Indonesia Executive Search is hard work!
You need a great Executive Recruitment Process to succeed.
This is especially true when a company is looking to hire Key Leadership Talent at the C Level.
The “C Level” refers to the Ultimate Leaders of a Business, the people that sit in the top 2-3 levels of an organisation hierarchy.
These are the Executives that oversee, drive and improve a company – what we call the “Professional Capital” of a business.
Hiring at the C-Level is particularly challenging because every firm wants to recruit the same type of person – the best of the best…
And each firm has very specific needs and desires, which means hunting for a needle in a haystack.
They must find someone that ticks all the boxes, is interested in their position and is also affordable.
Compensation for C Level Talent is all over the place in Indonesia. And typically good people – the people that companies want to hire…
Are far more expensive than hiring managers ever anticipated.
Hiring managers often don’t have the budget needed – or the confidence required – to actually secure the best person possible.
And then there is the biggest issue – the talent pool for Great C Level Talent is still rather small versus market size.
Ultimately, demand for Game Changing Leadership Talent in Indonesia… Usually exceeds supply.
This is especially true for high growth industry sectors.
The reality is – good C Level professionals are often being approached multiple times a month for new work opportunities.
Therefore, to Secure Top Class Executive Talent — a firm must be Fast, Proactive and Confident.
When a company performs C-Level Recruitment in Indonesia, the quality of its Executive Search Process is undeniably critical to success.
Using a highly qualified Indonesia Executive Search Firm is essential – it is an investment that will generate high returns.
As Jakarta’s top ranked Executive Search Firm, ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia has completed 1,000+ Indonesia Executive Search Hires since 2014.
C-Level Recruitment in Indonesia
Best Practices
Number 1 – Use a Highly Experienced, Well Established Jakarta Executive Search Firm
- The first job of an Executive Search Recruiter is to manually identify all people that are potentially relevant for a clients senior job vacancy, based on all set requirements.
. - Therefore, to be effective, they must know the market inside out, have an incredibly large executive network, possess long term experience and deep local market credentials.
. - After identifying all potential talent, they will directly approach each and every Executive. They must be able to effectively and professionally market their client company and the role in question.
. - The Executive Search Recruiter needs to be a senior professional themselves, able to answer all the queries and address all the concerns that a senior candidate may have.
. - They must be able to navigate all and any problems that occur during the executive search recruitment process.
. - When an Executive Search Recruiter is located off-shore they will lack the depth of professional network that is needed locally…
. - They will lack the Indonesia cultural understanding that is required to get candidates excited.
. - Whereas, a leading Jakarta Executive Search Firm will immediately know all relevant talent…
. - They will have the senior candidate access required and also the skills necessary to approach and excite senior C-Level executives.
. - On the other hand, using an inexperienced or junior “Recruiter” is simply a recipe for disaster.
. - A Junior “Recruiter” working for a Recruitment Agency will fail to make the strong impression that is needed.
. - They will lack the recruitment process skills that are required. Senior candidates will simply run away, feeling that the company does not take its key hiring seriously.
. - Yes, it costs money to use a high quality, highly experienced Indonesia Executive Search Firm…
. - But making a great C-Level hire is critical to a company’s success. Overall, it is peanuts spent… compared to the Long Term Return on Investment Made.
. - The right hire will add significant value to a business from Day 1. Therefore, the Executive Search Firms fee is money well spent.
. - Lastly, it is common practice in Indonesia for an Executive Search Firm to work on a Success Fee Only Basis...
. - So if they do not complete the hire, if they do not achieve client success, they do not get paid. The client has no up-front financial risk — what a lovely position to be in.
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Number 2 – NEVER use Online Job Board Advertising
Yes, it is very low cost BUT….
No Senior Executive of Value Will Take You Seriously. It is beyond TACKY.
It’s literally the Worst Thing You Can Do.
- Senior professionals, especially in Indonesia, find it highly concerning when a business relies on cheap internet based advertising to identify its key senior C-Level talent.
. - Online job boards are incredibly public & just “smell desperate and low cost“.
. - Online Job Advertising creates a terrible image to high value C-Level candidates.
. - Also, your job vacancy will only be visible to Active Job Seeker Candidates, people that are spending hours of their day trying to find new work.
. - Your vacancy will NOT be visible to Passive Happily Employed Candidates. These passive candidates are NOT reviewing job boards, they are NOT Clicking Apply to tacky online job ads.
. - In effect, if you choose to use online job board advertising, you will be limiting yourself to Active Job Seeker Candidates alone…
. - People that are actively looking for new work opportunities, NOT the Best-in-Class professionals that you actually seek.
. - At the same time you will be smearing your brand name, presenting your firm as “tacky”, a business that doesn’t invest in its Executive Recruitment, its quarter-backs.
. - Executives that work for your competitors will also be uncomfortable applying online, concerned about confidentiality.
. - Lastly, you will be inundated with CV’s from people that are totally irrelevant, wasting valuable time.
Number 3 – Provide your Executive Search Recruiter with a detailed Day 1 Hiring Briefing
- The more information that an Executive Search Consultant has about your business and what you need, the better.
