Doing job interviews is part of our core business. I personally talk with about 70 candidates each month and constantly remind myself that for many of you this is not routine business. So I would like to share with you what the elements are I focus on in a meeting.

Be informed

Being the intermediary that will represent you, I think you should know who we are and how we go about it. So that is the first, short part of the meeting.

Be prepared

Secondly, we shift our focus to you. You can expect me to come prepared and read your cv and your letter. Often I also checked out your LinkedIn profile and the information we already shared in the past. Better build upon what we have than rehash. My preference is to talk about choices you made in the past, why you are open for something new and what your ideal position looks like. These are your instructions for me and my colleagues. But do not forget: we are paid by our clients to find out if you can bring what they are looking for. Will you solve the problem our client has? Topics can be very factual but most likely will also be about you as a person. If we both prepare, both of us will create a situation where we can dig deep and discuss what is really interesting.

Opportunities

The third and final part will be about opportunities. This can be about a specific opportunity where we can provide further information and find out if there is a match. This can also be about the direction you want to take and your labour market strategy. Topics, in that case, can be around training, education, lateral movements, stay or go, etcetera.

95% is about facts. If I have observations or an opinion (most of the time), I will share them. This will give you the chance to help me understand and further inform me. You should know how you will be (re-)presented. Creating the best match is a team effort. Your career and our service proposition are long-term investments.

Pieter de Kiewit
pdk@treasurersearch.com | 06-11119783

The agreement between our clients and us is considered an interesting topic. Both clients, HR & hiring managers, as well as candidates ask or show indirect interest. Completely just so because the contract has impact on the process. Below you can find the fundamentals of agency contracts and some of my thoughts about the topic.

In finding the candidate for a permanent position the following clauses are, in my opinion, the most important:

• Payment of an upfront fee (retainer). This fee can cover advertisement or other out of pocket expenses. It can cover the first investments in hours invested;
  Guarantee clause. If the candidate leaves within a certain period of time, six months for example, and the client is not to blame, the recruiter finds a replacement. Some clients demand reimbursement of the fee, personally I think that is unacceptable;
• Fee level. In most projects the fee is a percentage of the salary of the placed candidate. So-called “fixed fees” can be an appealing alternative. My policy is: if I show I cannot do the job, I don’t want the money of the client;
• Cancellation fee. If the recruiter invests and does not get the chance to show he can be successful in an agreed span of time, he sends an invoice for hours spent.
• Exclusive or non-exclusive agreement (contingency vs retainer based). Is the recruiter the only one working on the assignment or does the client and/or other recruiters work on the assignment?

In my opinion, exclusive assignments should come with a guarantee clause, cancellation fee and a retainer. Within a certain time frame, three weeks for example, the recruiter is able to scan the market and make a comprehensive presentation of the best the market has to offer.
A non-exclusive agreement is, most of the time, no-cure no-pay. The risk is completely at the side of the recruiter, a guarantee, retainer and cancellation fee is not applicable. Examples where this type of assignment works best if speed is of essence or if the client or other recruiters have failed finding the proper candidate. Downside of this type of project is that the recruiter does not have an overview of the process as a whole.

In the part of the labour market where junior and medior candidates are active, non-exclusive assignments are more common. The senior part of the market has exclusive assignments. In the Champions League of executive recruitment the following fee structure is often used: the fee is one third of the salary of the placed candidate. At the start of the process the first one third of the expected fee is invoiced, when the candidate presentation is done the second and the final after the candidate is hired. Both in absolutes as well as relatives these market players get most.

This is a first glimpse in how our contracts work. If you are interested I can dig in later. I want to close with two remarks. If a recruiter invoices both as an outplacement coach as well as recruiter, I doubt his ethical standard. Is he positive because the candidate is the best match or because he can charge twice for the same effort?

What intrigues or sometimes even frustrates me, is that recruitment is often considered a commodity. In a world where many CEOs state that human capital is their most important asset, there are too few about the quality of the recruiter. What about his track record, education, service portfolio and view on the profession? I look forward to your thoughts on the topic.

