Q: In practical terms, how should companies go about the finding the right candidate?

In terms of process, I believe in blending three tactics:

1) Proper desk research, which is extremely time intensive but indispensable. This type of research is used to systematically identify executives at competitive or related companies. In this way, the client gets a “lay of the land” and is able to pinpoint all of the individuals who might be qualified for the position in their sector.

2) Sourcing of industry experts, which can lead to the names of executives who have relevant experience but are not direct competitors. It can also lead to some great out-of-the-box candidate ideas. Thinking outside-the-box is just as essential to the search process as doing the systematic desk research.

3) Finally, leveraging one’s existing networks. We all have our own ideas about potential candidates and, depending on the size and relevance of your network, this may yield several good candidates. From my perspective, this was one of the key advantages of working with Ariadne Capital, where the team have an amazing network in the high tech and entrepreneurial space, all over the world. Clients also often have a number of individuals they are interested in but who they would prefer not to approach directly - so we do it for them.

Q. Based on your experience, are there any characteristics particular to executives in the high tech industry?

Yes. As a result of the dotcom bubble, there are a lot of young executives whose titles and compensation packages were over-inflated in the late 90s and have subsequently had rather a hard landing. In addition, you are more likely to cross candidates who have worked for several companies and dealt with serious upheaval—re-orgs, acquisitions, mergers of cultures, total 180 degree turnarounds—than your average executive in the traditional industry sectors. This kind of background makes for people who are resilient and have a certain taste for risk.

Q. What tips would you give to a company that is looking for senior management talent?

Be aware that CV brokering is not the same as executive search. Selection and recruitment companies have amazing databases of CVs and you are paying to have access to those. But you will not get the same insight into the candidates. Since their process is focused on information brokering, agencies and selection firms will not necessarily give you the full view onto the competition that a full search would give you. These companies aren’t necessarily networked in your industry sector either, so you may not have access to influential leaders who can offer candidate ideas informed by years of experience.

The way in which the search process is managed by the client and the search firm speaks volumes about both. All  candidates should be treated with respect and discretion, and kept as informed as possible throughout the process. Today’s candidate is tomorrow’s client, and that goes for both the search firm and the client company. So make sure the search firm you hire reflects well upon your own company.

Finally, a search is a great way to gather valuable market intelligence - about how your company is perceived in the market, about compensation practices in other companies - that isn’t easily found elsewhere. A truly professional search firm will  be expert about gathering and handling this information in a discrete way.

Q. What about tips for senior executives on developing their careers?

It may sound corny, but I believe that you need to figure out what unique gift you posses and then go find a way to make a living that capitalises on that quality.

But don’t confuse innate qualities with professional experience. You can have years of excellent experience in something you hate or simply don’t love anymore. Try to find something that you are naturally good at and that you are passionate about. Life is short, and we spend a lot of time at work.

Q. What are your views on executive compensation? Do you see any trends?

Many people said after the internet bust that stock options would be much less desirable. But what I am seeing is that true entrepreneurs still want those options. What is going away, thankfully, is the trend of paying very low cash and replacing it with a high amount of equity.

As for future trends, I believe that we are going to see a time when companies won’t be able to attract top talent with just money or instruments like stock options. These candidates are going to want something more precious and more difficult for companies to give away: they are going to want time. I think we will see all kinds of people—not just working mothers—asking for four-day weeks, sabbaticals or longer vacations. Another trend will be the option to work more from home, in fact, any benefit which gives people a more balanced life. A good search consultant will help the client identify what it is important to each individual candidate so that together we can craft the ideal compensation package.

Q. What do you feel has been your greatest personal achievement?

I have saved the messages that I have received over the years from clients and placed candidates who described their lives after a successful search. There’s nothing like reading these messages to remind you that what you do has real value, not only on a business level but on a very personal level as well.