Executive search (also known as ‘headhunting’) is the process by which companies seek out professionals to make job offers, rather than put out an ad and wait for candidates to present themselves. Rick Pernod from Pernod Analytics knows all about executive search and has tailored his firm to help his clients acquire the best talent in data science and analytics executives for whatever role is required.
Rick was kind enough to answer some questions about his business and how it performs an advanced executive search.
Hi Rick, can you tell us about yourself and what prompted you to work in executive search?
Before I started my career in Executive Search, I taught creative writing at City College, part of the CUNY system. I also ran an award-winning literary non-profit in NYC called Exoterica for 12 years. I had reached a crossroads and had a curiosity about trying something new. I had family members in the recruiting business, and they thought I might be good in their line of business. I joined a family member’s firm, Hire Options, and learned the ropes of what it took to succeed in the field. Then Adecco offered me the lead in perm recruiting in their midtown Manhattan office.
After several successful years, I was recruited by the firm Twiller Moore as Managing Director. At my urging, we eventually shifted the focus of the practice to Data Science. I was lucky to have seen the writing on the wall; plus, I had studied in a Ph.D. program at Columbia University and taken many statistics and modeling courses, which helped with my learning curve. The name of the firm was then changed to Pernod Angelus.
I decided to strike out independently eight years ago, hence Pernod Analytics.
When did you decide to start your executive search firm (Pernod Analytics)?
My partner and I had a different vision for Pernod Angelus, so I thought it was time to take that vision and bring on the folks who would be eager to turn it into a vibrant executive search practice. I felt it essential to become a trusted partner with my clients—lots of value-adds– and to keep abreast of any techniques or tools that would keep us at the top of our game. I am doing better than I ever have, and after 10 years devoted to data science headhunting, I know my stuff and love my job.
Why is headhunting candidates for analytics roles better than putting out ads?
Not to be glib, but the telephone is an essential tool that distinguishes a headhunter from your average recruiter. Are you picking up the phone and building your network and database and network daily? Do you have the chops to make cold calls, penetrate relevant businesses, and discover those passive candidates? We use content marketing, social media marketing, and even job postings in some cases, but if that is all you do, you will not be that successful. The search must be customized for each job, especially if you are doing the number of upper-level placements we do. If I had to, with a phone and a good database, I could still run my business with decent success, even if everything else shut down.
What unique ways does Pernod Analytics perform an executive search to ensure quality candidates are recruited?
It is essential to have excellent communication with the hiring manager. Job descriptions only tell you so much; they might be templates or old descriptions they recycle. We must know who we are looking for, so we must figure out the tangibles AND intangibles for the desired candidate. There is a continuous fine-tuning that takes place as you proceed. Then, we define a search strategy –we do traditional headhunting, online marketing, “deep search,” referrals, and anything else we can do to find the best candidates to meet the client’s specific needs. Our interview process is extensive for any candidate we submit—we want to detect inconsistencies, check our database for shared contacts to get some feedback on the candidate, and identify potential stumbling blocks to the hiring process. We make sure both the client and candidate keep us up to date with anything that might come up that will impede the process. And then we have proven techniques to negotiate packages and close the deal. Seamlessness is the goal. That is the short answer, but you get the idea.
Can you tell us about your new offering, The Hiring Audit?
Absolutely! This is new this month. We were recently trained in conducting hiring audits based on recruiting best practices for existing and prospective clients. It is one more way we can become the trusted partners with clients that I mentioned earlier. And it builds up tremendous goodwill. So even if the prospective client does not become a client then and there, it builds up your network and paves the way for potential business in the future.
Tell us more, including how much it costs.
It is a structured two-way conversation between Pernod Analytics and a hiring manager, comprising 3 steps: Information Gathering (Diagnostics), Recommendation Sharing (Prescription), and a Leverage & Action Plan. We ask questions related to Success Practices in making quality hires. Based on their scores, we can recommend what they can do to improve the speed and effectiveness of their hiring processes and hiring results.
So many times, clients have been actively searching and unable to make that successful hire promptly and efficiently. Our pro-bono Hiring Audit is a way for them to get better and faster results, regardless of whether they subsequently use our services to fill openings.
The Hiring Audit is done by phone or a video call. It takes 20-30 minutes for the diagnostic dialogue step, where we ask questions to convey information related to various aspects of the hiring process. The client scores it, and once we analyze the results, we come back to them with 3-5 recommendations or changes the client can make to improve their hiring process and get them better hiring results. The conversation is confidential, and they use this valuable tool to help them improve their hires. I have gotten nothing but positive feedback from clients who have done this.
What are some of the traits of the best recruits for analytics roles?
I recently asked two of my clients this question. The first, the Head of Analytics for a giant healthcare company, told me she looked for these essential qualities in a data science candidate:
1) a natural love of numbers and statistics (if she was looking for a data engineer, this answer might differ a bit)
2) a spirit for collaboration
3) scrappiness, meaning great stamina in finding solutions, not afraid of failure
4) curiosity, being a learner for life in a constantly expanding field.
The other person, a Senior Director of Data Science for a national storage facility service, named his three sought-after traits:
1) curiosity, going as far as to say that it is “hopeless” if they don’t possess this trait
2) wisdom, which comes from the experience you get by applying your skills to solving real-world problems
3) an aversion to taking shortcuts, which end up taking more time and money than doing things the right way
You notice that they both list things that are not necessarily teachable.
How has COVID-19 changed the way you do business?
Well, business has certainly changed because of the virus. Adaptability is the answer to that question. Perhaps your vertical has been hit hard, such as Retail, and you need to expand your focus to include a vertical that has not been hit so hard. Mindset is also necessary here. If you get into the mindset that there are no jobs, no client wants to hear from me, or I won’t be able to last, that can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Develop new clients, check out current jobs on the boards, and put those firms on your prospect list. Those are just two of the more apparent tactics to take. Try not to become overwhelmed. There are future clients out there!
The Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius stated “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
The things that are in our control are our thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, and actions. Everything else is outside the reach of our control. So, I don’t have control over an event like COVID-19, but I do have control over how I react, and I can choose to live in a solution, not becoming obsessed with external “problems.”
When we realize this, we can accept the world around us for what it is and take responsibility for how we respond to it. It provides us with the strength to adapt, to innovate, to grow.
Thank you Rick for your time!
You can follow up with Rick Pernod at rick@pernodanalytics.com
And when you are ready to find the best talent in data science and analytics:
Pernod Analytics–Executive Search–Data Science & Analytics Recruiting
This interview was done by the Daily Scanner and first appeared on Google Business:
