Among the many lessons we continue to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, is that much about today’s work environment has fundamentally changed. From where you physically sit and work to what “company culture” looks like, the pandemic changed not only our companies but also the makeup of those who lead them. The necessary attributes of leaders now highlight adaptability, keeping calm amid the unknown, remaining adaptable by thinking flexibly and reinventing in real-time, and the ability to lead teams virtually, all of which can be found in C-Suite searches, spanning all industries. For both company and the candidate, the “nice to have” elements vs. the “must have” elements of each search look dramatically different today than what they looked like three years ago. Below we will dive into what it looks like to navigate the executive search process in today’s post-pandemic world. 

In today’s job market, executive candidates have a wealth of choices when considering new roles, thanks to the new prevalence of remote or semi-remote work environments. Following the uncertainty of the past few years, people across the globe are prioritizing work-life balance and flexibility more than ever before. Companies looking for top talent must demonstrate a true understanding of the demands that exist outside the workplace and proactively make strides to support their leaders and employees in taking care of themselves and their loved ones. As the economy continues to recover and adapt from the pandemic, businesses are facing new challenges when it comes to recruiting top executive talent, and taking a thoughtful and adaptive approach to the executive search process is critical.

Beginning An Executive Search

Due to improvised changes made to adapt to the pandemic work world and now to a post-pandemic world, it may well be necessary to reevaluate job descriptions and requirements for executive roles. This includes optimizing clarity when communicating role responsibilities and codifying what changes will be kept for the long run, but also identifying where the work of the role will physically be done. Although the pandemic has made remote work a highly popular choice, some companies are actively returning to n-person or hybrid work environments. Defining what exactly constitutes hybrid work will be an important question for both candidates and the company to identify. If hybrid means being in the office several times a week, the search pool will naturally shrink to include candidates who reside within a commutable distance to the office. If, on the other hand, the definition of hybrid means periodically being in the office, candidates from a larger geographic pool can be considered if funds are available for the incoming executive’s occasional travel expenses.

Although nothing can fully replicate the feeling of interacting with team members in-person, society is adapting to using Zoom, Teams, or their application of choice for virtual communication. Video interviews, virtual job fairs, and online assessments are just a few examples of virtual processes that have gone from outlier to norm, and implementing these processes virtually can help companies to streamline the hiring process and expand candidate reach. Combining in-depth virtual interviews and reference checks done online with qualitative and objective assessments helps to ensure a fair review of candidates and provides strong predictors of future success. These virtual tools are shrinking hiring times, with interview round completion going from months to weeks and increasing the size of the qualified applicant pool.

Creating the Executive Profile

The post-pandemic senior executive must possess high EQ as well as IQ. Strong communication skills, entrepreneurial thinking, steadfast leadership, and a well-rounded history, along with flexibility and agility are no longer in the “nice to have” column but are now essential qualities looked for. As supply chains shift and new business models become necessary, leaders are finding themselves under a wide range of stressors, all of which require unique skill sets to overcome. Many of these qualities can be difficult to ascertain, making every step of the executive search process all the more critical.

As candidate qualifications and requirements continue to evolve, companies are leaning heavily on executive search firms to identify and attract top talent and navigate the new hiring landscape. Search firms bring expertise and insights that are critical to making the search, interview, and hiring process smooth and enjoyable for all involved. The candidate experience has always been an important factor in the hiring process and today it is more important than ever. A significant part of the hiring process is the company selling itself and its culture – done in every interaction with the candidate. Professional search firms will represent the company in a highly favorable light while searching for and screening potential candidates, making a good impression before any interviews with company staff and leadership. Candidates are doing extensive research on the companies they think about applying to and use each interaction as a temperature check to determine if the company provides a culture and general environment that is in alignment with what the employee seeks. By prioritizing the candidate’s experience, companies can maximize the impact of positive impressions while also attracting top leadership talent to their organization. This includes providing regular communication and feedback, offering a seamless interview process, and showcasing the company’s culture and values.

Attracting Talent

Demonstrating a genuine prioritization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has also grown in significance to executive candidates in today’s world. Mass layoffs, furloughs, economic volatility, rapid re-hiring, and concerns over personal safety of the last few years have dramatically increased and improved companies’ DEI policies. By demonstrating a willingness to invest in and highlight the importance of DEI, while offering tangible examples to showcase benefits in action, companies can attract a broader range of candidates and create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace. Employing search firms that also demonstrate a commitment to DEI will aid in this process as they can help with the development of a more diverse candidate pool, eliminate bias in the hiring process, and provide training and support options for current employees.

As mentioned before, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of flexibility in the workplace. The employer/employee relationship has shifted, and loyalty to a company frequently does not come first when juxtaposed with social unrest and health and safety concerns. By emphasizing and demonstrating flexibility during the hiring process, companies can attract candidates who are looking for more flexible, understanding, and human-centered environments. This may look like offering flexible schedules and being open to negotiating work arrangements that meet the needs of both candidate and company.

In a world recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, companies are taking a step back and reevaluating changes made in order to survive a rapidly changing market. Similarly, candidates are reassessing what they value in a work environment and what sort of organizations they want to work for. Navigating these changing expectations while continuing to move a company forward can be a challenging balance to strike, and using an executive search firm to help find your newest C-Suite leader can be a critical leg-up in a competitive market. Scion Executive Search is a corporate executive search firm that will partner with your company to utilize a vibrant and innovative executive search process approach that will attract a diverse candidate pool of nimble and innovative leaders who are well-positioned to lead through all upcoming challenges, both known and unknown. Learn more today! 

About the Author

Bailey Olderog, Technical Writer (she/her/hers) 

Bailey Olderog brings her passion for storytelling to her role as technical writer at Scion Executive Search (SES). She is dedicated to accurately telling the stories of others in ways that articulate their vision. 

Prior to joining SES, Bailey worked for a 3D-printing tech start-up after working extensively in the military and government space. Her broad public sector experience includes ghostwriting for elected officials and military generals, researching and authoring private investigations and public reports, drafting testimony for hearings before state and federal legislative committees, and bringing a voice and audience to those without a platform. 

Through a career focused on providing direct support to top organizational leadership, Bailey understands the powerful impact that positive leadership has on organizations and the individuals that comprise them. She is dedicated to helping leaders find the roles in which they will flourish and positively impact the lives of those they work alongside. Bailey received her degree in political science from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where she also minored in studio art.