MSA follows a “Recruiting Partnership” approach to assisting you with securing the best candidates available for any given position. We want you to view us as an extension of your Team, working together to ensure the best possible outcome in the hiring process. Our Recruiting Team is quite simply, the best in the industry and dedicated to providing your firm with Impact Players that make a difference.

The following chronological events are typically the steps involved in the search process.

1. Objectives

We will conference with you in regard to your objectives in partnering with MSA. For example, are you interested in MSA identifying candidates to fill a specific position, or are you focused on expansion within a target market and simply looking for quality production opportunities?

Once you have determined the areas you would like MSA to assist with, we will discuss a job description for the position(s) you are seeking to fill, so that we have a thorough understanding of what each position entails. You will need to provide a complete compensation package for each position. For Executive level positions, a list of Core Competencies is suggested. We can assist with this upon request.

In the event you are a new Client, you may be asked to complete a Company Profile. This is a brief questionnaire outlining basic information about your firm and will help us better present the attributes of your organization to potential candidates.

Fees…We will discuss our Fee Schedule with you as it relates to the search we are conducting and provide a copy of our rates. Our Fees are industry competitive and we offer many elements that most retained firms do not, such as our Performance Guarantee. There are several payment options available, including substantial discounts based on the nature of the assignment. MSA conducts all searches on a Retained basis. This is essentially pre-payment of a portion of the Fee prior to commencement of the search. There are clear cut reasons behind our Retainer policy – please see our FAQ section for more information.

2. Contract

MSA will provide our standard search Agreement, which outlines the nature of the position, geographic target market(s) and Fees. All contracts contain both MSA’s Performance Guarantee in addition to our Candidate Guarantee. We stand behind every Retainer collected and every Placement made. In some cases, the wording contained within our standard Agreement may need to be changed slightly to accommodate your specific needs or preferences.

Your signature on the Contract as an authorized representative of your firm authorizes MSA to begin the search process.

3. The Search Process

The search will officially get underway upon receipt of the Retainer. MSA will begin search efforts in the geographic areas you have specified. As candidates begin to emerge, you will have the option of deciding how you want to proceed. You may want to have an initial “get-to-know-you” telephone interview with candidates before scheduling a more formal meeting, or you may opt to simply schedule a day for interviewing once we have developed a candidate pool.

MSA may request that you forward several “promotional packages” highlighting the attributes of your firm, so that these will be available to potential candidates seeking additional company information before committing to an interview. (Most companies have a package that they offer to new employees, or a “recruiting packet” of some kind, detailing the most frequently asked questions about the company, benefit information, etc. If your company does not have such a package, generally a good website will suffice.)

Upon request, in the event you do not have sufficient marketing material to provide to new candidates, MSA will work with you to create an impressive brochure that highlights the merits of your firm.

Time Frame…We are frequently asked, “How long will it take to get this position filled?” There are too many variables in play to provide a stock answer to this question. Some searches are more difficult than others. Current market conditions are also a factor. However, you can generally expect to see a solid candidate pool emerging within three weeks at the most.

Accessibility…Once we begin to submit candidates, we ask that you are responsive and accessible to our recruiting team. We have seen many outstanding candidates lost due to lengthy delays on the part of the company in the interviewing process. We recognize that you are busy and that recruiting is not always the top priority. However, the biggest mistake made by employers once a candidate is excited about your company is to let too much time go by before getting them in front of you or continuing the hiring process. This is critical to the success (or failure) of the search. If you are not ready and willing to devote the time and effort necessary to secure the best candidate for the position, we respectfully ask that you wait until such time as your calendar allows.

4. The Offer

Once you have narrowed down the candidate pool and are ready to extend an Offer, you have several options available to you. Depending on the rapport you have developed with the candidate of your choice, you may elect to contact them directly to negotiate the offer. Almost all hires involve some degree of negotiation with regard to compensation. The most successful hires involve companies that recognize the need for a degree of flexibility.

On the other hand, you may prefer to have MSA extend the Offer and act as the “third party” in the negotiation process. Often times, candidates will tell their Recruiter things that they may not feel comfortable saying to a potential employer. For example, let’s assume you have an Offer extended to a Regional Manager. It includes a salary, overrides and bonus opportunity. Benefits start with your firm after 90 days of employment. However, the candidate is facing three months of COBRA payments, which, depending on the situation, may be somewhat of a financial burden to the candidate, especially given the usual “down time” associated with making a move. The candidate may not feel comfortable in asking you directly if picking up the cost of 90 days of COBRA payments is an option; however they generally do not hesitate to ask their Recruiter if this is possible. Sometimes this can make the difference in a candidate choosing your firm over a competitor.

Once the Offer has been successfully negotiated and a start date agreed upon, we will coach the candidate in the resignation process from his or her current employer. In some cases, there will be significant attempts made (usually in the form of more money) to get the candidate to stay. We are prepared to deal with this and will counsel the candidate accordingly.

In addition to a verbal Offer acceptance, we strongly advise a written Offer Letter, outlining the terms of compensation, Title of the position and the start date agreed upon, which the candidate should sign and return to you or your Human Resources department.

5. Wrapping Up

Once you have successfully hired the candidate of your choice and filled the position, you will be forwarded an invoice representing the balance of the Fee due MSA. If there are no other positions to be filled, the amount of the Retainer Fee will be deducted from the final invoice. If you are satisfied with the work MSA has performed in behalf of your company, we may ask you to provide a brief Testimonial to add to our website.