Contact: Steven Alschuler / Melissa Luke (212)575-4545
Linden Alschuler & Kaplan, Inc. Public Relations

With economic conditions and technological innovation enabling businesses to grow at an extraordinary pace, companies are finding that they need to devote increased resources to marketing and public relations - key factors in enhancing market share, building a brand and competing in a global environment, according to Erika Weinstein, Managing Director of Stephen-Bradford Search.

“The most critical factor for any company considering a major focus on public relations is the staff they have conceiving and managing that program,” says Weinstein. “The wrong person at the helm of the PR effort can cost more than just that person’s salary - a misdirected focus and faulty strategy can waste precious dollars in the PR and marketing budgets. And it can mean time - perhaps your most precious commodity in a competitive arena - irretrievably lost.”

Stephen-Bradford Search counsels companies in search of public relations and marketing executives and has found that, although every search is unique, there are some guidelines that can help ensure that people are hired who fit the corporate culture, who understand and can fulfill the requirements of the job, and who can play a key role in helping the company move forward.

The Best People Aren’t Reading the Help Wanted Ads.

When conducting a search of this kind, a company shouldn’t limit itself only to candidates who are in the job market. Executives should ask themselves who the ideal candidate would be and then set about trying to recruit that person. Individuals of the highest caliber often are not looking for a new job, they are not reading classified ads, and they are not responding to job openings listed on the Internet. They are happy where they are and have to be convinced by a prospective employer that they would benefit significantly by making a change. Many businesses retain an executive search firm after they have already advertised in the paper or on the Internet. They have already spent weeks culling though hundreds of innappropriate resumes. In some cases, they have already hired someone who hasn’t worked out. Time, money and competitive advantages have been lost.

Define the Job and Understand Your Own Needs.

Stephen-Bradford recently completed a search for a PR executive at the Managing Director level of a large national real estate firm. They had recently hired someone for the job who hadn’t worked out. During that initial search, they had advertised for the job and they had contacted people working for competitors and been turned down. The reason for the turn-downs, in my opinion, is that they simply called people and asked them if they were interested in changing jobs. Since they were all happy where they were, they said no. The company didn’t take into account the tight market for skilled PR people. To attract someone from another job, you have to convince him or her about the benefits.

As a result, they hired a marketing person who didn’t possess the PR expertise they needed. It soon became clear that the person also didn’t possess the personal characteristics needed to thrive at this particular company. Both of these attributes are critical.

At the start of our search, we focused our client very carefully on the definition of the job. How much direct media contact was required? Did it involve more strategy or more pitching? How crucial was knowledge of the real estate industry and the real estate media? What would the person’s role be within the company? With whom would he or she have to interact?

Indeed, we identified someone who was a top PR executive at a competing real estate firm. His knowledge and background were crucial. Perhaps most important, as in many searches, is the temperament and character of the person involved. In this case, the person who filled the job would have to deal with senior level executives across the country, all strong personalities. In addition to his public relations skills, this person was going to have to have the gravitas and self-confidence to fit into that environment. At the same time, we could see that he would have to be a soft tree in the wind, someone who could bend to the needs of the others, but hold fast to the core of what he needed in order to succeed.

Don’t Be Afraid To Look Outside Your Industry.

In this instance, it was important to identify someone with experience within our client’s industry. However, in many cases, that would prove too limiting. Often, talent is fungible. Someone who promoted a brick and mortar retailer may well have the skills necessary to promote an online retailer. We recently completed a search for an Internet health information provider. The successful candidate was someone who came from the top PR spot at a large company that had nothing to do with the Internet or healthcare. But she was a perfect fit for the job.

Again, defining the job and understanding the environment are crucial first steps in any search. Failing to take them limits a company’s odds of success and makes it more likely that the person hired will ultimately prove disappointing.

Move Quickly.

In this job market, it is crucial that prospective employers move quickly when they identify the right candidate. If the person is actively looking for a job, he or she is likely to receive another offer. If it is someone you’re recruiting, delays can be a turn-off. It makes the candidate think you’re not serious.

Confidentiality becomes an issue and the candidate may become concerned that his or her current employer may find out, or members of the media may find out, that they’re interviewing.

Weinstein concluded: “If finding the right people for key PR jobs is crucial, so is engaging in a process that enables you to succeed. Searching in an effective manner, defining the position and understanding the environment, can save a company enormous amounts of time and make a sometimes frustrating task bear long-term benefits.”