Vetting talent is hard enough. How do you vet the firms that vet talent?
Finding a good leader can be a critical first step toward success for your initiatives. Unfortunately, many companies still struggle to identify the talent on their own, so they often use talent firms to source promising candidates. This is an approach that can create more problems than it solves if done without careful consideration.
Conventional staffing organizations typically aren’t attuned to their partners’ true needs and can rarely identify a shortlist of credible candidates. They’ll stockpile résumés that — on paper — align with the role’s surface-level requirements, then pass the buck to HR to filter through the noise and home in on the best potential matches.
But there are talent providers who can be a godsend in your time of talent need. Before enlisting an outside partner for your talent needs, it’s vital to size up what exactly this collaborator will bring to the table for you. Here are three key questions to ask as you conduct your search:
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1. “What Traits Do you prioritize (And How Do You Find THem)?”
When building a list of project management candidates, traditional staffing firms focus on technical expertise and certifiable skills. Unfortunately, that is not a recipe for a successful acquisition.
Anyone can search some keywords in a resume. A firm that doesn’t have the in-house project expertise to vet the soft skills that are so central to project management and filter out the fools gold is simply not adding much value to the process.
2. “What is your process for sourcing Talent?”
Dynamic project leaders possess a rare combination of traits, experience, and technical skills — all qualities that take time and knowledge to assess. The ideally partner is providing talent off a virtual bench of qualified consultants that they’ve already used that they know can meet its clients’ needs.
Look for a firm that is entrenched in the field of project management to foster a community of practice. Make sure the firm regularly attends seminars, networking events, and industry conferences so you know it’s continuously tapping credible and diverse talent streams.
3. “What is your role Post-Acquisition?”
Some firms boast their ability to find talent only to disappear after acquisition. That shows a lack of commitment both to you and to their consultants.
A good partner will communicate regularly with you and with the consultant to confirm that all parties are completely satisfied with the match. They’ll also have processes in place to support the talent during implementation and beyond, increasing the likelihood that the project leader is set up for success from the start.
Finding a good project manager is one of the most crucial personnel decisions you’ll make, so be sure to get it right. If you want access to a fount of leadership talent, Join Our Corporate Network here.
