CRITICAL HIRES GUIDE
AVIVA’S 7 STEP GUIDE TO CRITICAL HIRES
HELPING YOU OPTIMIZE YOUR CRITICAL HIRING STRATEGIES
WHAT MAKES IT CRITICAL?
SKILL GAPS
Organizations often need specialized skills that are not readily available within the current team. Hiring someone with specific expertise (e.g., AI, cybersecurity, data science) can be crucial to meeting project requirements and staying competitive
INNOVATION AND GROWTH
New hires can bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, which are essential for the company's growth and the development of new products or services.
SCALABILITY
As an organization scales its operations, it needs more personnel to manage increased workloads, maintain customer service standards, and ensure smooth operation of systems and processes
MEETING DEADLINES
Hiring can be critical to meet project deadlines and launch schedules. Insufficient staffing can lead to delays, which can be costly and damaging to the company's reputation
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
Certain hires are aligned with strategic goals, such as entering new markets, adopting new technologies, or expanding product lines. These hires can be pivotal for long-term success
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Bringing in experienced leaders can help steer the company through growth phases, manage teams effectively, and ensure strategic alignment with the company’s vision
LISTINGS, MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
During transitional periods like listings, mergers, or acquisitions, it may be necessary to bring in experienced leaders who have previously guided an organization through similar processes or can effectively navigate the new landscape. Critical hiring in these situations can help maintain organizational resilience and preparedness.
7 STEPS TO STRATEGICALLY FIND YOUR NEXT CRITICAL HIRE
1- ESTABLISH CLEAR OBJECTIVES
Distinct requirements are fundamental in ensuring that the hiring process is an efficient, seamless experience, and in line with the organization’s strategic needs. This criteria helps to attract the right talent, evaluate candidates objectively, and support hires with assimilating quickly to the new culture, delivering rapid impact
2- EARLY EXECUTIVE ALIGNMENT
When stakeholders are in sync, it makes certain everyone involved in the hiring process has a shared understanding of the role's importance, key attributes, and desired outcomes. With everyone in agreement of the ideal candidate, the risk of having conflicting expectations later in the interview process is mitigated, saving time
3- CREATE YOUR STRATEGY
Creating a tailored strategy ensures a systematic, focused, and data-driven process to securing the best talent. Determine your omni-channel outreach approach going to market with a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP). This message should attract both active and passive talent pools. Highlight the company’s mission, culture, and career growth trajectory of the role to spark interest and excitement in the opportunity.
4- MAP THE MARKET
By launching an exhaustive research effort of the existing talent in alignment with the brief, organizations can analyze data regarding candidate availability, salary and benefit information, employers of choice, and how their reputation is perceived. This comprehensive market insight provides confidence and clarity in the final hiring decision.
5-COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY
Establishing clear expectations of timeline and engagement throughout the search is imperative. Attendance in weekly steering calls ensures key decision makers are privy to progress and any challenges faced. Should there be a need to pivot, everyone is present and in agreement. This communication and accountability expedites the search and successful outcomes.
6- THOROUGH EVALUATIONS
Thorough evaluations help to assess core competencies, along with the necessary soft skills and emotional intelligence. Especially essential for leadership roles, this process validates candidate resumes and allows for elaboration with situational questioning. Uncover their achievements and aptitude to manage challenging scenarios or important responsibilities of the role. Partnering with a search firm, arms you with this information prior to interviewing the candidate, expediting decision making.
7- OFFER AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION
Once you’ve selected a candidate, leverage the research conducted early in the process to confirm your offer is market competitive. Adjust if necessary. Create a swift onboarding experience with a 30, 60, 90 day ramp up plan, providing access to key resources, trainings, and introductions to important team members. Having these items in place will have your critical hire hitting the ground running in no time
LET’S TEAM UP
Keep in mind, making a critical hire comes with unique challenges and is often better executed with the help of other professionals. While learning about best practices is a great start for a successful critical hire, it’s also important for other decision-makers to be knowledgeable on managing the process effectively. Consider sharing this guide with them or contacting AVIVA for additional support. If you’re interested in learning how we handled our latest critical hiring project, feel free to get in touch.
ABOUT AVIV
INTELLIGENT SEARCH WITH A HUMAN TOUCH
We specialize in executive search for senior talent and leaders driving digital transformation, change, and growth. Our industry expertise and focused approach is solving for difficult hiring challenges. We tackle niche skill sets, urgent time sensitive mandates, and critical searches that directly impact business objectives.