FEATURE
EXECUTIVE RECRUITER GUIDE
Executive Recruiter Directory
This year's listing of the nation's largest black-owned executive recruiter firms.  Keisha Anderson  
Though they may be tiny fish in a big sea of contenders, minority-owned executive recruitment firms continue to play a major role in helping to diversify the American work-force. In 2002 alone, the 65 firms listed grossed $82.5 million, up 14.37% from $68 million in 2000. This year, 12 firms have been added to our list.

But it's not all good news. As white-owned recruitment firms continue to develop their minority-recruitment divisions, black-owned firms could see revenue gains flatten. As of September 2000, the combined revenues of black firms--$71.5 million--made up just a fraction of the $4.4 billion executive recruitment industry, according to Executive Recruiter News.  Many of the firms listed in our directory are working hard to bridge the gap.  It won't be easy and through it all the client (employers) will ultimately enjoy better results due to these efforts. 

Despite this, black firms continue evolving to meet the demands of corporate America. For example, many have expanded their services beyond executive recruitment to include temporary placement, diversity consulting and career counseling. Nonetheless, it's still difficult for them to sell their services. "The pie has gotten larger, but the piece going to minority-owned firms is still very small," says Winnie Richardson Davis, vice president of Joseph Davis Consultants in New York. Unlike their larger white-owned counterparts, she explains, few black-owned firms listed can afford to specialize in any one field, and must diversify the industries they service.

It's important to understand exactly what executive search firms are. Search firms primarily cater to the needs of the employer, not job candidates. And they shouldn't be confused with employment agencies or placement firms, where job candidates pay a fee to be placed. Revenue sources generally fall under two categories: contingency (C)--the client company pays a fee to the firm if the candidate is hired; or retained (R)--the client company pays the firm a fee for the search, whether or not a candidate is hired.

As a result, don't necessarily expect a response if you send in an unsolicited resume. Although some firms do respond with a postcard of receipt, they're not obligated to contact you.  The industry norm is apparently to have them find you rather than you find them. If you are a professional seeking new opportunities.     

David Pailin,  Sr. Partner of the Dallas-based Pailin Group Professional Search Consultants a retainer firm, who receives about 175 resumes a day, explains why his company previously did not quickly respond to all resume submissions: (1) Our primary thrust and mission is to scan the marketplace recruiting for the most qualified candidates per our clients exact requirements. Unfortunately some candidates may not be fully qualified for any of our current search assignments, which have to be our number one priority. Our clock starts as soon as we are engaged by our clients.  Our services are exclusively retained and our clients expect quick substantive results. Granted we do value all of the resumes and inquiries we receive and want them to always continue. However I feel it is probably an industry standard to respond immediately to those professionals that meet the exact requirements you have been hired to recruit. (2) The format of the resume is unacceptable (i.e., handwritten instead of typed, dates of employment, salary or job titles missing, smears, and even no return contact information provided, etc. All of these tend to present concerns or flags to our consultants. 

Executive search can sometimes be a painstaking and time consuming numbers game.  Search firms that want to stay in business  must use practical judgment and always strive to target the most qualified and professional candidates on behalf of our clients needs. Ideally we must utilize all screening tools available and the initial review of a candidate's background typically comes in the form of a resume of their credentials.  Unfortunately marginal examples of personal writing styles or other negatives is the first glimpse or impression we have of a candidate. Consequently if we are not impressed then we will not likely rush to contact that individual to share our client's requirements. 

(3) The candidate is seeking a job in an area in which the firm doesn't usually recruit.  Mr. Pailin noted that although many of the unsolicited resumes his firm receives may be from candidates unqualified for current active search assignments, he his instructed his staff to acknowledge every inquiry and or resume within 7 days of receipt. The Pailin Group will maintain the information in their confidential database for one year at a minimum.  At the end of the day our goal is excellence and frankly we see many more resumes than there are hours in the day.  Our consultants must take the cream off the top and immediately try to qualify them regarding our current search efforts.  

The Pailin Group was established in 1989 and represents global clients such as American Airlines, IBM, the American Heart Association, Chem, Bank Of America, Siemens Business Communications, Steak and Ale, ConAgra, Kodak, Wells Fargo, Praxair, Exxon Mobile, Johnson & Johnson and many others.  The firm conducts executive search in many professional areas specializing in presenting a diverse qualified pool of candidates to it's clients.  The future looks bright for this company and it seems that their clients agree judging from the amount of repeat and referral business it enjoys over their 10 plus years in operation.