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Frequently
Asked Questions
Potential
JSA clients have frequently asked questions on one or
more of the following topics. For your convenience, we
have listed these FAQ topics below, and linked them to
appropriate answers.
Click
one of the topics listed below for more information.
OUR
CLIENTS AND TYPICAL ASSIGNMENTS:
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Jordan-Sitter Associates has been providing executive search services since
1978. Our clients consist, solely, of manufacturers and distributors/dealers of
construction, mining, industrial, utility, material handling, rental, and
agricultural equipment. Our management level searches include all disciplines
within the industry: Executive and General Management (CEO, COO, GM), Marketing, Product
Specialists, Sales, Product Support, Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, Rental
Operations, Used Equipment, etc. Our assignments are often world-wide in scope.
PROFESSIONAL
RELATIONSHIP - " WIN-WIN-WIN":
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During an exclusive, retained search assignment, our
firm becomes a temporary extension of our client's
activities. This confidential relationship can be
likened to one between a company and its CPA firm or law
firm. The goal of this partnership clearly becomes the
prompt acquisition of the best qualified manager for our
client company. This exclusivity feature is vital to our
partnership. Fortunately, our relationships typically
develop into long-term friendships, both professionally
and personally. We know that when our client selects the
right candidate for a position, a win-win result occurs.
When the client and the winning candidate and his/her
family are satisfied, JSA also wins… Therefore, there
is a true win-win-win.
CAN
JORDAN-SITTER SAVE OUR COMPANY TIME AND MONEY?
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One of the big pluses for our clients is the amount of time we save
them. Once we are awarded an exclusive assignment, and receive
the retainer, Bill Sitter, Chris Sitter, and our JSA team of full-time Associates personally
conducts all recruiting/search efforts, and our firm handles all reference
checking. This is true regardless of the source of the candidate.
Realistically, each of our search assignments requires hundreds of hours,
including many, many night and weekend hours, plus: travel, Federal Express, and
phone bills of surprising size. This is why our clients appreciate our flat fee,
plus (only) authorized travel expenses approach. Year after year, our repeat
business proves that we save our busy clients both time and money, while
producing positive results.
MATCHING
CANDIDATES TO OUR CLIENT'S SPECIFICATION AND SOURCES OF
CANDIDATES:
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A winning candidate must be a proven producer, whose
performance can be verified, and who "fits"
our client's culture and the position specification
which we and our client have developed. In all
likelihood, this individual is, currently, happily
employed. These facts are important, as we think about
the difficulty of sourcing and the confidentiality
involved in such a process. Our experience, supported by
recent survey findings, indicates that the most
qualified candidates are normally not found from the
stacks of resumes and applications which result from a
job advertisement. That is why JSA does not rely on
advertisements…. We know where to look for superior
management talent.
EQUIPMENT
INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS:
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True industry
specialization means that we have the right contacts in
the heavy equipment industries we serve. We know where
and how to confidentially find and recruit candidates
who are proven performers. Our candidate database tracks
all key skills and capabilities. As students of this
industry, we carefully read many trade publications. We
personally attend several trade shows and industry
meetings annually. These events provide excellent
opportunities for preliminary candidate interviews
and/or referencing.
We are consistently awarded exclusive and retained executive search
assignments because we know the equipment industry and we produce positive
results for our clients. Our record shows that we strive to be active,
solid citizens of the equipment industry, which is our only
industry. Our clients know that we have many years of hands-on management
experience with equipment dealers and manufacturers. We are active in AED, AEM,
ARA, and MHEDA, and we are frequently asked to present seminars
and to write articles on the subject of interviewing and hiring.
Bill Sitter, Owner of JSA, has well over 30 years of industry experience and
has held senior management positions with equipment manufacturers and distributors.
Jordan-Sitter is thankful for the many repeat clients we have had the privilege
of serving since 1978, in the Construction, Mining, Industrial, Utility,
Material Handling, Rental, Used, and Agricultural segments of the equipment
industry.
RETAINING
JSA = A TWO WAY COMMITMENT:
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The retainer forges a commitment between JSA and our
clients. We professionally "partner" to
complete the assignment. It is not unusual for
non-exclusive search assignments to be forsaken by
contingency firms, if the assignments are relatively
hard to fill, or if the firms simply have more lucrative
opportunities.
COST
OF UNSUCCESSFUL HIRING DECISIONS:
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A 1991 AED Survey on Unsuccessful Hiring Decisions told
us that $50,000 was the median and $500,000 to $750,000
was the high-end cost of actual bad hiring decisions. We
also learned that nearly two years were lost in the
process of: hiring, training, evaluating, terminating,
and finally, replacing unsuccessful hires.
COMMON
SENSE FLAT FEE APPROACH:
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For many years, JSA clients have appreciated our
conservative flat fee approach. In our proposal, we
lock-in on a total flat fee for each search assignment.
Thirty percent of the fee represents the up-front,
non-refundable retainer portion of the fee. A second
thirty percent of the fee is due in sixty days and the
balance of our fee is due upon candidate's offer
acceptance. The only significant additional client
expenses are for client authorized travel for JSA
candidate interviews and client meetings. Many search
firms routinely bill clients for: research, trade show
travel, telephone, Federal Express charges, etc. Clients
appreciate the fact that, because we are heavy equipment
specialists, JSA actively attends key trade shows and
participates in many annual trade association
meetings…at our expense.
Our
repeat search assignments indicate that we provide
confidential, professional, executive search services
which represent a solid value.
