These are the top components needed for a search to be successful. Without these critical pieces in place a search will depend far more on luck than skill, which is something clients cannot afford to gamble with.

Those components are:

• The search firm's ability to gain access to targeted pools of candidates

  In today's technology driven environment where information is open, it is not about the size of the search firm's database but rather the ability to go into the client's top competitors and recruit their executives. The two biggest barriers to getting to top candidates are a search firm's Off-limits list and its Candidate Custody issue.

  A firm or consultant could have the best experience within a particular segment or industry, but if the top 5 out of 10 competitors are off-limits then their experience becomes a handicap. Off-limits simply means that the firm or consultant cannot ethically recruit from an active or recent client. Off-limits usually last for 12 months after a search commences so check this carefully before hiring a firm or consultant.

  Candidate Custody is the hidden barrier that most multi-office global search firms avoid discussing. And with good reason, if a consultant and/or firm is executing several like searches simultaneously then each search is after the same candidate pool and custody issues will arise. So which search gets the candidate if he is right for several ongoing searches? A good question to ask the search firm before you spend your time and resources on an executive search.

  At Flynn Global Search we manage our client base so that client off-limit and custody issues are kept to a minimum and our clients get the greatest access to candidates available for their assignments.

• The relationship between the search consultant and the hiring manager

  The most important element for a successful search is the level of candor between the client and the consultant so that expectations are met throughout the engagement. Because there are several variables that impact a search such as location, time of year, compensation expectations, depth of the candidate pool etc., each search is unique and each search is tricky. Without the basis of a trusted relationship, a search can quickly turn into an ordeal and exceptional candidates can be lost to competing offers because the client and search consultant failed to form an effective team.

  At Flynn Global Search we strive to make sure that clear communication exists between the consultant and the client so that the search stays on track, on time, and successful.

• The ability of the search consultant to quickly understand the business need, the client's position in the marketplace, and the industry in which the client operates

  The quickest way to establish whether a search consultant knows your business is not by the names he may drop, but by the questions he asks in getting to understand the business problem solved through the hire of a specific executive. Often a fresh perspective by a search consultant into a new industry can add considerably more value than a grizzled veteran's view of the talent pool that he/she has picked through on numerous occasions without refreshing their database.

  At Flynn Global Search it is our mission to understand your business, the need at hand and your company's competitive advantage in your specific industry. From that, we will develop a search strategy that will locate and recruit the best candidates available and not just those left over from the last search.

• The skill level of the team conducting the search

  One of the first indicators of a skilled search executive is the judgment he uses when recruiting talent. This judgment is usually developed and refined over time through countless engagements and is the direct result of having successfully recruited talented executives under a variety of situations. Now what about his team? Most hiring managers will tell you that at one time or another the person selling the search was not the person doing the search. Instead, a junior team of recruiters often interviewed the finalist candidate while the selling partner "dropped in" on calls. The problem is that junior recruiters can't develop the same level of candidates as an experienced recruiter.

  At Flynn Global Search our partners are seasoned professionals whether they are the lead partners, candidate developers or researchers used for name generation. Our model offers our clients only experienced professionals as part of our team and not junior level researchers two years out of college.