In Episode 24 fo Best Hire Ever, Kris Dunn talks with Blake Babcock about the pros and cons of using a confidential recruiting search prior to making a move on an underperforming team member. Blake and KD discuss optics, when to use and not use confidential search, as well as the challenges with the process, and more.
Blake and KD bookend the serious part of the convo with memories of a DisruptHR event with a lot of drunk people and a conversation about college football and how Ohio State can’t keep players and staff members from getting Covid. Good times!
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2:00 – Blake and KD talk about when they met — at a 2016 Disrupt HR event in Cleveland that had a bunch of alcohol flowing and slightly intoxicated presenters started using the F-bomb in awkward ways.
8:15 – KD and Blake start the conversation about how confidential search has a bad rap and while it shouldn’t be used a lot, but could be used a bit more than it is.
11:25 – When’s the right time and the wrong time to use a confidential search? Blake and KD discuss. Blake adds to KD’s thoughts, framing up confidential search as a great way to dip your toes in the water and figure out what the market is without fully committing. Candidate background, cost, and client sticker shock are discussed!
16:30 – Blake and KD talk about confidential search being used as a counter to managing expectations for team members that think they could be the next leader, but aren’t ready. Spoiler: The whole thing is complicated.
23:25 – KD and Blake talk about communications to candidates in a confidential search, when to disclose the client/company and more.
26:40 – What should you expect to pay for confidential search? Turns out if you want quality, you should expect to pay something up front.
29:12 – KD can’t help but talk about confidential search by comparing the Auburn coaching search vs the Texas coaching search. #decisiveness vs #victim.
36:17 – Ohio State can’t get their shit together with Covid. BB and KD laugh about it and break down.
