In the world of executive recruitment and hiring, the critical role of a Chief People Officer or VP People should never be underestimated. When a CEO decides to go to market with their search, the urgency and precision with which the hiring team and process are executed can make all the difference.
When a CEO approaches our team for assistance, a familiar set of priorities often surfaces:
- This hire is my number one priority
- We want the person in place by (insert date)
- How long is this going to take?
The urgency and the demand for efficiency are palpable. This blog showcases the essential role one VP People played in expediting and ensuring the success of an ELT (Executive Leadership Team) hire for their Series C SaaS organization.
Proactive Roadblock Removal
This VP People perceived their role as essential in eliminating roadblocks and ensuring smooth progress. This proactive approach proved instrumental in expediting the entire hiring process.
Swift Offer Letter Preparation
They went further by having the offer letter ready on the day the search began. Only basic details like the amount and the name/address of the hire were needed to finalize the offer. This not only saved time but also showcased a commitment to efficiency.
Direct Communication Channels
Worked to establish a direct communication channel between the hiring stakeholder (Co-Founder) and the recruitment team. This allowed our team to eliminate unnecessary meetings to discuss candidates, resulting in a more streamlined process that saved valuable time and maintained candidate interest.
Dedicated Admin Support
A dedicated administrative resource was assigned to the hiring stakeholder. This admin responded to emails promptly and scheduled interviews within 24-48 hours of our candidate submissions. This high level of efficiency ensured that the hiring momentum was sustained.
Rapid Interview Process
Impressively, interviews took place within 24-48 hours of candidate submissions. Despite initial skepticism, the VP People demonstrated that it was possible to expedite the interview process without compromising quality.
This VP People also worked to streamline the hiring process to just five steps:
- Hiring Stakeholder Discussion: A light, business-focused discussion with the Co-Founder about the company's vision and market opportunities set the stage.
- Co-Founder Interview: The second step involved a more in-depth interview with the Co-Founder.
- Combined Meeting with VP Sales and VP Marketing.
- Combined Meeting with Director Product and Director Design.
- CEO Meeting: The final step was a meeting with the CEO, who focused on selling and vision casting and left the decision-making responsibility to their Co-Founder.
This structured process led to a successful VP Product hire in just 33 business days; a remarkable achievement that speaks volumes about the approach's effectiveness. Even more impressive is that the role was filled three times within this timeframe - the third candidate accepted the offer after the first two declined for various reasons.
The speed and quality of hire were largely due to the VP People and their commitment to streamlining processes, within their organization, to allow us to get great candidates presented and interviewed with maximum efficiency.
If you find yourself on the path to hiring a Chief Product Officer or VP Product, consider the following: Is this your number one priority? Are you committed to swift and efficient decision-making? When you engage our firm, it becomes our number one priority. We will get you to a successful hiring outcome, fast.
