The cost of a bad hire is high. Not only can a bad hire cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation packages and duplicated recruiting investments, it can also shake the confidence of shareholders, create instability in customer or client relationships and diminish employee morale.  Working with a member of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), the global standard-setting association of the executive search and leadership consulting profession, can substantially reduce the risk of a bad hire and improve your chances for attracting and retaining top executive talent.   Here’s why working with AESC member firms can minimize risk and boost your hiring success: 1. AESC Members Are Vetted to Rigorous Quality Standards. The AESC Professional Practice Standards are aligned with the Code of Professional Conduct (our shared values) and provide a framework for how members conduct their business. Firms who would join AESC are carefully evaluated to ensure they meet or exceed these standards as part of admission to the association. The vetting process also includes an evaluation of firm processes, client reference checks and a review of any legal actions that could implicate the firm in ethical breaches. Every AESC member firm has [...]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing executive research across the globe. Executive search firms are finding that AI can increase productivity, reducing time spent on labor-intensive tasks and creating efficiencies for assignments that handle large data sets.   Generative AI is proving to be especially helpful in executive research. Firms are harnessing the technology to streamline time-consuming aspects of the initial stages of executive talent acquisition. To ensure firms remain up to date on the use of AI in executive research, the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) hosted a workshop on the topic. “Artificial Intelligence & Executive Research” featured a presentation on how to apply AI in day-to-day tasks, examples of effective prompts and exclusive AESC research findings. The workshops also included a panel discussion featuring AESC members who shared their experience using AI, including their successes and challenges.   This blog explores key takeaways from workshop panelists, including insights into how real executive search professionals are effectively implementing generative AI to improve productivity, enhance efficiency, and support strategic decision-making.   AI Applications  Panelists identified several ways in which AI is helping them and their team work more efficiently toward finding right-fit candidates. Professionals use AI to:  Transcribe meetings and summarize [...]