Customer briefing briefly explained

Marcus Christopher Schulz: At the client briefing, the executive search consultant ideally meets the line management and representatives of the HR department together and in person to obtain detailed information about the position and the working environment. This includes details about the hiring company and its corporate culture and values, the position to be filled and its tasks, the necessary skills of the applicants, the process at the client and formal issues. The process and the services of the commissioned executive search company are also discussed and agreed as required.

Why do executive search consultants create a client briefing?

Marcus Christopher Schulz: The primary objective of a recruitment mandate is to fill the position with the most suitable candidate who is willing to change and available on the market at the time of the search. In order to understand all the perspectives and requirements of all stakeholders with regard to the position, it is necessary to have as complete a view as possible. Together with the information in the briefing, a professional and efficient recruitment is only possible as a quality assurance measure. You can only fill a position successfully if you really understand it. Long-term and successful cooperation is only possible if new employees and the employer are satisfied. And that is the goal of a reputable personnel consultant.

Should the briefing also be “brief” – i.e. short and concise?

Marcus Christopher Schulz: Yes, it is. Due to its structure and rich content, it is usually a five- to six-page document that takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the participants, and involves an intensive exchange between all stakeholders. The jointly developed document provides both clients and executive search consultants with a solid foundation for the search, as it contains ALL the relevant information and requirements.

How does the creation of customer briefings work at DELTACON?

Marcus Christopher Schulz: First, the executive search consultant sends the partially completed or blank document to the client so that they can prepare themselves. During a joint working meeting, the document is discussed and all relevant questions are answered. The executive search consultant then sends the complete document to the client for review and approval. With the client’s confirmation, the final document is available, according to which the search will be conducted. Both the client and the consultant can therefore refer to it at every stage of the search and there are no ambiguities.

What does DELTACON pay attention to when creating customer briefings?

Marcus Christopher Schulz: The briefing takes the form of an interview with the client, in which both the line manager and the HR representative are asked about the key points. If an answer is not comprehensible or clear, further questions must be asked. In this interview, the consultant also represents the candidate’s point of view. As the content of the briefing document is also largely used to create the position description, everything must be clear and unambiguous for interested parties. It goes without saying that this comprehensibility and clarity is also important for the executive search consultant, as they represent the client in the search process and must therefore be fully informative at all times.

What are the pros and cons for the searching company and potential candidates?

What can clients contribute to a successful briefing?

Marcus Christopher Schulz: It is essential to take the time to answer honestly and to deal openly and proactively with the reality in the company. It is also advantageous to clarify the situation in the company and the most important points about the position to be filled in a preliminary consultation between line management and the HR department, for example what the company expects from new employees. A successful client briefing with the executive search consultant can only be conducted if both departments come to a common conclusion.