Pieter de Kiewit
pdk@treasurersearch.com

For some people, their new year’s resolutions involve finding a new career challenge. If this is you, you might appreciate a little advice. We have written several articles to guide you every step of the way in your job search. Below you find a handy oversight of these articles.

The first step in every job search is getting a clear view of what your next step should look like. Strategic Career Planning can help you find your way and keep you on the right path:

• How to use the SWOT analysis for Strategic Career Planning
• Mind the Gap: Gap Analysis in Strategic Career Planning

When you have decided what your next challenge should look like, it’s time to take a closer look at your CV and to update and adjust where needed:

• Looking for a new job opportunity? Update your CV!

You might want to use our services as we are a niche recruiter in treasury. Here you find more information on what we can do for you and what we expect from your side:

• The recruitment process: what can we do for you and what do we expect from you?

Great news! You landed an interview for your dream job! Here are a few articles that can help you prepare:

• 7 pointers on how to prepare for your job interview
• How to answer job interview questions using the STAR technique
• Fake it till you make it: 10 body language tips for your next job interview

When you are actively looking for a job it’s very common to apply for multiple jobs in a short amount of time. Too often we see it happening people not remembering their prior applications and apply for a second time for the same position (sometimes through different channels). This could send a signal of disinterest for the company where you applied. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, I want to offer a few tips on how you can easily keep track of your job search:

• Why you should keep track of your job search and some practical tips

I hope these articles will give you some guidance in your search for a new challenge. If you are contemplating your next career step and would like to talk about this, don’t hesitate to contact me or my colleague Pieter for a career calibration meeting! We might even be able to get you low threshold access to the TreasurerTest for career planning purposes.

Team Treasurer Search holds decades of full-time labour market experience. Recruitment processes do not hold many secrets for us, if any. On average, our research shows, a corporate treasurer changes jobs every six years. So what seems obvious for us, might not be for you. So we sat together to compile a list of practical aspects we think you should know about as an applicant, working with us.

1. Our website is most up-to-date of all online communication channels we use. Over 95% of our assignments is posted on our website. From there, the advertisements are distributed through jobsites and social media, partly by our doing, partly because others copy our texts. We cannot prevent there is outdated information out there;
2. You can apply through our website but also call or email us directly. We prefer the first option. Applying for the same position through jobsites, social media and our website (yes it happens) does not serve anybody and only wastes time and damages your reputation;
3. We do not discriminate. Not because we are not allowed, not because we think gender, religion, sexual orientation, passport or other aspects tell how well you will do the job and not because it is the decent thing to do. If we can stimulate diversity, we do. So often we refer to the candidate as “she”. Not because we think men or others cannot do the job;
4. Unless mentioned otherwise, the described salary is the base salary. In The Netherlands this is 12 month salaries and 8% holiday allowance. More detailed information comes later in the process for candidates who might qualify and are interested. We want to stress that the described salary is not excactly what will be paid to the final candidate, there are many factors that decide the salary level on the contract;
5. A job description is not a legal document or promise for the future. Purpose of the description is to inform and stimulate matching candidates to apply and start further information exchange. It is also to inform those who don’t, that reaching out is most likely a waste of time;
6. When we write that something is “a must” to qualify for a position that means that, if you cannot offer this, applying is a waste of your and our time;
7. If a text is written in Dutch or any other non-English language, you can assume you are expected to speak this language;
8. We almost always advertise anonymously. If you qualify and are interested, we will disclose the name of our client. This is to protect our clients from non-matching candidates or fellow recruiters claiming their time. This also means that we, as recruiters and you as candidate, have a commitment, let’s call it a social contract, towards each other to work together and try to reach the finish line. Only reach out to the discussed potential employer with us knowing;
9. Please inform us about other recruitment process you might be in. Managing processes in parallel benefits all;
10. We will keep you informed about the process as good as we can. If you are curious and/or impatient, we do not mind if you “poke us”. We are not a “don’t call us, we call you agency”.
11. We often mention the Treasurer Test as part of  the recruitment process. If you are asked to take the Test, it is paid by our client. The report will be presented to you first and only upon your approval it will be released to your potential employer. When you do not approve, for example because you do not like the result, likelihood is low you will proceed. If you want to take the Test as part of your career planning, let us know. Perhaps we can get you the career counselling price.