The Process of Executive Search involves external management consulting professionals used by hospitals to
identify, attract, and evaluate qualified candidates for important executive and professional positions.
This confidential process involves research, search, and evaluation based upon a clear and precise
understanding of position and personal specifications.
Each search is, by definition, customized to meet the specific needs of your hospital and to support your
business plans and strategic direction.
The segments of our search process are as follows:
- Information and Specification development
- Research. Identification of the candidate pool and areas for recruiting concentration
- Candidate contacts and evaluations.
- Referencing, criminal/civil checks, and education verifications.
- Candidate presentations and assisting your Search Committee through the interview and offer process.
- Follow-up after the selected candidate is hired.
Information and Specification development
Using the Job Description, other information on your hospital, and thoughts and comments from you and your
Search Committee, we develop a formal document, the Specifications.
The Specifications are used in surfacing and partially evaluating candidates. In addition, we develop other
information – the Position Summary and the Position Responsibilities – are two typical examples, which add
to the profile of successful candidates. These other documents usually describe the culture and operating
philosophies of your hospital.
We expect to send the first draft of the Specifications to the Chair of the Search Committee very quickly. The
Specifications document is one of the first things shared with referral sources and candidates, so it is something
we should have complete within a week or so.
Research. Identification of the candidate pool and areas for recruiting concentration
This typically involves a several-pronged approach to surfacing candidates, with the intention of reviewing a
number of candidates simultaneously.
We typically use several data bases which are proprietary to LOUIS THOMAS MASTERSON & COMPANY.
We also usually list the position on several web sites and make contact with several key entities in health care.
Even though the referral sources are easily identifiable, the individuals possessing the multiple talents and
experiences that we anticipate your hospital is seeking are not so easily identified. Also, we need to be mindful
of probably conducting this search with some degree of confidentiality.
Candidate contacts and evaluations.
We approach this part of the process in a patterned manner, to standardize and to maximize the objective
evaluations and conclusions for all candidates and to treat each candidate fairly and professionally.
These evaluations are put into a written report and typically consist of a résumé, a synopsis of our interview(s),
and the results of two or more formal written evaluations. This leads to our ranking candidates within ranges
so that your Search Committee can evaluate them and interview them more objectively. We use a four-step
process prior to bringing a candidate to you:
- review and evaluation of résumé,
- review and evaluation of written requested information submitted,
- phone interview(s),
- personal interview(s).
In general, we find that this effort, on our part, up front, results in your Search Committee only seeing more
focused candidates.
This is the same process used during the many searches we have conducted at hospitals seeking new Chief
Executive Officers and other executives.
We also wish to emphasize our on-site activities during a search. This is clearly a point that we need to make.
We believe strongly in our on-site presence. It is more than simply helpful. We can manage the search and
interview process better by being on site. We can help interact with the Search Committee better; and we can
better and more effectively communicate to all involved.
Referencing, criminal/civil checks, and education verifications.
As much as interviewing is important to the evaluation process, no candidate should be considered as a final
candidate without his/her background being verified through a number of sources.
This is usually best done after candidates have been interviewed by your Search Committee once but before
the second interview. We will make these checks known to any candidate early on so that he/she will expect
them and will know that they are an integral part of our evaluation. No candidate is checked without his/her prior
approval. It goes without saying that this is a critically important role for your hospital, so this kind of careful
review is most appropriate.
Candidate presentations and assisting your Search Committee through the interview and offer process.
Interview scheduling, written candidate summaries prepared in advance, structured interviews with questions
prepared in advance, and interview debriefing are all part of managing the interviewing and negotiating
segments.
We know that most Search Committees are capable of doing this themselves; and, in reality, we will probably
add to the process by suggesting some slight changes. We have found that our input is helpful here, and we are
always sensitive to schedules.
Follow-up after the selected candidate is hired.
Once an individual has been hired and in place, a regular review of his/her fit is conducted to assist both your
hospital and the successful candidate to maximize performance. We don’t anticipate a problem; but if there is
one, it is always better to know about it as soon as possible and take appropriate steps.
We believe strongly that professionally provided Retained Executive Search adds to your hospital's
effectiveness; and, just as importantly, to the bottom line.
In providing Retained Executive Search, our commitment is nothing less than your total satisfaction.