Frequently Asked Questions
Our ideal scenario is to partner with select clients for the long run. Once we assist in building your leadership team, it is not our desire to deconstruct it. We do honor a significant hands-off policy. No solicitation of any candidate for 24 months from the date of hire and no solicitation of executives employed by a client that has engaged NorthWind for multiple searches for 6 months from the end of the most recent engagement.
Retained search is a specialized management consulting service that evolved as an outgrowth of offerings by McKinsey and Booz-Allen in the 1950's. We deliver market assessments and recommendations to clients who need a strategic solution to a business problem. The retainer enables us to perform much greater rigor, due diligence, review, and analysis of the market and the individuals in it (in other words, it keeps us accountable!). It is this thorough process that results in the highest quality deliverable. Due to the fact that executive roles have such a significant material impact on a company’s financial and operational performance, we frequently recommend that a retained search approach be taken, regardless of whether they choose to work with us or another firm.
Quality and ethics form the foundation of our reputation, without which we could not have realized the success of decades in executive search. Our dedication to upholding a solid reputation is evidenced in our people, our efforts, and our commitment to our clients. We believe so strongly in the quality of our work that we provide a 1 year replacement guarantee for all retained projects.
Working with focused specialists and domain experts will produce a higher caliber of talent from your recruitment process and a stronger performance by both candidate and search firm relative to strategic and tactical company objectives. Furthermore, we believe a consultant that dedicates 100% of their time and effort to building relationships with executives within a specific market will deliver a more timely and targeted result than a generalist who works across multiple markets. Regarding companies that seek our help, we often share that we may not be the best resource if the sectors we specialize in are not important to them.