Needs Analysis

If You Don't Ask the Right Questions, The Answers Don't Matter! Whether you choose to use a professional search firm or not, the steps taken should be the same. Do these things right the first time, and you will reap the rewards. Take short cuts and chances are roughly 50% your new hire will fail within eighteen months.

Keep in mind that this book is written from the perspective of a search consultant whose objective it is to facilitate matches that work and last. For over thirty-five years, I have been making real world observations of what works and what doesn't. The recommendations I make are those I know to be effective.

The degree of success achieved as a result of any search will in large part be driven by the quality of questions asked and the quality of the answers provided by the hiring manager.

Every search should start by conducting a very thorough needs analysis, a process designed to discover exactly what it will take for a candidate to be successful in a specific role. Be mindful of specific elements in your environment that might indicate a good or bad fit for different candidates. For us, the time required to conduct such an analysis can be as little as an hour or two, if we are dealing with an existing client; and has taken up to three days in the case of a new client with extremely complex challenges and multiple challenges.

The material that follows will give you a very good feel for the way we conduct a needs analysis. The more you dig and the more you discipline yourself to fast forward the tape and think about how you will determine success for your new CEO or senior executive, the better will be the outcome of your search.

Please remember these are only examples. We start with standard templates and then customize them for specific industries and functional positions. Our approach to search and consulting is surgical. We start with a "clean sheet of paper" on each engagement. Therefore the examples I've provided may be more or less complex than our actual engagements. 

EXAMPLE

Company/Organization

  1. What are the most salient points we should know about the company's story?
  2. What should we know about the company's mission, vision, strategy and most current initiatives?
  3. What are your growth plans for 2010 and beyond? How is the company performing vs. plan?
  4. What might you like to learn from the market to be included in the 20-Day Market Report?

Culture/Alignment

  1. How would you describe your culture?
  2. What makes your company a great place to work?
  3. What kinds of behaviors are really valued at your company?
  4. What forces drive and most heavily influence your business i.e. operations, finance, marketing, sales, etc.
  5. What are the three most important values the ideal candidate share with you as an organization? How does your organization view humility?
  6. How would you describe the style of leadership and execution at your company?
  7. Are you interested in exploring executive team fit and alignment?

The Opportunity

  1. What makes this position compelling?
  2. What does this position offer that might compel an A player from your competition or best practices employer to want to jump ship?
  3. How will this position grow? Will the opportunities be substantially different over time?
  4. What is the nature of the team with whom this new executive will work?

Position Specific Performance

  1. Please provide a complete top-to-bottom organizational chart, including specific responsibilities and headcount.
  2. What are the ten most important specific deliverables for this position? Please rank in order.
  3. Are there specific deadlines for this position?
  4. How will this position grow? Will the objectives be substantially different over time?
  5. What is the specific nature of the candidate's P&L responsibility, forecasting, line item, autonomy, budget approval, etc?
  6. What political and/or organizational land mines or challenges will this person face?
  7. Why is this position open? Who occupied the position previously? Did they meet expectations?
  8. How will success be determined in this position, quantitatively and qualitatively?
  9. How many direct reports are there?  How many direct reports do you expect in a year from now?  How large is the division's headcount/organization?  In a year?
  10. Who are the top five people, internal or external, with whom the candidate will have the most interaction?  Where are they located?

Background, Experience & Credential Requirements

  1. Who are the top five people, internal or external, with whom the candidate will have the most interaction?  Where are they located?
  2. What is the ideal background for this position? Industry specific experience, best practices, processes, functional, etc.
  3. How important are industry contacts or an established network of some kind?
  4. What are the educational requirements of this position?
  5. What other core competencies can you think of that this candidate must possess?
  6. Travel requirements - How often? To where?  On average how long are the trips?  Does that include attending any relevant industry events?

Interview Process

  1. Is there any specific testing that you would like the firm to perform during the candidate sourcing / vetting process? 
  2. Please list who should receive the candidate packets.  Do you require hard copies as well as electronic versions?  Should everyone on the distribution list receive compensation information also?
  3. Please list who will interview the candidates, including their role and provide a short bio to be shared with the candidate.
  4. What are you looking for in this person?  When you conduct an interview, what key questions will you ask?
  5. What is your interviewing process?  Timing?
  6. Do you plan to interview everyone in your office?
  7. If a candidate has to travel to you to interview, who will make the travel arrangements?  Who will initially pay?  Who will coordinate the candidate's travel?
  8. Do you wish to conduct phone interviews first before face-to-face?
  9. Typically we receive feedback on each candidate interviewed over the phone or in person within 24 hours of the interview.  Do you anticipate any problems with this request?  Do you have an established procedure for debrief?
  10. Please confirm who will handle background checks (such as criminal, verification of education etc.)

Candidate Package Considerations

  1. Compensation Package?  Base?  Bonus?  Other?  Relocation Package?  Points?  Realtor?  Lawyers?  Packing?  Moving?  Unpacking?  Animal Transport?  Auto?  House-hunting trip?  Car/Car Allowance?
  2. In 2009, we are experiencing unique challenges relating to the real estate and credit markets. What kinds of things should we try to anticipate? Relocation, sale of residence, home-buying, etc.