Their top candidate sported a large handlebar mustache, no teeth, a ten-gallon hat, buckskin jacket and bright yellow cowboy boots. He never made it past the airport. A glint in the eye. Without being abrasive, they must be a cheerful conduit between two parties trying to advance their own, often disparate, agendas. The ranks of successful executive recruiters are filled with those who view the glass as half full.
Some searches are no-brainers, but most take unimaginable twists and turns.
Trying to fit an interview into the schedules of two or more busy executives can take an interminable amount of time. Then, even if both sides like each other, the time required to make a final decision can seem endless. As facilitator, you must have the confidence and trust of both parties to move the process along without appearing to be self-serving. Executive recruiters shouldn't be confused with social workers. Ultimately, someone must agree to uproot and take the job.