STABILITY:
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Since 1978, our firm has
served manufacturer and distributor/dealer clients, in
the heavy equipment industry. This is in marked contrast
to turnover rates which often approach fifty percent in
the executive recruiting profession.
NO
CANDIDATE SALES PITCHES:
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We are not sure what a company's experience has been
with contingency recruiters; However, it is easy to
comprehend their natural tendency to "sell a hiring
authority on a candidate". JSA seeks the very best
candidates for our clients and will report objectively
on strengths and weaknesses. This is, fundamentally, a
major difference between JSA and some other firms.
Our
professional relationship and our exclusive search
assignment approach assures our clients that we will not
try to "sell them on a candidate". If all we
provided were resumes and a sales pitch on candidates,
then, in our opinion, we would not be entitled to a fee
or a retainer. Our long track record, with many
satisfied industry clients, indicates that our approach
is in tune with the goals of our clients.
JSA
- CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS:
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Once a JSA search commences, we will have regular and
confidential contacts with our client hiring authority.
We request our clients' home and mobile phone numbers to
expedite communications. Details are important to us,
and to our clients. Clients receive thorough,
easy-to-read reports which include: candidate profiles,
using a consistent format, focused reference reports,
and our in-depth JSA/candidate interview reports. Often,
our dossier includes the candidate's photograph and the
candidate's response as to how he/she meets the desired
qualifications of the position spec. Clients will not
receive a packet of resumes with notes attached.
Our
communications with candidates are handled
confidentially and professionally, in a manner which
reflects positively on our clients. When a JSA search is
completed, we write each candidate, and helpful source,
to thank him/her on behalf of JSA and our client. We
strive to maintain positive relationships in all of our
contacts, and we frequently develop new friends for our
clients.
INITIAL
CLIENT VISIT TO START A NEW SEARCH:
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The goals of our initial client visit are to develop a
meaningful position specification and to clarify key
factors for a successful "fit" to the culture,
work environment, and the area. Typically, our one to
two day visit includes meetings with several key
managers, facility tours, and the gathering of company
information suitable for our recruiting packets.
Frequently, our clients drive us through some of the
residential areas where the winning candidate might
choose to live. Chamber of Commerce relocation packets
are also gathered for use with serious candidates and
their families.
REPEAT
CLIENT BUSINESS AND SATISFIED CLIENT REFERRALS:
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From time-to-time, new clients ask candid questions
about our JSA search methods and procedures and how we
would work together. This often leads to a telephone
discussion followed by a no-obligation proposal packet.
A subsequent telephone consultation frequently results
in a commitment to exclusively retain JSA, and to
schedule a meeting. Our confidential and professional
process typically results in our client selecting a
proven performer to fill a key need. The result is that
many, many clients use our firm for one search. This
first search has led to satisfied clients and to many
repeat search assignments. Repeat business from
satisfied clients and their referrals accounts for a
very high percentage of our business activity at JSA.
EVALUATING
APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION RANGES:
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We agree with our clients that the goal is to obtain a
superior person who can "hit the ground
running", and who is willing to relocate if
necessary. Our best candidates are often currently
employed, and have families and a home. With this in
mind, there must be incentive for the individual to make
a change. We believe that the first year earnings
potential must be geared to attract a qualified panel of
proven applicants for your company. We often assist our
clients with: compensation mini-survey feed-back, salary
and incentive plan suggestions and first year guarantee
recommendations; and we typically negotiate the total
compensation and relocation package.
INCLUDING
OUR CLIENT'S INTERNAL CANDIDATES:
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Once we are retained, any serious internal candidates
are also referred to us for inclusion in our process.
Our client and the internal candidates know that we will
be objective and that we will receive the same full fee
regardless of the source of the winning candidate. Also,
when our client receives a resume or application, it is
turned over to JSA for inclusion in our process. That
individual will receive the same objective scrutiny as
any other JSA candidate. It is essential that JSA and
our clients are mutually committed to finding and
selecting the very best!
FAMILY
RELOCATION:
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Family relocation is often involved, and Jordan-Sitter
Associates is accustomed to being a part of that
process. Spouses and families play key roles in
successful relocations. We often talk with spouses by
phone and meet them during our candidate interview
visit. Typically, we travel with hiring authority
approval to the candidate's city to conduct an in-depth
interview. We often visit the candidate's home to meet
the spouse and gain a feel for their lifestyle - as it
may impact the relocation. We provide Chamber of
Commerce information on the area, as well as information
on the company. The home visit may include a viewing of
videos on the company and/or the area. Our reports to
clients include a relocation assessment. We also
typically assist our clients with final negotiation of
the compensation and relocation package.
ARRANGING
FOR CLIENT - CANDIDATE MEETINGS:
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Once our client has selected a panel of finalist
candidates (often 2 to 4), JSA coordinates schedules for
confidential meetings. Normally, one or two finalists
are invited back for a second meeting, to include an
opportunity for spouses to see the area, and to have
dinner with our client.
CONFIDENTIAL
IN-DEPTH REFERENCE CHECKING:
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When finalist candidates are identified, JSA contacts
individuals who are qualified to comment in-depth as
references for the candidates. The credibility of these
individuals is enhanced because frequently they are
either friends in the business or industry contacts of
ours developed over the last 30 years. Educational
credentials are typically verified and secondary
references are often checked.
INTERNATIONAL
EXPERIENCE:
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Joe Jordan's first assignment was an international
search, and there have been several since then. Bill
Sitter lived and worked in Europe and the Middle East
for Caterpillar. JSA tracks candidates with
international experience and language capabilities. |