Whether working with a recruitment firm, a search committee or solo, the following are essential to clearing the path for an efficient and effective hire!

Make sure you have time to interview

A recruitment firm can seem like an excellent way to reduce time spent on a search – and it is! But if constraints at your business or organization prevent you from meeting with candidates in a timely fashion, top talent will move on, and may be resentful of time wasted. The frenzy of exhibitions, art fairs, auctions, festivals and fundraisers can gobble up entire staff schedules for weeks at a time — so make sure you can keep a range of dates clear to keep the process from simply spinning its wheels.

Make sure you know what you want

If you're unsure whether the person you're looking for is senior management or junior level...a full-time employee or a part-time consultant...a dynamic game changer or a behind-the-scenes administrator...then you might want to work with the recruitment firm to review your organizational needs and goals. If the results appear to suggest an overly broad range of characteristics and responsibilities you might consider filling two or more positions. Remember - until you make this decision, ill-defined and shifting job descriptions are red flags to potential employees.

Review internal candidates first

It might seem self-explanatory that if you already have an internal candidate in mind a recruitment firm is unnecessary. Yet often it may seem like a good idea to see what other potential applicants can offer. If you decide to work with a recruiter with a potential hire already in mind, be transparent and let them know why another candidate might be potentially a fit. This will allow the recruiter to focus the scope of the search accordingly and establish a timeline helpful to you and your internal candidate.

If the above challenges to beginning a recruitment process seem at times insurmountable, Thomas & Associates can help you put together a plan for beginning, managing and completing a search in a timely and cost-effective way. Call us for a free consultation and let us identify and secure the talent you need to keep your organization growing!

About Thomas & Associates, Inc. / artstaffing.com
Celebrating our 10th Anniversary serving the global arts community, Thomas & Associates, Inc. is an innovative firm with offices in New York City that offers staffing, consulting, career services and training programs for museums, non-profit organizations, and arts and culture businesses nationwide. In addition to permanent placement and executive search, Thomas & Associates also provides temporary and interim personnel at all levels and has recently launched its career advisory division and outplacement services to address the needs of arts and culture professionals everywhere.

Please contact us at 212-779-7059, or visit our website at www.artstaffing.com for more information on our firm and our services.
We look forward to hearing from you!