A HIGHER STANDARD IN EXECUTIVE SEARCH

OUR PROCESS

Marylouise Fennell will offer a proven process that is flexible and easily customized to each client's needs. From assisting in developing the search timeline to providing guidance with negotiations at the conclusion, to partnering with the board and president and guiding the search committee, Marylouise Fennell and her associates will provide excellent service throughout the process. They do the "heavy lifting", electronically receiving and acknowledging nominations and applications, keeping candidates abreast of the search's progress, maintaining contact with candidates, and preparing materials for the search committee, the president, and board.

We pride ourselves on accessibility to clients and on our reputation as brokers who value the role that confidentiality plays in relationship with clients and applicants.

• Pre-Search Visit

We will spend time on campus meeting with representative constituent groups and stakeholders (search committee, cabinet members, administrators, faculty, trustees, staff, students, alumni, and sponsors) and eliciting their recommendations, which will become integral components of a needs analysis and assessment.

• Institutional Profile/Position Specification Preparation

The assessment will be the basis for the institutional profile that, after approval by the board, will become the policy document for the search. Typically, the profile is posted on an institution’s web site where it is available to nominators and potential candidates.

• Identifying, Recruiting, and Evaluating Candidates

While advertising in appropriate publications and posting on professional web sites and email lists are expected parts of any search, we go beyond by reaching out through our network to individuals and by canvassing institutions and professional organizations for viable candidates. Critical to the process that leads to the identification and interviewing of semi-finalists, the firm’s associates engage in careful review of résumés, degree verification, and extensive interviewing before presenting applicants to the search committee for consideration.

• Selecting Finalists

We provide guidelines for semi-finalist interviews--recommending a format for the interviews as well as institution- and candidate-specific questions.

• Due Diligence

Thorough due diligence (credit, financial, litigation background, and publicity checks) is conducted for finalists. We personally contact listed and non-listed references.

• Consultation Throughout Appointment Process

While we do not give legal advice, we often are asked to play a part in the final negotiations between candidate and client.

• Maintaining Contact with the Client and the Appointee

We pledge to stay in touch with both the client institution and the successful candidate for at least a year beyond appointment to ensure that concerns are being communicated and expectations met.

OTHER SERVICES

Calling on a network of higher education leaders, consultants who specialize in higher education, and other colleague resources, Marylouise Fennell is able to provide a variety of services, including

Candidate and reference interviews
Consultations on interim appointment
Identification of additional top candidates
Mentor identification
President and Trustee audits
Search process workshops
Strategic planning
Trustee and Sponsor workshops
Partial searches