The Profile of a Successful Candidate

by Nicole Hooper & Johannes Larcher

Recently we had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Richard Ferry, the co-founder of Korn/Ferry International. We asked Mr. Ferry, based on his many years as the leader of the world's largest executive recruitment firm, "What makes a successful candidate?" While Mr. Ferry emphasized that there is no one right candidate for every opportunity, he indicated that there are characteristics that are often critical, especially for the more senior positions.

Diversity of Experience

The successful candidate has evolved over the last 30 years. Mr. Ferry commented, "When I began in this business, we looked for a candidate who was employed by the same company throughout his or her career." However, despite the required company loyalty, he noted that world-class executives have always looked for a diversity of experience. In the past, hiring managers and recruiters sought executives who had held many different positions under the same corporate umbrella. Today, they overwhelmingly seek candidates with diverse experience, regardless of whether this experience has been with just one company or a variety of employers. In fact, recruiters and hiring managers are often surprised to see a manager who has not moved around often. Today, such loyalty needs to be explained in the context of clear career advancement, just as "company hopping" had to be explained decades ago.

What is Diversity of Experience?

What exactly is meant by the term "diversity of experience?" Mr. Ferry pointed to these critical components:

• Experiencing a variety of different jobs, i.e. operations, business development, strategic planning, marketing/sales
• Demonstrating an ability to function in a range of company/department cultures
• Seeking out leadership opportunities
• Working in the international marketplace

The focus is on continually looking for new challenges that enable you to grow your skills and demonstrate your capabilities.

The Story Must Always be Compelling

Whether discussing the loyal "company lifer" of yesterday or the advancement-minded manager of today, Mr. Ferry emphasized that a logical, well-thought out career story is an absolute necessity. Each move a candidate makes must, first, have clearly advanced him or her upward not only in pay, but also in responsibilities, AND, second, contributed to his or her steady career progression. Whether at one company or many, each new position must demonstrate a viable career move, not just a higher salary. While companies today acknowledge that many workers feel little loyalty, they still expect employees to be motivated by the challenge for which they are hired. If your resume indicates that you jump ship for a higher salary without demonstrating meaningful accomplishments, such behavior will hurt you, even today.

What Else?

While diversity of experience and a compelling professional story are critical, they are not the whole picture. Mr. Ferry was quick to note that the truly great candidates demonstrate leadership not only in their professional lives, but also in the community. By taking leadership roles outside of the business world, candidates show they can operate in a new environment, at the same time that they are establishing connections and a reputation among a wide circle of influencers in their communities.

Path to the Top

Each of the areas discussed above represents a step on the journey to the top. However, they do not represent a turnkey formula for success. We pushed Mr. Ferry to help us identify the most successful routes to the top. Mr. Ferry noted that today the fastest route to the top is marketing, as opposed to operations or staff functions. However, he added that many senior officers are tapped from finance positions. Ultimately, there are no hard and fast rules. Mr. Ferry suggested that studying the current and recent management at a company would yield the best clues as to favored paths for that organization.

Presenting a compelling resume is not a sure formula; it depends on your interests, ambitions, and opportunities, as well as the needs and culture of your target company. However, Mr. Ferry's perspective may provide you with insight into what hiring managers might consider in evaluating the executive who gets a top job offer.