GREAT 137 IDEA: Recruit Great Employees

A small business can't afford to make poor hiring choices. Yet small business owners too often hire the first person who drifts through the door, even for key jobs. Casting the widest net possible before hiring anyone makes sense (see Great Idea #138). For a key hire, it may pay to retain a search firm.

Executive recruiters, often retained by big companies to find just the right person, also work with many smaller firms. Their fee—traditionally 33 percent of the total first year's salary plus all expenses—may be steep, but think of it as an investment in your success.

“We create a strategy for the hunt,” said Brad Marks, chairman and chief executive officer of Brad Marks International in Century City, California (www.bradmarks.com).

Most recruiters specialize in an industry. He's known for placing many top executives in the entertainment industry. A former executive at Walt Disney Co. and ABC, he's been helping companies find the right people since 1982.

He was a pioneer when it came to placing high-level women in traditionally male-dominated jobs in the entertainment industry. “I have a distinct desire on my part to find the best executive for the position, and in many cases that turns out to be a woman,” said Marks.

Hollywood studios, primarily family owned, became more open to hiring women when the leveraged buyouts of the 1980s gave control to major corporations.

Marks made headlines when he placed Dawn Tarnofsky at Lifetime Television. It later was acquired by A&E Networks. Now known as Dawn Ostroff, she is president of the CW Network.

His type of high-level recruiting is very “cloak and dagger,” especially when he is hired to replace people who don't know they are about to lose their jobs.

The executive search process is complex. After meeting with clients to determine exactly what kind of person they need, the recruiter begins searching for suitable candidates.

It can often take up to 10 weeks to track down and interview candidates. In Marks's case, he narrows the field to about 20 people, who are interviewed by him and his associates. After careful evaluation, the top five people are scheduled to meet with the client.

Hopefully, one candidate will be a good fit. If not, the recruiter keeps looking.