. - This will help ensure that they can effectively target the right type of people from the get-go. And that no time is wasted.
. - You should state the critical “must have items” and also the “nice to haves”.
. - Provide your Executive Search Recruiter with any non-confidential company information that can help them to “sell” your organisation and the job vacancy to potential candidates.
Number 4 – Communicate with your Executive Search Consultant Frequently and Proactively
- Once an Executive Search Recruiter starts talking about your C-Level opportunity with senior professionals, they will often have questions. Senior candidates will likely need further information.
. - An Executive Search Consultant relies on good quality regular communication with a client to help manage senior candidates effectively throughout an executive search recruitment process.
Number 5 – Be open and transparent. State if anything needs to change
- If an Executive Search Recruiter submits CV’s that do not match your needs, the sooner you tell them the better. They should be happy to edit and alter a candidate search as the process develops.
. - An Executive Search Recruiter needs a client to update in a timely manner, so that they can manage candidates in the best way possible. This also ensures that a clients brand image is maximised.
Number 6 – Provide timely Resume feedback – Don’t let time drift!
- Once an Executive Search Consultant starts submitting candidate CV’s it is important that they receive client feedback in a reasonable amount of time…
. - We recommend within a maximum 3 business days.
. - If a senior candidate is Not of Interest, a client should advise this, no problem at all.
. - But if a C-Level Candidate is of interest and is left waiting for days or weeks on end… chances are high that they will simply lose interest.
. - They will feel there is business inefficiency / that the hiring process is of low importance.
. - Remember, Indonesia is still maturing in terms of talent pool depth. Often many businesses are looking to hire the same type of people at the same time.
. - Therefore, if a top quality professional is open to a new role, chances are high that they are interviewing with other firms.
. - If a business is slow to progress a good CV and arrange interviews, excellent candidates will be lost to companies that are more energized, efficient and proactive in their hiring process.
Number 7 – Once interviews are confirmed do NOT reschedule. Unless crazy urgent.
- When a company invites a C-Level Candidate to interview and at short notice asks to reschedule, it presents a very negative impression.
. - After all, the Executive Search Recruiter has told the candidate that the hire is critical and they have worked hard to motivate the executive to explore.
. - Cancelling at short notice indicates disorganisation / that the hiring manager has low respect for a senior candidates time.
Number 8 – Treat Candidates as You would wish to be treated yourself
- It’s important to remember that senior candidates are often hiring managers themselves. They have certain expectations of an executive search recruitment process…
. - This covers areas such as communication, punctuality, feedback, transparency and etc.
. - Our advice – always treat senior candidates as you would wish to be treated yourself during a hiring process. This will help you to maintain a positive image in the candidates eyes.
Number 9 – Tell your Executive Search Recruiter if any firms are Off-Limits
- Let your Executive Search Consultant know if there are any companies that are “sensitive” and that their professionals should be avoided and Not approached.
. - For instance, your business may work with a company as a partner, or have a gentlemen’s agreement not to hire each others talent.
Number 10 – Don’t try to be Cheap – It doesn’t work in Indonesia. Provide a strong Initial Candidate Offer
- It’s important to make a good 1st Impression when at the Offer Stage in Indonesia.
. - Locally, about 70% of recruitment processes go wrong at the offer stage!
. - Make sure the Initial Offer takes into account all elements of the chosen candidates current compensation.
. - In Indonesia compensation can be highly structured in comparison to more mature markets.
. - Many companies provide executives with a large range of guaranteed monthly cash and non-cash benefits.
. - All elements are seen as “critical” by candidates and a money value is attached to them.
. - Professionals typically receive; basic salary each month plus fixed cash allowances (in essence salary).
. - On top of this the annual THR Religious Holiday Bonus (some businesses pay THR as 1 X monthly basic salary, some pay far more).
. - Please see This Article for an overview of THR in Indonesia.
. - Each firm has its own bonus scheme. Some provide annual / quarterly / monthly incentive plans (guaranteed or variable).
. - Many companies provide additional “non-cash” benefits such as Car Ownership Plans (COP) or private medical.
. - In general there are few “market norms” and compensation for similar jobs can vary greatly from one business to another.
. - Finding “ideal” C-Level talent is the biggest challenge…
. - So once that perfect person is located, interested and everything is positive, structure an offer that actually makes sense and accounts for all elements of current compensation.
. - This helps to ensure that an Initial Offer makes a good impression and discussions can follow. Otherwise, people run away fast.
. - Please see This Article for more advice on how to make a successful Candidate Offer in Indonesia.
While you are here, please have a look at This Article which gives a run down on the key differences between an Executive Search Headhunter Company like ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia and a Mass Market Recruitment Agency.
It is important to use the right type of “Recruiter” depending on the nature of hire being made!
For Businesses that are looking to perform Indonesia Executive Search and want to Hire Game Changing Executive Talent please submit your Enquiry to ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia.
Or you can reach us through our Contact Details. A Senior Executive Search Consultant will respond within a few hours.
You can also View My Headhunter Bio Here or connect with me on Linkedin.
