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Why choose BIE?
What's New?The Selection Process
The practice partner
The “practice partner” model, developed by BIE, is similar to the provision of an operating consultant/adviser from a professions practice. There is an ongoing and intensive pre-selection and vetting of potential candidates, who are matched against testing criteria in terms of personality and technical ability, as well as their desire for an independent second career rather than a permanent role.
In ten years, the BIE consultant team has interviewed, face-to-face, over 15,000 potential candidates and operates with a register of a few hundred selected interims – around 100 of them work almost exclusively for BIE.
Following a client enquiry, a brief is developed and then one, or possibly two, candidates are hand-picked from a pre-selected team. The candidates are briefed and introduced to the client. The interim provider consultant also attends the interview as a sign to the client that he or she is prepared to back their judgement faceto- face. Responsibility for the recommendation of which candidate should carry out the assignment rests primarily with the provider, but the client has the final say.
Using this process, BIE achieves a “right first time” success rate in eight out of ten cases, within ten days of an enquiry. Having detailed knowledge of the candidates enables the consultant to draw up a mini short-list without having to delegate this first stage to researchers, thereby speeding up the selection process.
In view of the time constraints, the choice of candidates can be extremely limited. In BIE’s experience, most assignments have around six potential, high quality candidates, of whom three might be unavailable and one not attracted to the assignment for various reasons. It is the interim provider’s role to identify the one or two most suitable candidates rapidly and precisely to reduce to a minimum the time clients must spend on the process.
When an interim is to be placed, the provider can help:
- Clarify the objectives and the terms of reference.
- Advise on the most appropriate introductory process for the interim.
- Negotiate fees and contract terms.
- Keep in touch during the assignments to ensure expectations are being met.
The quasi-recruiter
This model operates as follows:
- Details of potential candidates are collected and logged on a central database of several thousand.
- Candidates are likely not to have been screened at this stage.
- Following a client enquiry, a brief is usually developed, and likely candidates are identified by researchers.
- A screening process is carried out by the interim consultancy and a short-list provided of up to six candidates.
- Selection responsibility is shared equally with the client, with the onus on the client to interview a number of candidates and make their own critical selection.
Where speed is critical this process may not be the most suitable.
The database administrator and CV broker
This model comprises the following steps:
- Details of potential candidates, which can number up to 10,000, are collected and logged on large databases.
- Candidates need to complete a detailed questionnaire and, on occasion, pay a subscription fee prior to entry on the system (this requirement may deter the best candidates).
- Rarely, if ever, are potential candidates interviewed.
- On client enquiry, a search by key words is carried out and CVs forwarded.
- Frequently, even at this stage, the CV broker has met neither the client nor the candidates.
- Selection and matching responsibility is entirely left to the client.
Internet-based services operating in this manner are a recent development in the interim sector. Clients have access to the service provider’s database but conduct their own searches on the basis of limited information and guidance.
Conclusion
Whether identifying a group board director of a major plc or a sales manager of a small family business, it’s best to put the onus on the interim specialist provider, using their experience of the interim market, to ensure that an assignment is successful. This is particularly important, as many clients are first-time users of the service and have no experience of selecting an interim executive.
To discuss your interim management requirements with BIE call +44(0)20 7222 1010