Moving Forward: Recruiting Executives in a Time of Crisis
The global pandemic has demanded that organizations adjust their way of identifying and hiring key executives. While some organizations are putting leadership searches on hold,...
The global pandemic has demanded that organizations adjust their way of identifying and hiring key executives. While some organizations are putting leadership searches on hold, most are forging ahead, looking for innovative and creative ways to convene search committees, get to know candidates and make decisions as to whom to advance and hire. We are seeing new interviewing and hiring practices evolve.
Talent Trends
In a recent article for Chief Executive magazine, WittKieffer senior partner Adriane Willig explores how executive search consultants and their clients are learning to maneuver through a crisis and proceed with leadership recruiting. Willig states some key observations about the talent landscape during the pandemic:
- Top executives are rethinking their careers. A crisis has many leaders re-evaluating what is really important and making plans for the future which may have them shifting roles and even industries.
- Hiring organizations may be rethinking their executive teams. The recent crisis has shined a spotlight on leaders’ true strengths and weaknesses. Post pandemic, organizations may need to make some changes to their leadership teams to enable people to perform at their best and highest potential.
- Organizations will be looking for different skills in leaders. Or at least sooner than previously anticipated. COVID-19 and this crisis will undoubtedly have us moving faster into areas such as telemedicine and artificial intelligence. A focus on innovation and new technologies will be front and center.
The bottom line, according to Willig: the need for top talent will be greater than ever. She concludes the article by offering detailed best practices for recruiting in the COVID-19 era.
