addition, we may use a task-oriented approach or a stress based interview, if the role calls for it.
As we approach a short list, we will conduct reference calls on our candidates. This involves speaking to a supervisor, peer, and direct report to get a comprehensive 360-degree view of the candidate.
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Candidate Presentation:
We then present a comprehensive report of each candidate for your review. We will send these documents and then schedule a phone call or meeting to get your feedback and further discuss candidates.
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Client Interviews:
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We will coordinate candidate interviews on your behalf to facilitate scheduling.
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We will also debrief with each candidate after their interview to provide you with comprehensive feedback on how they felt and their engagement level.
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Once you have interviewed the short list, we will set up a call to debrief and have you rank the candidates.
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Offer & Negotiation:
If we requested we will provide assistance on negotiating an offer that will be accepted easily and quickly. The key is to reach acceptance without going back and forth multiple times.
We will speak with our candidates and present the offer so that they full understand not only compensation, but also the total package and the benefits of accepting.
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Follow-Up
This is a key step for SGS. A relationship with us does not stop at the placement, we will follow-up with you and our candidate to make sure both parties are satisfied.
Case study-Client A
Global Consumer Product Goods organization undergoing internal realignment and change
Position:
Senior Product Manager, for an expanding division based out of their global headquarters
Challenge:
Because of recent internal change, there had been some difficulty in attracting top talent. However, the division was strong and undergoing expansion. The division focused on a unique segment. This individual had to have the flexibility to be hands on as part of the entire product cycle but also have the right seniority to replace the Marketing Director in two years.
Key Factors:
Client’s internal environment, actual division, and product lifecycle, succession planning, limited budgets
SGS Approach:
We looked into target companies and specifically researched role of product manager, speaking to several senior members in that function. Key was to have an engineering background that would lead to fundamental core understanding of the product. We then developed short list of candidates whose background, career history, personality, and personal circumstances would be open to taking a challenge with the promise of increased responsibility and promotion.
Solution:
Candidate was someone ready to return to the workplace and had been developed at a leading global CPG company. This person started in engineering and had been exposed to all sides of product marketing. In addition, candidate was flexible to company circumstances because of desire to return to marketplace.
Case study-Client B
Global Insurance company looking to expand and strengthen its in country talent
Position:
CFO, for growing subsidiary based in Brazil.
Challenge:
The candidate would need to quickly get acclimated to company culture and business in order to close the gap created by the sudden departure of the person previously holding the role. In addition, there were strict month closure constraints and little time to fill the role.
Key Factors:
Cultural fit based on personality traits, tight compensation parameters, strict requirements of previous experience
SGS Approach:
We searched for in country talent, who had begun their career in a Big 4 firm, but who then ventured out of the public accounting field into the corporate world. Essential was the use of a behavioral interviewing methodology to establish candidate traits that matched the client’s values. We launched detailed market compensation analysis, realizing that director competitor’s talent was too expensive.
Solution:
We took an outside the box approach to find companies that were in the same industry but of perhaps different scope. SGS found a candidate working for a large firm with only a Brazil reach. This candidate was flexible in compensation because they were looking for broader exposure and more direct career path