External Search Savvy

externally more than you like? According to Radnor, PA-based Salveson Stetson Group, a full-service retained executive search firm, there are distinct reasons organizations launch external searches:

- The desire to benchmark on-board talent against candidates who are currently available .

- The opportunity to potentially up-grade the current talent pool.

- A drive to acquire skills and abilities the company lacks.

- The advantage of bringing a new perspective—often from a different industry—into the organization.

To encourage the promotion of internal candidates, the firm offers the following tips:

- Be sensitive throughout the search process to current employees competing for a position. "It's important that internal candidates know where they stand," says Sally Stetson, co-founder of Salveson Stetson Group. "If they are treated badly, it may encourage them to look externally for new employment."

- Have a final wrap-up conversation with unsuccessful internal candidates if they don't get the job. "They should know what additional skills and experience they are lacking in order to be successful the next time they want to be considered," says Stetson. "It is a good developmental opportunity for both the company and the employee."