Executive Recruiter Insures Employers and Executive Candidates
Work Together to Find the Right Match
by Hélène Seiler

When hiring senior management, corporate executives should take note — an estimated 40 percent of senior executives hired from outside fail within the first 18 months on the job. The cost of a failed executive recruitment could be as high as 28 times the base salary; at the upper management level, this could account for hundreds of thousands of dollars put at risk for companies on an annual basis.

Hiring the right executive is crucial for success, especially in today’s competitive environment and global economy. STEWART, COOPER & COON, a nationwide executive recruitment company servicing Fairfield and Westchester Counties, has announced the launch of a leading edge senior staffing initiative they call PRE-BOARDING to help employers find the best possible candidate for senior management levels, and also help the new employee mesh with the corporate culture and environment for long-term success. As the name indicates, PRE-BOARDING happens before the executive candidate is recruited.

Many executive HR consulting companies now offer the option of coaching the new senior executive after the recruiting decision has been made. However, by then if the recruiting decision were wrong, on-board coaching may not be enough. STEWART, COOPER & COON believes that most of the potential transition process issues, including cultural, value and career strategy alignment, can be resolved beforehand, during the recruiting process.

The benefits of addressing pre-boarding issues during the recruiting process include:

  • A more thorough, objective, and totally transparent approach that limits the possibility of a mis-hire to a minimum
  • A more motivated and more knowledgeable new senior executive recruit who understands what it is going to take to succeed and is prepared for the challenges to come
  • An executive who will bring value to the company much faster
  • An executive who is committed for the long run

“Pre-Boarding is an essential hiring method that uses executive coaching techniques,” said Hélène Seiler, Executive Vice President, Pre-Boarding at STEWART, COOPER & COON.

Seiler went on to note, “Pre-boarding enables a transparent and long-term oriented recruiting process and greatly enhances the odds of on-board success and long-term retention. Pre-Boarding helps companies hire smart and helps potential management recruits make the best decision for their careers.”

Pre-Boarding addresses companies’ recruiting needs through a team assessment, using a 360 degree tool to foster a team discussion about the position description and goals. The screening process for executives becomes a full-fledged, career coaching process for the top five candidates. Once the top five candidates are selected to interview, Stewart, Cooper & Coon helps all parties approach the process as a pre-transition discussion with a totally transparent, win-win mindset.

STEWART, COOPER & COON has a nationwide presence with offices in Phoenix, Arizona and Greenwich, Connecticut. Led by Pre-Boarding in the executive selection and transition category, the portfolio of corporate services also includes comprehensive client support with business staffing modeling, consulting and human capital management processes.

To learn more about STEWART, COOPER & COON services, please contact:

Hélène Seiler, Executive Vice President, Pre-Boarding at (203) 249 9837 or hseiler@stewartcoopercoon.com; and
Chuck McConnell, President and COO at (866) 883-4200 ext 220 or cmcconnell@stewartcoopercoon.com

Hélène Seiler, Executive Vice President, Pre-Boarding, for STEWART, COOPER & COON has twenty years of international consulting and human resource management experience. Since 1997, she has led Helsei Consulting Inc. a Greenwich-based boutique career management company focused on the search for and coaching of international executives. Prior to that, Hélène worked as a change management and strategy consultant in Western Europe and in North America for A.T. Kearney. She assists European and North American corporations with executive talent management and leadership development, including assessment, career management, recruiting, on-boarding and outplacement. She also works privately with executives through their job search processes. On that topic, Hélène recently co-authored the book, For Executives Only: Applying Business Techniques to your Job Search. Hélène holds a Master of Management Science from HEC School of Management and is an Adjunct Executive Coach for the Center of Creative Leadership. A native of France, Hélène has lived in Greenwich since 1995 and is an active community leader in the field of art education. She is also known locally for her work with working mothers re-entering the workforce.

Charles “Chuck” McConnell, President and Chief Operating Officer of STEWART, COOPER & COON also oversees the Pre-Boarding initiative. He has been a leading voice in career transition management for many years, currently as Senior Partner at Stewart, Cooper & Coon, Inc. Previously, as CEO, he defined and developed First Career Corporation and FindCareer.com. He served as the “On-line Career Expert” for the New York American Marketing Association.

Chuck has published numerous articles on the subjects of senior level career management and search campaign preparation and has organized national and international conferences that have assisted thousands to place their career searches on track for success. He earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BA in economics from DePauw University and Exeter University in England. He taught sales and marketing management at Emerson College in Boston and served in the USAF, where he was Management and Procedures Officer within SAC and PACAF. A 30-year resident of Greenwich, Chuck has actively served in civic affairs. Most recently, he has been involved in charity work in the field of education and community outreach.