Working KnowledgeA Monthly Column about Life on the Job |
 |
|
|
By Elisa F. Topper American Libraries Columnist Elisa F. Topper is director of the Dundee Township (Ill.) Public Library District and a career consultant. Contact her at working@ala.org. Column for January 2005 |
The Great Director Search
 |
Seeking out Search Strategies
 |
Drawing a pool of applicants isn't particularly challenging—but finding the candidate with the right fit is. Keister warns that passive recruiting can attract people who are unhappy or unemployed; instead, “I go after the people who are not necessarily looking for a change—those who are happy and productive in their current situations,” he says.
Because trustees are volunteers who don't necessarily have extra time on their hands, your board members must first determine their level of expertise and how much time they can devote to the search process. Another key step the board can take is to agree on criteria for the new director, rather than just a job description. Granted, hiring an executive search firm can be expensive, but so are the costs of hiring the wrong person.
Ken Haycock, an executive recruiter based in Seattle and British Columbia, explains that because each search is unique, his firm typically begins by working face-to-face with clients to ensure that they understand and can accommodate the unique organizational characteristics of the library's needs. The recruiter works with clients to develop a process that is efficient and cost-effective, including creating an extensive profile of each candidate. Haycock also has candidates conduct public presentations and meet with senior management staff.
Streamlining the search process
Most firms offer some type of guarantee that the person hired will remain in the position; for example, if for some reason the new director leaves in the first six months, the recruiter may conduct another search at no additional charge. Recruiters also typically follow a code of ethical practices.
If the going rate for such help—about 25-33% of the first year's salary—is too steep, Chicago-based library consultant Peggy Sullivan suggests hiring a firm on a per-day basis (about $750) to help get you started. She believes that, in the long run, boards have better results hiring through recruiters because they have a “knowledge of people” and can help streamline the selection process.
Lynn Stainbrook, who was recently hired as director of the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Memorial Library through an executive search firm, praised the fairness of the search when conducted by an outside party. She also noted that in one phase of the process, all the candidates were brought together and introduced to each other, which helped eliminate the “speculations and rumors” that sometimes circulate in our close-knit library community.
Finally, keep in mind that in addition to facilitating the search and keeping things on track, recruiters help a board reach consensus on the final candidate— step that is generally accepted as the most difficult part of the entire process.
Resources
- The Directory of Executive Recruiters 2005-2006 (Kennedy Information, 34th ed., 2004).
- Headhunters: Matchmaking in the Labor Market by William Finlay and James E. Coverdill (ILR Press, 2002).
- Special Library Association Placement and Executive Search Firms, website.
(c) Copyright 2005 American Library Association