Heidrick Interviewing, Selection and Hiring: Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

A company is only as good as the individuals working for it. The quality, experience, training and career development of personnel are all critical to the performance and productivity of any organization. This is why strategic recruitment is so essential to the long-term viability of a given business. The investment of time, money and manpower in training and integrating new employees dictates that all efforts should be taken at the outset to ensure that one's company is hiring the best candidates for the job. The case discussion on Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. demonstrates how important the strategy of effective recruitment is to achieving overall business goals.

Brief Analysis

The case of Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. presents us with a company with a unique dilemma. As a growing and flourishing firm in a field that itself is contracting, Heidrick must find ways to re-invent itself if it is to survive. The executive search firm, helmed by a forward thinking CEO in Kevin Kelly, finds itself at risk of being cut out of significant portion of its business by technology advances. Considerable strategic...

This threatens the role of middle-man organizations such as Heidrick & Struggles. Kelly's view as articulated by the present case study is that it is incumbent upon the company to differentiate itself through quality. As self-guided sources for searches become more commonplace online, the fostering of stronger relationships with key clients and focus on strategic recruitment may promise the only opportunity for Heidrick's long-term survival. This speaks to the imperative of creating a powerful body of knowledge amongst personnel which cannot be replicated using an online search.
Alternate Course of Action

This is why, among several steps that Kelly initiates in his reformation of the company, recruitment of a new generation of personnel is necessitated. As the industry model undergoes dramatic shifts, it is more important…