“Try & Hire” at the highest level – why not?
An experienced executive looking for a new challenge often struggles to find a suitable role. Despite the skills and experience of the seasoned executive, companies often prefer to hire younger executives, based on the perception that they will be more adaptable to change and less costly. How can we challenge this perception?
When a company undertakes a significant project, finding the right skills and competencies internally is often a challenge for the following reasons:
- You may lack a critical competence within your organization (e.g. digitization, transformation)
- Since the project is temporary, hiring a permanent resource is not an option
- The current management team may not have the relevant network or contacts for the project, for example, if you are moving into a new region
If you find yourself in any of the above situations, why not consider the option of the “interim executive” and assign the execution of your project to an experienced external resource for a limited period of time. There are several advantages to this approach:
- A swifter, more efficient execution of the project
- Your team can learn from the skills and experience of the interim manager
- A high level of acceptance by the organization and its employees of the interim executive (it’s only a mandate)
- If the collaboration is successful, and a longer-term role or other projects are envisaged, the interim executive can be hired permanently
- Reduces the risk of recruiting an incompatible candidate as you will have had the opportunity to “Try before you hire”
This initiative has remarkable advantages for both the organization and the interim executive. Next time your company has to undertake a significant project, why not think about this option?
