“Finding People Who Make a Difference® . . .”, the slogan of Sanford Rose Associates, is largely the answer to the question asked of many of us in the executive search profession . . . “Why did you go into executive search?” Usually, during a conversation the following question (or modification thereof) is also asked: “How does your firm differentiate itself from all of the other search firms?” Answering these two questions will hopefully give you a better perspective of what value our search professionals provide, as well as what sets Sanford Rose Associates apart from our competition.
Most Sanford Rose Associates Consultants have typically enjoyed successful careers as both hiring managers and recruiting consultants. From this experience they learned that the search industry is really no different from other service industries, such as real estate, law, or medicine . . . there is a wide spectrum of capabilities, professionalism and ethics. “The good, the bad, and the ugly” pretty much sums up their past experiences in working with search firms both as candidates and hiring managers. From the positive experiences, they have seen what a tremendous positive impact and influence a true search professional can have on both the client company and the candidate. However, they have also seen search consultants that did not appear to listen or understand their needs and requirements, and instead, tended to inundate them with resumes hoping to see “what would stick.” At the other end of the spectrum, some of the retained search firms tended to be somewhat haughty, expensive – with a lot of hidden costs, and very s-l-o-w in providing them with qualified candidates. Since most Sanford Rose Associates consultants have also been “candidates” themselves, they know how a candidate may be treated, particularly if they are “in or out of the hunt.” It is surprising that some search consultants and/recruiters do not appear to understand that candidates can become hiring managers or prospective clients in a very short time frame. Bottom line, we believe in treating both clients and candidates with the utmost dignity, respect and professionalism – as we, as individuals would expect.
Creating “Win-Win-Win” or “Triple Win” Situations . . . most of us have seen how vitally important ONE key hire, even at a more junior level, can have on the success, or failure, of a company. Similarly, for most of us, our job has a tremendous impact on virtually every facet of our lives and on our overall quality of life. In fact, other than family and/or “significant other(s)”, there is nothing more important to most professionals than their job. The search professionals at Sanford Rose Associates understand the importance of creating winning situations or matches between clients and candidates, and that, if this is done successfully, it will mean a “win” for the search firm as well.
Our passion and knowledge, network, and experience . . . Sanford Rose Associates Consultants understand that perhaps the single most important trait that differentiates “high achievers” from others is having a true passion in life or being passionate in pursuing certain things in life. Likewise, most Sanford Rose Associates offices are focused and specialized in fields where they have passion, but also, because of their in-depth knowledge and extensive contacts in these fields, where they provide the greatest value to their clients. From the knowledge of the jobs and industry niche segments (“having been there and done that”), as well as having an extensive “Platinum Rolodex” or network of industry contacts – many of whom see us as former colleagues and not solely as search consultants – we believe that these elements, combined with niche specialization and passion, truly help to set us apart.
“The Best of Both Worlds” and “Right-sized” . . . We believe that our network of worldwide offices, each owned by an executive with extensive experience and expertise, represents the best of the two ends of the executive search spectrum, from the “specialized boutique” type of firm, to that of the large, highly leveraged, multinational conglomerate firm. The Sanford Rose Associates affiliated network of global offices across North America, Asia and Europe gives us the leverage and wherewithal to compete effectively with the large search firms, and local ownership provides clients the benefits derived from doing business with a small business.
Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my personal insights. Please do not hesitate to contact me if we can be of assistance.
Sincerely yours,
Jeff Kaye
Co-Managing Director,
Sanford Rose Associates International, LLC., a Texas corporation